Equipment checks for vehicle fleets
Pre-trip vehicle inspections from the driver's own phone.
CheckBadges puts a QR sticker inside each van, pickup, box truck and service truck. Drivers scan it with their own phone and do that vehicle's pre-trip check in the browser, with odometer, photos and their name or PIN, and nothing to install. Defects email you at once and warn the next driver until fixed. It's not a full DVIR or telematics system.
What pre-use checks have to handle
Drivers' own phones
Drivers won't install another work app, and you don't want to manage logins. A camera scan opens the check, and nothing tracks their location.
Pool vans and shared trucks
When different drivers take the same van, the next one sees any open defect before they pull out.
Odometer readings that add up
A number question records the odometer on every check, building a mileage history per vehicle that exports to a spreadsheet.
Defects mentioned on Friday
The brake noise a driver mentions at the end of the week is a Problem with a photo in your inbox at 7 a.m. on Monday instead.
Some trucks are CMVs, some aren't
Vehicles rated 10,001 pounds or more in interstate commerce fall under FMCSA's inspection rules; lighter vans don't. One sticker system covers both.
Equipment on the truck
Service trucks carry compressors, generators and ladders. Give each its own sticker, or add them to the truck's checklist.
How a small fleet runs pre-trip checks with QR codes
Each vehicle gets a QR sticker inside the driver's door or on the dash, and the driver scans it before the first trip of the day. Their phone opens that vehicle's checklist: lights, tires, brakes, mirrors, wipers, horn, fluid leaks, the odometer, and anything specific to that truck. A defect needs a note and can carry up to three photos.
A morning at a plumbing company with 15 vans and service trucks:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:45 a.m. | Techs arrive at the shop. Each scans the sticker in their van, enters the odometer and works through the check. |
| 6:51 a.m. | In van 7, a tech marks the right brake light as a Problem and takes a photo. |
| 6:51 a.m. | The fleet manager gets the email. Van 7 turns red on the dashboard. |
| 7:00 a.m. | The dashboard shows 14 of 15 vehicles checked today; the manager texts the last driver, who's taking the truck from home. |
| 7:05 a.m. | The shop swaps the bulb and marks it fixed with a note. Van 7 leaves at 7:15. |
| Next day | A different tech takes van 7, scans it and sees no open problems. |
What the DVIR rules require, and when they apply
The federal inspection rules apply to commercial motor vehicles: under 49 CFR 390.5, vehicles with a weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more (alone or combined with a trailer), or built to carry more than 8 or 15 passengers depending on whether they're paid, used in interstate commerce. Most cargo vans and pickups are under the line; most box trucks and many service trucks with trailers are over it.
| Rule | What it requires |
|---|---|
| 392.7 and 396.13 | Before driving, the driver must be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition, review the last DVIR, and sign it if defects were listed |
| 396.11 | At the end of each day's work, a written report on each vehicle driven, listing any defect. No report is needed when no defect is found (property carriers since 2014, passenger carriers since 2020) |
| 396.11 | The carrier repairs defects that affect safety and certifies the repair; DVIRs and certifications are kept three months |
| 396.11(a)(6) | Reports may be electronic, which FMCSA's February 2026 eDVIR rule confirmed |
Carriers operating only one CMV are exempt from the DVIR rule. Vehicles under the CMV line have no federal pre-trip rule, though many fleets check them anyway. This summarizes the rules; check the current text and your state's. The detail is in DVIR requirements.
Where CheckBadges fits, and where it doesn't
CheckBadges records each pre-trip check with the driver's name or PIN, the time, the odometer, every answer and photos of anything wrong. A defect emails your alert list at once, flags the vehicle, and shows the open defect to the next driver who scans it, until someone marks it fixed with a note.
That covers a lot of what a DVIR does, but it isn't a complete DVIR system. There's no separate step where the carrier certifies a repair and the next driver signs to acknowledge it, beyond the "mark fixed" note and the warning the driver sees. Identity is a typed name or PIN, not a drawn signature. If your trucks are CMVs and you want a dedicated DVIR workflow, compare CheckBadges vs Whip Around and CheckBadges vs Fleetio.
What it costs
CheckBadges is free for up to 3 machines. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 machines, plus $1.50 a month for each machine after that, so 15 vehicles is $27 a month and 30 vehicles is $49.50 a month. Drivers are unlimited, so pool vehicles with ten different drivers cost the same as one.
