The Daily Checklist Every Courier Driver Should Use

Most courier problems don’t start on the road — they start in the yard. A flat phone battery, a missing strap, a tyre that needed air an hour ago. The fix isn’t complicated: a daily checklist you actually run, every day, before the van moves.

Why a checklist beats memory

When you’re doing same-day courier work, the morning is the busiest, most distracted part of the day. Jobs are landing, customers are messaging, and you’re trying to get rolling. That’s exactly when things get forgotten. A written checklist takes the thinking out of it — two minutes of ticking boxes instead of an hour lost mid-route.

What should be on it

Vehicle

Fuel or charge for the whole day, tyres, oil, coolant, screen wash, lights and mirrors. Basic — but a breakdown costs you every job on the sheet, not just one.

Kit

Phone charged plus cables, sat nav working, ratchet straps and load securing kit, blankets for goods protection, gloves and hi-vis.

Paperwork

Delivery notes, proof-of-delivery process ready, insurance documents in the van, customer contact details saved before you set off.

The plan

Route ordered sensibly, time windows confirmed, waiting-time terms agreed, and a thought spared for the return leg — an empty van home is the most expensive part of many days.

End of day

Mileage recorded, jobs completed vs planned, revenue vs fuel and costs, and one honest note: what wasted time today?

Get the checklist

We’ve put all of this into a free, printable resource: download the HAF Courier Driver Daily Checklist. For the bigger picture — pricing, route planning, cutting dead miles — grab the free Courier Driver Playbook too.

And if you want your daily plan to become a live, bookable schedule, that’s what HAF PLNA is for — our driver planner, launching soon. Drivers on HAF KNECT get first access.