Why does a fleet need a summer readiness check?
Summer heat puts the most strain on the parts that keep a vehicle and its driver working: the AC, the cooling system, batteries and tires. A weak AC compressor or a blocked radiator that goes unnoticed in spring can take a vehicle off the road in July, when repairs take longer and the driver is most at risk.
This summer fleet readiness checklist in Excel gives every vehicle the same check before the season, records a pass or fail for each area, and makes sure each failed item has an owner and a due date. A heat safety plan for drivers sits in the same workbook.
What the summer vehicle checklist covers
| Area | What to check | Counts as failed when |
|---|---|---|
| AC and cabin | Vent outlet temperature after 10 minutes, compressor, condenser, cabin filter | Vent temperature above the limit (default 10 °C) or a fault |
| Cooling system | Coolant level and mix, radiator core, cap, fan | Low or wrong coolant, blocked radiator, fan fault |
| Belts and hoses | Cracks, swelling, glazing, tension | Any visible damage or leak |
| Tires | Cold pressure, tread, sidewalls, age from the DOT code | Wrong pressure, damage, or age above the limit (default 5 years) |
| Battery | Load or CCA test, terminals, age | Failed test or age above the limit (default 3 years) |
| Oil and fluids | Engine oil, brake, transmission, washer | Low level or unsuitable grade |
| Reefer unit | Pre-trip test, time to reach setpoint, door seals, service | Failed test or service overdue |
How to use the summer fleet checklist
- Set the limits on Settings from the manufacturer or your policy. The values in the file are defaults.
- Inspect each vehicle with the printable Vehicle check form, engine and AC running for 10 minutes, tires cold.
- Record one row per vehicle on the Fleet checklist: Pass, Fail or N/A for each area, and the three readings.
- Assign every failed item an action, an owner and a due date. Enter the closing date when the work is done.
- Brief drivers and plan shifts with the Heat safety plan and the Driver shift plan.
How readiness and action status are calculated
The summary at the top of the sheet counts vehicles checked, ready and not ready, open actions and overdue actions, so the fleet manager sees the state of the whole fleet in one line.
Worked example: two vehicles that are not ready
TRK-11 reads 14 °C at the vents against the 10 °C limit, the AC system and the radiator fail, and its rear tires are 6 years old against a 5-year limit. That is four failed items: two Fail results plus two readings over the limit. The vehicle is Not ready. The workshop owns the action, due on 25 May and closed on 24 May, so its status is Closed.
VAN-02 fails the battery test and its battery is 4 years old against a 3-year limit: two failed items. The action is still open after its due date of 27 May, so it shows as Overdue until someone enters a closing date.
Driver heat safety plan and the midday work ban
The Heat safety plan sheet covers water, rest breaks, shift timing, clothing and kit, the signs of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke with first aid, and emergency contacts, with a block for approval. Print it for each depot and go through it with drivers before the season.
The Driver shift plan flags any shift with outdoor tasks, such as loading, unloading or a tire change, that overlaps the restricted hours during the restricted period. The hours and period come from the Midday work ban sheet for the country you pick on Settings, and that sheet counts the flagged shifts.
GCC midday outdoor work ban, summer 2026
| Country | Ban period | No outdoor work | Authority | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 15 June – 15 September 2026 | 12:00–15:00 | MHRSD | MHRSD, 15 June 2026 |
| UAE | 15 June – 15 September 2026 | 12:30–15:00 | MoHRE | Gulf News, 8 June 2026 |
| Qatar | 1 June – 15 September 2026 | 10:00–15:30 | Ministry of Labour (Decision 17 of 2021) | The Peninsula, 31 May 2026 |
| Kuwait | 1 June – 31 August 2026 | 11:00–16:00 | Public Authority for Manpower | Al Rai, 25 May 2026 |
| Oman | 1 June – 31 August 2026 | 12:30–15:30 | Ministry of Labour (Decision 286/2008) | Oman Observer, 31 May 2026 |
| Bahrain | 15 June – 31 August 2026 | 12:00–16:00 | Ministry of Labour (Decision 5 of 2026) | Bahrain Confidential, 5 June 2026 |
Checked on 21 October 2026. Hours are local time, and each authority lists exemptions, such as emergency and utility works. Dates are announced each year, so check the current announcement and update the Midday work ban sheet. This template is a planning aid, not legal advice.
Common mistakes in pre-summer vehicle checks
- Reading the AC too early. Vent temperature means little until the engine and AC have run for about 10 minutes.
- Checking tire pressure hot. Pressure rises with heat and driving, so set it with the tires cold.
- Ignoring tire age. A tire with good tread can still be too old for summer roads.
- Leaving the reefer test for the first hot load. Test the unit before the season, not on the first delivery.
- Recording a fail with no owner. A failed item without an owner and a due date rarely gets fixed in time.
- Treating heat safety as a poster. Water and rest only work when shifts and outdoor tasks are planned around them.
Limits of the summer checklist
The default limits are starting points, not manufacturer specifications. The check shows the state of each vehicle on the day it was inspected, so faults that develop during the summer need the monthly re-check or service records. The shift plan checks the times you enter, not what drivers actually do on the day.