COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY
VEHICLE USAGE PROCEDURES
Policy Reference(s):
I.02; III.01; III.08; V.01; V.04; VI.02
Responsible Department(s):
Risk Management
Approval Date: Revision Date(s):
1/2/2017
9/1/2018; 10/10/2018; 9/16/2019; 9/16/2021
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS VEHICLE USAGE PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................2 I. Overview ............................................................................................................................2 II. Use of College Vehicles........................................................................................................2 General Requirements....................................................................................................2 Recordkeeping/Administration .......................................................................................4 III. Use of Personal Vehicles for College Business ......................................................................4 IV. Responsibilities of Authorized Drivers/Operators.................................................................5 V. Revocation of Driving Privileges/Discipline ..........................................................................6 VI. Action Following Notice of Moving Violations/Criminal Charges ...........................................8 VII. College Responsibilities .......................................................................................................8 VIII. Employee Driving Record Review.........................................................................................9 IX. Accidents ..........................................................................................................................10 What to Do In the Event of Accident: ............................................................................10 X. Cell Phone and Mobile Device Usage .................................................................................11 APPENDIX/FORMS ...........................................................................................................................12 VEHICLE USAGE PROCEDURES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM ..........................................................13
i
VEHICLE USAGE PROCEDURES
I. Overview These procedures have been established to protect the safety of individuals operating any motor vehicle, College or personal, in the course of conducting business on behalf of the College. Protecting our employees, students and the general public is the highest priority to CCAC. The College expects defensive driving on the part of all authorized drivers, the use of common sense, and strict obedience to all federal, state and local regulations. The commitment of management and employees is critical to the success of this program. Strict adherence to these procedures is therefore required.
II. Use of College Vehicles
General Requirements
Motor vehicles that are owned, leased or rented by the College (College Vehicles) are not to be used for activities, functions or purposes that are not related to College business or which are otherwise personal in nature. If an authorized driver allows an unauthorized individual to drive a College Vehicle, disciplinary action may be taken, up to and including termination of employment. If unauthorized use results in an accident, in addition to whatever disciplinary action may be taken, the responsible employee will be required to make restitution payments to the College for any physical damage to the College Vehicle. Questions regarding business and personal use of College Vehicles should be directed to your immediate supervisor. The following requirements and prohibitions will be strictly enforced for all individuals authorized to operate or drive a College Vehicle: • College Vehicles may only be used for local travel in Allegheny and surrounding counties. • Only authorized College employees are permitted to operate College Vehicles. Students are not authorized to drive a college vehicles unless it is a requirement of their class (i.e. CDL and Ambulance). Students in these classes must provide a current MVR dated within a week of the start of their class and can only drive the college vehicle under the supervision of an employee who is authorized to drive a company vehicle. Students are required to report immediately any moving violations to their instructor. • No individual under the age of 21 may operate or be approved to drive a College Vehicle for College-related business. Students who take a class that requires driving a college vehicle will need to be at least 18 years old.
2
• Each authorized driver must have a current valid driver’s license, be approved by their supervisor and appear on the CCAC Approved Drivers List. This list will be reviewed and updated annually by the Director of Safety and Security and supervisors to whom authorized drivers report. A copy of the authorized driver’s license will be kept on file with the Director of Safety and Security for 3 years. • All new authorized drivers must have a safe driving history DMV verification. Motor vehicle records checks will be reviewed annually, at a minimum, for all authorized drivers. If an approved driver is transporting students, a background check will also be required. The campus Director of Safety and Security is responsible for administration of this process. • Authorized drivers are obligated to inform their supervisor, within 24 hours, of any moving violations, regardless of severity, or other criminal charges relating to the safe operation of any College Vehicle or personal vehicle, including without limitation any revocation or suspension of their driver’s license or any arrest or conviction for a crime involving operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The supervisor must promptly inform the Director of Safety and Security of the report. The driver will be immediately removed from the Authorized Drivers List. • Each approved driver will be required to read the “CCAC Vehicle Usage Procedures” and sign the acknowledgement form before they can be considered an authorized driver and have their name placed on the Authorized drivers list.
• No personal use of any College Vehicle is permitted.
• Outside charter service is encouraged for group travel.
• No more than nine (9) individuals per vehicle including the operator are permitted to be transported in any College Vehicle. Rear seats shall be removed from any existing 15-passenger vehicle/s as they are not authorized to transport more than nine (9) individuals, including the driver. The 15-passenger vehicles are being phased out and are not to be used as such. • All College Vehicles must be operated in a safe manner and while obeying all traffic laws at all times, including, but not limited to, having headlights on when the vehicle’s windshield wipers are in continuous or intermittent use.
