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08.01.03 Personal Use Vehicle CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY MANUAL CHAPTER: 08 City Equipment Policy No. 08.01.03 SECTION: 01 Vehicle Services Policy Page: 1 of 6 SUBJECT: 03 Use of Personal and City Vehicles for City Business APPLICABILITY: The provisions of this directive are applicable to all City employees who receive reimbursements for the use of their personal cars in conducting City business or who operate City vehicles. IN GENERAL: 1. City vehicles will be used for local travel whenever practical. 2. Personal car usage for local travel may be approved by Department Directors when it is in the best interests of the City. All such travel should be approved in advance by the Department Director, Director of Risk Management, Director of Finance and the City Manager. 3. Employees of the City of Boynton Beach who must use their private vehicles for City business are entitled to reimbursement at the rate of $.22 per mile. 4. Mileage reimbursements may be obtained by submitting a check request (121 Form) to Finance along with documentation of mileage (beginning and ending odometer reading). All mileage shall be shown from point of origin to point of destination. 5. Reimbursements for expenditures related to the operation, maintenance and ownership of a vehicle shall not be allowed when privately owned vehicles are used on public business. AUTHORIZATION: Those who regularly use a vehicle in the performance of their work will use a pool car, emergency/special use car, an eight-hour car or a personal use car. Although each type of assignment will be determined individually, the following guidelines shall be followed in making these types of assignments: POOL CAR: A pool car will be used in most instances by all employees needing transportation in performing their work. The Director of Public Works will be responsible for assigning pool cars to various departments. Policy No. 08.01.03 Page: 2 EIGHT HOUR ASSIGNED CITY VEHICLE: An eight-hour assignment of a City vehicle may be approved when: a. The vehicle is used extensively each working day. b. It is important that radio contact be maintained with the employee. c. The nature of the assignment may cause unusual depreciation of the vehicle. d. A vehicle other than a passenger car is required. e. Other factors warrant such an assignment. EMERGENCY/SPECIAL USE VEHICLE: a. The department or division is frequently subject to 24-hour emergency calls throughout the year and carries special tools, equipment, supplies or parts needed to perform emergency work or special duties. b. Other circumstances not specifically mentioned which merit such an assignment. PERSONAL CAR: Reimbursements (car allowance) for the regular use of a personal car will be approved when this type of arrangement is satisfactory. Normally, this type of assignment shall be considered when no 8-hour City vehicle assigned to the department is available, there are no pool vehicles available or when the vehicle is needed for long distance travel. APPROVED USE OF CITY VEHICLES: PERMITTED USES: City vehicles shall be used for City business only. No City vehicle, except emergency/special use assignment vehicles, is to leave the City limits unless on City business with the Department Director's approval. Those operating City equipment shall observe all traffic regulations (Police and Fire equipment operating under emergency conditions shall follow F.S.S. governing such use). Department Directors shall be responsible for ensuring that all of their employees have a valid Florida Driver's license to operate the type of vehicle used in their work and that the employee's driving record justifies the operation of City vehicles. It shall be the employee's responsibility to notify the Department Director of any changes to their driver's license. Only those departments or divisions assigned emergency/special use vehicles may use the vehicle for transportation to and from work work or to lunch. However, those assigned vehicle on an 8 hour basis, who regularly work in the field most of the day, may drive the vehicle to Policy No. 08.01.03 Page: 3 lunch if they are away from the office when the lunch hour occurs, if the mileage is not excessive and if they have received approval from the responsible Department Director. Only City employees shall drive or ride in City vehicles except that others may ride in a City vehicle when such use is related to City business. STORAGE: Vehicles assigned on an emergency/special use basis shall be stored on private property or City property and not on the street at night and on weekends. RESPONSIBILITY: Assigned Vehicles: Those assigned vehicles on an emergency/special use or 8-hour basis shall assume responsibility for making the vehicle available to the Vehicle Maintenance Division at appropriate time for scheduled and unscheduled repairs and maintenance. It shall be the responsibility of the Department Directors to see that their employees inspect and clean their vehicles on a regular basis. The Department Directors should be responsible