Maintenance Records & Work Orders · Excel template
Free Road Call / Breakdown Log Template
A road-call and breakdown log that records every unplanned roadside event (what failed, where, how long the unit was down, and the cost), so you can attack the failures that cause the most disruption. Use it alongside our fleet calculators to size the costs this template tracks, or browse fleet management software when you are ready to automate the workflow. See all downloads in the template library, and check the fleet glossary for any unfamiliar terms.
Built and reviewed by the FleetOpsClub research team. Preview it free below.
- A row per road call with date, unit, location, and the failed component
- Downtime hours and the resolution (roadside fix, tow, swap-out)
- Cost capture including tow, parts, and labor
- A root-cause field so repeat failures become visible
- Editable CSV. Yours to keep
- Print or save as PDF
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How to use it
- 1
Open a row the moment a road call happens, capturing the unit, location, and reported symptom.
- 2
Record the component that failed and the resolution: roadside repair, tow, or unit swap.
- 3
Log the downtime hours from breakdown to back-in-service, plus the total cost.
- 4
Note a root cause where known so you can separate wear failures from missed-PM failures.
- 5
Review the log monthly to find the components and units driving the most road calls and feed those into your PM plan.
What's inside
- A row per road call with date, unit, location, and the failed component
- Downtime hours and the resolution (roadside fix, tow, swap-out)
- Cost capture including tow, parts, and labor
- A root-cause field so repeat failures become visible
- A worked example covering a tire, an air-system, and a charging-system failure
Preview the template
Here's a real sample of the layout — the actual columns and structure you'll work in. The complete template, plus the editable spreadsheet, unlocks the moment you enter your email.
Preview
Road Call / Breakdown Log Template
Road calls are a leading indicator of PM gaps: recurring failures of the same component usually point to an interval that needs tightening.
| Date | Unit / VIN | Location | Failed Component | Resolution | Downtime (hrs) | Cost | Root Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-09 | TRK-007 | I-80 MM 142 | Drive tire blowout | Roadside tire service | 3.5 | $540 | Underinflation |
| 2026-02-21 | TRK-012 | Depot exit | Air leak, no build-up | Tow to shop | 9.0 | $1,180 | Failed governor |
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions buyers usually ask once the category, software, or rollout details start getting more specific.
Road calls are the most expensive failures because they include downtime, towing, and disrupted routes. Tracking them apart from planned work lets you see which components and units cause the most unplanned disruption and target them directly.
Any unplanned event that stops a vehicle away from the shop: a breakdown, a roadside repair, or a tow. Capturing all of them, even quick fixes, gives you the full picture of unplanned downtime.
Recurring roadside failures of the same component are a strong signal that a PM interval is too long or an inspection is missing the early warning signs. Feeding road-call root causes back into the PM plan converts breakdowns into scheduled work.
Add the direct cost (tow, parts, labor) to the cost of the downtime: lost revenue, missed deliveries, and any substitute capacity. The downtime hours column lets you apply your own per-hour downtime cost.