Preventive maintenance for lorries is the difference between planned servicing and roadside breakdowns. Without a structured checklist, critical inspections get missed, documentation becomes inconsistent, and maintenance teams struggle to track recurring issues across vehicles.

This guide provides a practical lorry maintenance checklist organized by component and system. You’ll learn what to inspect, how to structure your checklist for field execution, and how digital CMMS solutions eliminate paper-based friction and ensure audit-ready documentation.

Lorry Maintenance: Key Facts

• Consistency: Structured checklists ensure every lorry receives the same thorough inspection, regardless of technician experience or shift timing
• Documentation: Digital checklists create complete audit trails for compliance, warranty claims, and maintenance audits
• Mobile execution: Technicians complete inspections on mobile devices at the asset location, capturing photos, timestamps, and signatures without returning to the office
• Risk reduction: According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, nearly 12 percent of commercial trucks inspected carry brake violations severe enough to warrant immediate removal from service—systematic checklists catch these issues before they become roadside failures

Why You Need a Lorry Maintenance Checklist

Lorry maintenance without structured checklists relies on technician memory, tribal knowledge, and reactive repairs. This approach creates inconsistent inspection quality, missed safety checks, and incomplete documentation that fails regulatory audits.

A comprehensive maintenance checklist addresses these gaps:

• Consistency: Ad-hoc maintenance creates variation in inspection quality between technicians, shifts, and locations. Checklists standardize procedures, ensuring every lorry receives thorough attention regardless of who performs the work.
• Risk reduction: Missing brake inspections, overlooking tire wear patterns, or deferring fluid checks creates cascading failures. Structured checklists prevent these oversights by systematically addressing every critical component.
• Documentation: Regulatory compliance demands complete maintenance records. Checklists create traceable documentation showing what was inspected, when, by whom, and what issues were found—essential for audits and incident investigations.
• Technician guidance: Less experienced team members benefit from step-by-step checklists that capture institutional knowledge and prevent missed tasks during complex inspections.
• Standardization: Fleet operations spanning multiple sites need consistent maintenance practices. Checklists ensure the same inspection standards apply across all locations, shifts, and technician skill levels.
• Handover quality: When maintenance spans multiple shifts or technicians, structured documentation ensures seamless handovers without lost context or repeated work.

What to Include in Your Lorry Maintenance Checklist

Effective lorry maintenance checklists organize tasks by component or system rather than by frequency. This structure helps technicians work systematically through the vehicle, inspecting related components together instead of jumping between daily, weekly, and monthly task lists.

The checklist below represents common maintenance tasks. Actual requirements depend on your lorry type, operating environment, usage patterns, and manufacturer recommendations. Organizations often customize these templates based on their specific operational context and risk assessment.

Common Lorry Problems Your Maintenance Checklist Prevents

Structured maintenance checklists systematically address the failure patterns that cause unplanned downtime, safety incidents, and costly emergency repairs. Understanding these common problems helps maintenance teams prioritize inspection focus areas.

• Brake system failures: Worn brake pads, air leaks, and defective warning devices create stopping distance problems and regulatory violations. Regular brake inspections catch degradation before it compromises safety or triggers roadside enforcement actions.
• Tire blowouts and uneven wear: Underinflation, misalignment, and worn tread cause tire failures and poor fuel economy. Systematic tire inspections identify wear patterns indicating suspension problems, enabling corrective action before catastrophic failure.
• Engine overheating: Low coolant levels, radiator leaks, and thermostat failures cause engine damage requiring expensive rebuilds. Fluid system checks prevent overheating incidents that can destroy engines within minutes.
• Transmission failures: Degraded transmission fluid and contamination accelerate internal component wear. Regular fluid checks and changes extend transmission life and prevent failures requiring costly replacement.
• Electrical system problems: Battery failures, alternator issues, and corroded connections cause no-start conditions and lighting failures. Systematic electrical inspections prevent roadside breakdowns and regulatory violations for non-functioning lights.
• Documentation gaps: Missing maintenance records create audit failures, warranty claim denials, and inability to track recurring issues. Digital checklists automatically capture complete documentation, ensuring audit readiness and supporting data-driven maintenance decisions.

From Paper Checklist to Digital: How the osapiens HUB Automates Your Lorry Maintenance Checklist

Paper checklists, Excel spreadsheets, and PDF forms create friction in lorry maintenance execution. Technicians complete inspections in the field, then return to offices to manually transcribe findings into tracking systems—introducing delays, transcription errors, and incomplete documentation.

The osapiens HUB for Maintenance eliminates these media breaks through mobile-first checklist execution. Technicians access digital checklists on smartphones or tablets at the lorry location, completing inspections with photos, timestamps, and digital signatures. All data syncs automatically to the central system, creating complete audit trails without manual data entry.

Key capabilities that transform lorry maintenance:

• Mobile checklist execution: Technicians complete inspections on mobile devices with offline capability, ensuring work continues in areas with poor connectivity
• Photo documentation: Capture condition evidence directly within checklists, linking visual documentation to specific inspection points
• Automated work order creation: Failed checklist items automatically generate corrective work orders, eliminating delays between problem identification and repair initiation
• SAP PM integration: Bidirectional synchronization with SAP Plant Maintenance maintains enterprise system-of-record accuracy while providing technician-friendly mobile workflows
• Audit-ready documentation: Every inspection creates timestamped records with technician identification, GPS location, and complete task history for regulatory compliance

FAQ

What should be included in a lorry maintenance checklist?

A comprehensive lorry maintenance checklist should cover brake systems, tires and wheels, engine and fluid systems, transmission and drivetrain, suspension and steering, lights and electrical systems, exhaust and emissions, and cab safety equipment. Organize tasks by component rather than frequency, and customize based on your specific lorry type, operating environment, and manufacturer recommendations. The osapiens HUB for Maintenance enables flexible checklist customization while maintaining standardization across your fleet.

How often should I complete my lorry maintenance checklist?

Inspection frequency depends on usage patterns, operating environment, and risk assessment. Many fleet operators conduct daily pre-trip inspections focusing on safety-critical items, with more comprehensive inspections at regular mileage or operating hour intervals. Severe operating conditions—heavy loads, frequent stops, extreme temperatures—often require shorter intervals. Consult manufacturer recommendations and adjust based on your operational experience and failure history.

Can I customize this lorry maintenance checklist template?

Yes, customization is essential. Generic checklists miss equipment-specific requirements and operational context. Adapt checklists based on your lorry specifications, cargo type, operating environment, and regulatory requirements. The osapiens HUB for Maintenance provides flexible checklist templates that accommodate equipment-specific variations while maintaining standardized core inspection procedures across your fleet.

How does a digital CMMS improve maintenance checklist management?

Digital CMMS platforms eliminate paper-based friction through mobile checklist execution, automatic documentation, and real-time visibility. Technicians complete inspections on mobile devices with photo capture and offline capability. Failed items automatically generate work orders, and all data syncs to create complete audit trails. The osapiens HUB for Maintenance provides SAP PM integration, ensuring enterprise system-of-record accuracy while delivering mobile-first technician workflows that drive adoption and execution quality.