also to see that their employees use City vehicles in accordance with the provisions of this directive. USE OF A PERSONAL CAR: Those using personal cars for City business are required to have minimum automobile coverage for liability in the amount of $100,000 for each person, $300,000 for each accident and property damage of $25,000. The City will not assume responsibility for any damages to employees' cars. The mileage reimbursement payment includes a factor for both liability and collision insurance coverage. Employees shall file a certificate of liability with the City and supply such information necessary for liability coverage of their vehicles. REQUEST TO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR PERSONAL AUTOMOBILE USE: In order to obtain approval for the use of a personal car for City business, the Department Directors should submit the form "Request to Receive Reimbursement for Personal Automotive Expenses". After the form is approved by the department Director, it should be submitted to the Director of Risk Management. The Director of Risk Management will examine the driver's license and insurance information. The Director of Finance will verify the availability of funds for the anticipated expenditure. The final approval of the request will be made by the City Manager. NOTE: If a personal vehicle is used for a purpose other than local travel, please refer to the City of Boynton Beach Travel Policy. Policy No. 08.01.03 Page: 4 EMERGENCY/SPECIAL USE ASSIGNMENTS: (24-hr. Assignments) PURPOSE: To establish the authority, criteria and procedures for Emergency/Special Use vehicle assignments (24 hour assignments) to City of Boynton Beach employees. POLICY: The City Manager may assign City vehicles on a 24 hour basis only to full-time employees meeting the established criteria. All permanent 24-hour vehicle assignments will be reviewed periodically and those not meeting the established criteria will be revoked. CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL: Those employees subject to emergency call on a 24-hour basis or who require specially equipped vehicles or special tools and/or radio communications from a 24-hour base station. a. It must be established that the employee has been and is expected to be called away frequently (a minimum of 4 times per month) from his/her residence during off-duty hours, and that it is impractical for him/her to proceed to a central dispatch point and obtain a vehicle before responding. b. All logs will be subject to review by the City Manager at anytime. Those employees who travel sufficient official business miles (excluding to and from residence and meals) or whose work activity is such that a financial hardship would be imposed on the employee by use of a personal vehicle: a. Sufficient business mileage is defined as no less than 70% of the total vehicle mileage per month. b. Official business usage must average at least 50 miles per day or 1,000 miles per month. c. Even when an individual meets the two conditions above, the need for him/her to travel directly to and from his/her residence to the job site must be clearly established. Only employees who reside within Palm Beach County will be eligible for 24-hour vehicle assignments. Policy No. 08.01.03 Page: 5 PROCEDURES: USAGE: Authorized use of a 24-hour assigned vehicle includes in addition to official business transportation to and from work/home, short (10 minutes or less) personal en-route stops, and meal requirements during the working period. Unauthorized use is any personal use not authorized by this policy or otherwise prohibited by law. Some examples of unauthorized use include, but are not limited to, transporting relatives, friends or hitchhikers; transporting other City employees for nonbusiness related purposes; and driving after any consumption of alcoholic beverages or use of illegal substances. Accidents involving unauthorized use of City vehicles will warrant disciplinary action. LIABILITY: Accidents occurring during any unauthorized use of City vehicles will not be covered by the City's self-insurance program and will result in employee liability for any property damage/personal injuries. ASSIGNMENTS: 1. All requests for a 24-hour vehicle assignment must be made on the attached form. 2. Department Directors will justify the need for 2-hour vehicle assignment and indicate the availability of a vehicle for this assignment within the department. Request will be forwarded to Public Works. 3. Risk Management will review the request for verification of the employee's license and insurance compliance and review the employee's driving record. 4. Vehicle Maintenance will review the vehicle request and advise if the requested vehicle is available from the pool. 5. The City Manager or Assistant City Manager will review the request and after approval or disapproval will return the form to Vehicle Maintenance. 6. If the request is approved, Vehicle Maintenance will inform Personnel, Finance, Risk Management and the requesting department of the date of vehicle assignment. Disapproved requests will be returned to the department by Vehicle Maintenance. 