• Seatbelts must be worn at all times and by all occupants.
• Use of tobacco products, including smoking, e-cigarettes and vaping, is not permitted in or around College Vehicles.
3
• Alcohol and drugs (consumption and/or transport) is strictly prohibited in College Vehicles. Violation may result in immediate termination of driving privileges and may result in disciplinary action of all involved parties. • Driving privileges are subject to suspension or revocation and these decisions are based on items such as driving history, compliance with the CCAC program, failure to complete inspections or maintenance or allowing passengers to act in an improper, inappropriate or unsafe manner. See Section V below for additional information. • Training (Safe Driver video) updates will be required periodically. Training may also be required if the driver has had a preventable accident or some other situational issue indicating that the particular driver requires more frequent training. This training will be conducted and documented by the Director of Safety and Security. • The College has the right to report to the police any and all accidents that involve College Vehicles. • All moving and parking violations, citations, and associated fines incurred while operating a College Vehicle shall be the personal responsibility of the authorized operator/driver, and must be paid immediately. Recordkeeping/Administration Each campus will maintain a list of approved drivers for that campus and its associated centers. CCAC will maintain one comprehensive list of approved drivers at all locations. The campus list will be maintained by the campus Director of Safety and Security. The comprehensive system-wide list will be maintained by the Office of Risk Management and filed with the College’s insurer and broker. Each campus will maintain a Master List of Vehicles for the campus and associated centers. The Plant Supervisor and the Safety and Security Department at each campus will be responsible for maintaining these records. The campus Executive Director of Business & Administration shall be responsible for general oversight of employee use of College Vehicles and compliance with these procedures. The Facilities/Physical Plant Department at each campus will be responsible for the monthly scheduled maintenance and repairs of College Vehicles. III. Use of Personal Vehicles for College Business Employees can use their own personal vehicles for approved College business, subject to the following requirements:
4
• The College will reimburse employees for authorized business travel in accordance with Section 6 of the CCAC Fiscal Administration Regulations. • An employee who uses his/her personal vehicle for business purposes must maintain automobile liability insurance that meets the state’s minimum insurance level requirements. • Employees who drive non-College Vehicles while conducting business for the College are subject to all the requirements and standards set forth in Section II above.
• Employees are not permitted to drive students in their own personal vehicles.
• Use of motorcycles for College business is prohibited.
• The College may revoke an employee’s authorization to drive their own personal vehicle while conducting College business, and seek full reimbursement from the employee for any losses incurred by the College, in the event that the College determines that the employee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct while operating the vehicle resulted in or caused an accident or other traffic-related incident. Gross negligence or willful misconduct will be deemed to have occurred in the circumstances described in Section V below. IV. Responsibilities of Authorized Drivers/Operators Employees and other individuals who are authorized or approved to operate College Vehicles or to use a personal vehicle to conduct College-related business shall: • Operate the vehicle at all times in a safe manner, and take all reasonable actions and precautions to avoid accidents and injuries; • Ensure that all occupants of the vehicle wear seat belts at all times when the vehicle is in use; • Ensure that passengers do not travel in vehicles that are not equipped with restraints, or in areas of the vehicle intended for cargo or where seats with restraints are not available; • Pay any citations, fines, judgments or penalties resulting from traffic or moving violations while operating or using the vehicle, including such fines or penalties resulting from or associated with a failure to possess a valid registration, insurance card, driver’s license or any other required government document;
5
• Immediately report to his/her supervisor and the Director of Risk Management all accidents and moving violations that occur while driving a College Vehicle or while utilizing a personal vehicle for College-related business; • Notify their immediate supervisor, within 24 hours, of any arrest or conviction for a criminal offense involving the use or operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or any upon receipt of notice of any suspension, cancellation or revocation of their driver’s license, regardless of whether such incident occurred on college business or personal time. • Refrain from overloading or overcrowding a vehicle as this may result in unsafe operation; • Operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs, alcohol or under any other conditions in which the driver’s ability to operate the vehicle safely is inhibited or impaired;
• Maintain a current, valid driver’s license and adhere to applicable license restrictions;
• Prohibit unauthorized individuals, including students (unless a requirement of their class, age 18 years old at a minimum) and other individuals under 21 years of age, to drive or operate a College Vehicle; • Not utilize the vehicle to carry, transport or possess any illegal drugs, explosives, firearms or alcoholic beverages. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to law enforcement officials authorized to carry firearms in accordance with Board Policy VI.03. V. Revocation of Driving Privileges/Discipline The College may temporarily revoke or terminate driving privileges granted to an employee in the event that it determines that the employee has engaged in gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with his or her operation or use of a College Vehicle or other motor vehicle. The College may also seek reimbursement and restitution for losses of or damages to College Vehicles caused by an employee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. For purposes of the foregoing, gross negligence and/or willful misconduct will be deemed to have occurred in the following circumstances: • The employee is arrested for, charged with or convicted of operating any motor vehicle, College or personal, while under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
