Why a daily device check
Most camera and tracker problems in the cab are not electronic. A lens gets covered by a sticker or a cloth, a bracket turns after a car wash, a storage cover stays open, a reader cable comes loose. The device keeps running, so nobody sees the gap until a footage request comes back empty.
The driver sits next to these devices every morning. Thirty seconds of looking, written down, catches most of these faults on the day they happen.
The nine checks
Each line asks for something the driver can see without tools and without touching the wiring.
- Tracker status light. Shows the normal pattern written on your card.
- Road camera. Lens clean, nothing blocks the view, still aimed at the road.
- Driver camera (DSM). Lens clean, not covered, still facing the driver.
- Recording indicator. The MDVR or the screen shows that it is recording.
- Storage cover. The SD card cover is closed and locked.
- Panic button. In place and not damaged. Do not press it.
- Driver ID reader. Reads your card or tag when you present it.
- Cables and seals. No loose cable, no broken seal or cut tie.
- Notice stickers. Tracking and camera stickers in place and readable.
The school-bus sheet
On a school bus the attendant is often the right person to check the cameras: they walk the aisle and stand at the door. The sheet asks for the cabin and door cameras, a call to the control room to confirm the live position, the panic button and the door or stop-arm sensor where one is fitted.
It covers devices only. The child check at the end of the route and the passenger register stay on your school-transport forms.
When a check fails
The driver writes what they saw and reports it before the trip. They do not open, unplug or move the device: a moved camera needs a new aim, and an unplugged tracker may log a power-cut alarm.
The supervisor decides whether the vehicle runs that day and books the installer. The Fault reports sheet keeps the date found, the fix date and the days in between.
Limits of the card
The card records what a person saw. It does not test GNSS accuracy, video quality or alarm delivery, and it is not a commissioning test. Light patterns and indicators differ between devices, so take the normal pattern from your own device manual.