7. Department Directors may make 24-hour vehicle assignments on a temporary basis from the department motor pool. Temporary assignments may be made for rotational on-call personnel, conferences, training or work assignments Policy No. 08.01.03 Page: 6 outside the area when a City vehicle is the most practical and cheapest form of transportation. Such assignments will be made in writing not to exceed 30 days. USAGE MONITORING/ASSIGNMENT TERMINATIONS: 1. The 24-hour vehicle assignment will be terminated at anytime it is determined that usage no longer meets the criteria for assignment. 2. Departments/Divisions have primary responsibility to ensure authorized use of assigned vehicles. Termination of assignment and/or disciplinary action, as appropriate, will be initiated by the department/division in case of unauthorized use. All 24-hour vehicle assignments will be revalidated and reviewed annually during the budget process by resubmission of the attached form. Emergency response logs must be attached to the request form. Recommendations for termination of assignment will be forwarded to administration through the department concerned in those cases where there appears to be unauthorized use of the vehicle or usage no longer meets the criteria for assignment. EFFECTIVE DATE: JUNE 27, 1990 Scott Miller City Manager __________________________ _________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________ _______ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________ ______________ __________________________ ____________________________________________ ___________________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________ __________________ ___________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ ________ ____ _____ ____________________________ _____________________________ TWENTY-FOUR HOUR VEHICLE ASSIGNMENT REQUEST TO: Vehicle Services FROM: Department Division Name & Job Title Justification/Use Emergency Response Requirement Vehicle # Driver's License #/Expiration Date Date Of Birth/Hire Roundtrip, Home To Work (Mileage) Home Address Of Employee Home Phone # Of Employee Estimate Average Monthly Business Miles Impact If Denied Requested By: Department Head/Date Division Head/Date Driving License/Record: Acceptable Not Acceptable Approved Disapproved Risk Management-Date City Manager-Date ____________________________________________________________________ FOR VEHICLE SERVICE USE ONLY ________________ _______________________ __________________________ _____________________ ____ ____________________________ ____________________ _____________________ ___________________________ _____________________ ____________________________ ____________________ ____________________________ ____________________ ____________________ ______________________ _____________________ Vehicle # Assigned Odometer Vehicle Description Date Assigned USAGE LOG 19 Personal/Business May To November November To May MEMORANDUM NO. 92-034 TO: All Department Heads Personnel Assigned Take Home Vehicles FROM: J. Scott Miller, City Manager DATE: February 27, 1992 SUBJECT: REVOKED Take Home Vehicle Assignments Pursuant to City Manager memorandum No. 92-010, APM Policy 8.1.3 and based upon months of review and analysis, this office has determined which take home vehicle assignments are revoked. The vehicle assignments listed on the attached sheet are revoked effective March 6, 1992. A single asterisk (*) denotes take-home vehicle assignments which are on a four month evaluative review as stated in memorandum No. 92-010. APM Policy 8.1.3, page 5, paragraph b, is amended with the daily mileage log which is to be maintained as additional information with after working hours emergency call out information. This section of APM 8.1.3 will apply to all personnel assigned an emergency/special use take-home City vehicle. The daily mileage log will be in the following format: Beginning Mileage/Date Ending Mileage Purpose of Trip Time Called Out Time Completed Please substitute this section in the APM binder with attached page. Department Heads will review this policy amendment with affected employees and insure this policy is strictly adhered to. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. J. Scott Miller City Manager JSM: cd Attachment REVOKED TAKE HOME CITY VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS DEPARTMENT ASSIGNMENT VEHICLE# Utilities *Utility Director 197 *Deputy Utility Director 152 *Deputy Utility Director 155 *Supervisor Water Distribution 132 *Supervisor Sewer Collection 141 Supervisor 162 System Operator 168 Assistant to Utility Director 194 Supervisor Water Treatment Plant 102 Utility Engineer 196 Fire *Fire Chief 823 Executive Officer 821 Training Officer 829 EMS Coordinator 828 Fire Coordinator 813 Fire Inspector 814 Fire Prevention Officer I 815 Fire Prevention Officer II 827 Fire Prevention Officer III 824 Public Works *Public Works Director 002 Assistant Public Works Director 001 Police *Police Chief 375 *Deputy Chief Operations 355 *Lt. Information Service Systems 380 Deputy Chief Administration 324