6
• The employee is arrested for, charged with or convicted of any crime involving use of a College Vehicle; • The employee is arrested for, charged with, convicted of or otherwise discovered by the College to be operating a College Vehicle without a valid driver’s license; • The employee is arrested for, charged with, convicted of or otherwise determined by the College to have left the scene of an accident (hit and run) while using a Vehicle, College or personal; • The employee is determined to have misrepresented the facts concerning an accident involving a College Vehicle; • The employee has engaged in reckless driving while operating a College Vehicle; • The employee has been found responsible for multiple physical damage claims to a College Vehicle in any 12-month period; • The employee is found to have caused damage to a third party while using a College Vehicle; • The employee has used a College Vehicle for any purpose in violation of federal, state or local laws; • The employee has used a College Vehicle without proper authorization; • The employee has been determined to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol under the College’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy and Procedures; • The employee has been determined to have violated the College’s Weapons/Firearms on Campus Policy; • The College otherwise becomes aware of facts or circumstances which indicate that the employee’s continued use of a College Vehicle presents a risk to the health or safety of the employee or to the College’s students, faculty, staff members or third parties, as described in Section VII below. Employees must adhere to all the responsibilities listed in these procedures for authorized vehicular drivers. Any violation of the duties and responsibilities set forth herein may result in corrective employment action, up to and including termination of employment.
7
VI. Action Following Notice of Moving Violations/Criminal Charges
• If the Employee Has Notified Their Supervisor, as Required Under These Procedures:
o Supervisors, in conjunction with the Offices of Safety and Security, Risk Management, and Human Resources, will evaluate the severity of the reported violation and/or length of license suspension and determine whether the employee’s work schedule or job duties can be altered. Such alteration may result in demotion, either temporarily or permanently, to a vacant position that does not require driving as an essential function, provided that such position is available.
• If the Employee Has Failed to Notify Their Supervisor:
Supervisors, in conjunction with the Offices Safety and Security, Risk Management, and Human Resources, will evaluate the offense(s) in question and the other circumstances surrounding the failure to report, and take action in accordance with the following guidelines: o An unreported moving violation on an employee’s driving record that is discovered during a Motor Vehicle Records Check will result in immediate revocation of college driving privileges, the length of the revocation to be determined by the severity of the unreported infraction; and o An unreported suspension, cancellation or revocation of an employee’s driver’s license or driving privileges discovered during a Motor Vehicle Records Check, or discovery of any unreported arrest or charges involving operation of a motor vehicle, will result in immediate corrective discipline, up to and including termination of employment, depending upon the severity of the unreported infraction and any mitigation. VII. College Responsibilities In connection with its management and administration of these Vehicle Usage Procedures, the College will: • Provide vehicles that meet all federal/state mandated safety requirements. • Routinely check driving records (MVR) of all employees that are authorized or approved to operate motor vehicles on College business. • Review this procedure with employees’ for whom driving college vehicles is an essential function of their jobs. The supervisor will complete the review and require the employee to sign the Vehicle Usage Procedure’s Acknowledgement Form. This
8
form will be retained by the Director of Safety and Security as authorization to complete both annual and random MVR checks. A copy of the acknowledgement form will be placed in each employees personnel file in the Office of Human Resources. • Reminded annually of their procedural requirements. Supervisors will review the procedure and, if the procedure is revised, a new acknowledgement form will be signed subsequent to review of the revised procedure. • Maintain a list of drivers authorized to operate College Vehicles or utilize personal vehicles for College business. • Support and enforce the College’s vehicle operations guide. VIII. Employee Driving Record Review All authorized and/or approved drivers of College Vehicles will be subject to periodic reviews of their Department of Motor Vehicle driving record (MVR). An MVR check will be completed prior to any employee being assigned or granted permission to drive a College Vehicle. An MVR review will thereafter be conducted, at a minimum, on an annual basis or as otherwise may be needed to ensure continued safe operation of College Vehicles. The MVR review will be completed by the campus Director of Safety and Security. Driving offenses indicated on MVR reports will be reviewed by the Safety and Security, Risk Management, and Human Resources. MVR reports which indicate multiple violations and/or accidents may result in corrective action, including revocation of driving privileges and/or other corrective employment action as provided in these procedures, the CCAC Employee Manual, and the Board Policy Manual. Immediate corrective action, including revocation of driving privileges, will be taken in the event that an authorized driver’s MVR report reveals any of the following: • Conviction for alcohol and/or drug related driving offenses; • Refusal to submit to a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) test; • Conviction for reckless driving; • Any combination of three or more moving violations, “At Fault Accidents”, or “Preventable Accidents” within the most recent three years; • Suspension, revocation or administrative restriction on driver’s license within the last three years; • Conviction for leaving the scene of an accident, as defined by applicable state law;
9
• An “At fault” finding in a fatal accident; • Conviction of a felony involving a motor vehicle.