When CheckBadges isn't the right fit
CheckBadges has no telematics, GPS, fuel card or maintenance scheduling, and no driver app with hours of service. It needs a data connection, so a driver who starts in a dead zone has to check the vehicle where there's signal. If you want those, a fleet management system fits better; compare in the best vehicle inspection apps.
Free checklists for vehicle fleets
Print them, or put each one on a QR sticker so operators fill it in on their phone.
- Free checklistPre-trip inspection checklistFree truck pre-trip inspection checklist in CDL order: engine compartment, cab and air brake checks, lights, tires, brakes, coupling and emergency equipment.
- Free checklistVehicle inspection checklistFree daily vehicle inspection checklist for company cars, pickups, vans and work trucks: tires, lights, brakes, fluids, mirrors, load and body damage.
- Free checklistTrailer inspection checklistFree trailer inspection checklist for equipment, utility and semi-trailers: hitch, safety chains, breakaway, lights, brakes, tires, ramps and tie-downs.
- Free checklistAir compressor inspection checklistFree air compressor inspection checklist: drain the tank, then check the safety valve, gauge, hoses, fittings, belt guard, oil and auto shutoff before use.
- Free checklistGenerator inspection checklistFree generator inspection checklist for portable and towable units: fuel, oil, coolant, leaks, exhaust and CO, grounding, GFCI outlets, cords and controls.
- Free checklistLadder inspection checklistFree ladder inspection checklist for step and extension ladders: rails, rungs, feet, spreaders, locks, labels and rope. OSHA requires a check before each shift.
Set it up in three steps
- 01
Add your machines
Name your business, list your machines and pick a starting checklist. No signup, sales call or card — make an account once you like it.
- 02
Stick on their QR codes
Every machine gets its own sticker. Print them on label paper and put each one where operators look before they start.
- 03
Operators scan and check
Phone camera, tap, answer, submit: about a minute. A problem emails you and warns the next person to scan that machine.
Frequently asked questions
Do vans and pickups need a DVIR?
Only if they're commercial motor vehicles under 49 CFR 390.5, which mostly means a weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more (alone or with a trailer) used in interstate commerce. Most cargo vans and pickups are under the line, so no federal DVIR applies, though a daily check is still good practice.
Do drivers have to fill out a DVIR if nothing is wrong?
No. Under 49 CFR 396.11, drivers aren't required to prepare a report if no defect or deficiency is discovered or reported to them. That has applied to property carriers since 2014 and to passenger carriers since September 2020.
Is CheckBadges a DVIR app?
Not a complete one. It records pre-trip checks with the driver's name or PIN, photos and the odometer, emails you defects and warns the next driver until a defect is marked fixed. It has no separate repair-certification and driver-acknowledgment signatures, so CMV fleets that need that workflow should use a dedicated DVIR app.
Can drivers do pre-trip inspections on their personal phones?
Yes. They scan the QR sticker with the phone's camera and the check opens in the browser. Nothing is installed, there's no account, and CheckBadges doesn't track their location.
How long do I keep vehicle inspection reports?
For commercial motor vehicles, DVIRs, repair certifications and driver review certifications are kept three months from the date the report was prepared (49 CFR 396.11). For other vehicles, it's your policy.
Keep reading
- Vehicle inspection appA vehicle inspection app for pre-trip checks: drivers scan a QR sticker in the cab and check on their own phone, with no app or login. Defects email you.
- DVIR requirementsA DVIR is required at the end of each day's work only when a defect is found. Repairs must be certified and reports kept 3 months. The FMCSA rules for 2026.
- The best vehicle inspection apps in 2026The best vehicle inspection apps of 2026 for pre-trip checks and DVIRs: how drivers do them, app and login needs, and what 10, 25 or 50 vehicles cost a month.
- vs Whip AroundCheckBadges vs Whip Around: how operators do pre-use checks, whether they need an app or login, and what 10, 25 or 50 machines cost. Checked October 2026.
- vs FleetioCheckBadges vs Fleetio: how operators do pre-use checks, whether they need an app or login, and what 10, 25 or 50 machines cost. Checked October 2026.
- Pre-trip inspection checklistFree truck pre-trip inspection checklist in CDL order: engine compartment, cab and air brake checks, lights, tires, brakes, coupling and emergency equipment.
Check every van and truck in the fleet with one scan.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.