Failure to grant authorization to the College to initiate a MVR check will result in immediate denial of or revocation of driving privileges. If operation of a College Vehicle is an essential function of the employee’s job, then failure to authorize an MVR check will also require reassignment or transfer to a position which does not require the ability to operate a motor vehicle and for which the employee is otherwise qualified, or termination of employment if such a position is not available. By signing the Vehicle Usage Procedures Acknowledgement Form, the employee authorizes the College to obtain his/her MVR report for the purposes of this review. IX. Accidents Employees who are involved in an accident while operating or using a College Vehicle or non-College Vehicle while engaged in College-related business are required to promptly report the accident to their immediate supervisor and the Executive Director of Business and Administration for their campus, department or location. The Executive Director of Business and Administration will be responsible for promptly notifying the Risk Management Department. Employees will be responsible for reporting the accident to their own personal insurance carrier. Accidents involving rental vehicles should also be reported to the rental company. The employee is also responsible for obtaining a copy of the police report and sending a copy to the Office of Risk Management. The employee will also be required to complete an automobile accident reporting form.
What to Do In the Event of Accident:
• Protect the scene of the accident and take action to prevent additional collisions or injuries: - Pull off the roadway as far as possible unless otherwise directed - Place reflectors or flares in front of and to the rear of your vehicle. (follow applicable Federal or State laws) - Contact emergency authorities immediately - Administer emergency first aid if trained to do so • Obtain and record the following information at the scene of the accident: - Name and address of each driver, passenger, and/or witness to the accident
10
- License number of each vehicle involved - Name and policy number of the insurance company for each vehicle involved - Find out the name, badge numbers and precinct of the police officers at the scene • Be courteous - do not argue - keep calm. • If possible, take photos of the accident scene immediately after the occurrence to show the conditions at the time of the accident. • Give your name and address to the injured person or a police officer before leaving the scene. If police respond to the accident, do not leave the scene until you are told you may leave by the officer(s) responding. • Do not talk about the accident, except to a police officer, your supervisor or the Risk Manager, or your insurance claim or loss prevention consultant. • Do not make any settlements or offers of settlements to anyone involved in the accident. • Do not sign any statements or reports other than official police reports. • Do not admit fault. X. Cell Phone and Mobile Device Usage Employees are prohibited from using cell phones or mobile devices (unless hands free) to conduct College-related business while operating a motor vehicle and should locate a safe place to park before dialing or talking on the phone, or texting or utilizing any other mobile device application to conduct College-related business. If an incoming call arrives during a trip, allow the call to go to voicemail for retrieval when the vehicle is stopped. Texting (unless hands free) while driving is also prohibited by state law. Employees are required to comply with the requirements of this and all other laws applicable to their operation of motor vehicles used to conduct College-related business.
11
APPENDIX/FORMS
12
VEHICLE USAGE PROCEDURES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
I, (please print name) _______________________________________________, by my initials: __________ acknowledge I have read and understand the CCAC Vehicle Usage Procedures. __________ agree to abide by all the provisions and requirements set forth in the CCAC Vehicle Usage Procedures. __________ acknowledge I am responsible for the safekeeping and appropriate handling of College property that is under my care. Signature ________________________________________________ Date ________________ Name (please print) ____________________________________________________________ Colleague identification number __________________________________________________ Title _______________________________________ Department _______________________ Office room number ______________________ Office phone number____________________
13
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker