(A) Purpose.
(1) The purpose and intent of this policy is to provide for safe, efficient and effective use of all county vehicles. It is intended to provide regulations and procedures for effective vehicle management. York County promotes the safety of all employees and citizens through this policy. These procedures are in addition to all federal, state and local transportation laws and guidelines.
(2) When using county vehicles, employees should be aware that they are representatives of York County government and that their conduct is a reflection on the entire organization.
(3) Any abuse of the provisions of this policy or failure to comply may result in disciplinary actions up to and including suspension or dismissal from employment. County vehicle privileges may also be suspended or terminated.
(B) Vehicle definition. Vehicles shall include any automobile, motorcycle, boat, truck, tractor, heavy equipment, or any other motorized vehicle which is owned, leased, or in possession or control of York County.
(C) Vehicle authorization. All county vehicles are to be used only for county business purposes. A Vehicle User Agreement will be signed by all new employees and maintained in their personnel file in Human Resources.
(1) Incidental stops. Personnel assigned county vehicles shall use the vehicles for county business purposes only. Personal use is limited to incidental stops which are approved as long as the stop is in line with the shortest practical distance between two approved points. Personal use is restricted to obtaining meals, approved breaks or performing small personal errands such as dropping off or picking up children from school/daycare on the way to or from work. These personal uses are approved insofar as the most practical and closest source is utilized and the recommended distance does not exceed seven miles from the normal travel route to and from worksites.
(2) Twenty-four hour usage (take home). A 24-Hour Usage Authorization Form must be completed before employees are assigned vehicles on a 24-hour basis. The authorization form should be prepared by the department director and forwarded to the County Manager or his/her designee or the appropriate appointed or elected official for approval. Justifications for 24-hour usage must include economic savings, emergency response, or need for special equipment.
(3) In accordance with IRS guidelines, a non-cash, taxable fringe benefit of $3 per day shall be included in the employee’s reported compensation for tax purposes. Employees provided with a vehicle are responsible for maintaining proper documentation of use and for submitting use records to the Finance (Payroll) Department. Personnel who are classified as “emergency” are exempt from this requirement. Emergency personnel include the following:
(a) Sheriff’s office, excluding the Staff Attorney and the Financial Officer;
(b) Detention center;
(c) Fire prevention;
(d) Emergency Management Office;
(e) Coroner;
(f) On-call employee for Water/Sewer Department.
(4) Business hour usage. Business hour use vehicles will be assigned to personnel by department directors for county business purposes only.
(5) Overnight usage. County vehicles taken home overnight shall be locked and parked in a safe location, which is in close proximity to the employee’s residence. County vehicles shall not be kept overnight at residences outside of York County unless approved by the County Manager or his/her designee or appropriate appointed/elected official. Temporary overnight usage may be approved by department director.
(6) Personal vehicles. Personal vehicle use may be allowed in the performance of county business when a county vehicle is not otherwise appropriate or available. Employees who use personal vehicles for county business are responsible for maintaining adequate insurance to meet the circumstances of employment. The mileage reimbursement rate approved in the annual budget is intended to cover all costs related to vehicle operation. Accurate mileage records must be maintained and submitted to finance for reimbursement.
(7) Authorized passengers are: (NOTE: York County carries only liability insurance on vehicles.)
(a) York County employees;
(b) Persons having official business with York County at time of said trip;
(c) Other persons that may travel with the driver from any approved site to another approved site as long as the particular trip is in line with the shortest practical distance between the two approved points or meets the criteria for limited personal use described in division (C)(1).
(8) Cargo. Any items carried in a county passenger vehicle must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) Be of a size and weight that they in no way offer any danger to or the ability to harm, damage, or cause to depreciate any county vehicle;
(b) Be normally handled by one individual without the aid of any special loading equipment or any special parking needs. Building maintenance and public works vehicles would be an exception to this criteria.
(D) Driver requirements.
(1) All drivers who operate vehicles owned by York County are responsible for proper care, use and safety of county property.
(2) Drivers must adhere to the following minimum responsibilities:
(a) Possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license which is appropriate to the class of vehicle they will be operating.
(b) Receive physical every two years (documented by a DOT medical card as issued by county designated facility) if they have positions for which a commercial driver’s license is necessary, and also be subject to random drug/alcohol testing.
(c) Notify their supervisor and Human Resources of any change in driver’s license status within 24 hours. If an employee is found to have a suspended license, the employee’s driving privileges will be taken away and the employee will be subject to disciplinary measures.
(d) Practice safe and defensive driving by observing all public safety traffic laws and driving courtesy. Follow all suitable safety procedures including wearing seat belts.
(e) Complete county sponsored driver training* within 90 days of hire date or 90 days from date of job reassignment from a non-driving position to a driving position. Initial course is eight hours and a four-hour refresher course shall be completed every three years. Additional specialty training may be required by employees of the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management and fire prevention.
(f) Submit with employment application and every third year with performance evaluation a three year driving history from the South Carolina DMV or other appropriate state agency and be subject to the safety sensitive random drug screen pool of employees if their position requires driving a county vehicle.
(g) Ensure that all vehicles are used for authorized purposes only.
(h) Follow the established accident reporting procedures.
(i) Accept legal responsibility for violations and fines resulting from actions of driver and report violations to immediate supervisor in writing.
(j) Refrain from transporting excessive loads of unsecured cargo.
(k) Pay for parking of county vehicles in situations where free parking is not provided. Parking charges will be reimbursed if conducting official county business. Violators are personally responsible for tickets or other fines resulting from illegal parking.
(l) Use off-street parking, if available, for those vehicles assigned on a 24- hour basis and driven to and from a place of residence.
(m) Employees shall not smoke or use other tobacco products in county vehicles.
(n) It shall be the responsibility of the person assigned a vehicle to see that the vehicle receives proper maintenance and care and to report any damage or breakdown of vehicular equipment immediately. All maintenance requests shall be submitted to York County Equipment Maintenance Shop. Mechanical problems due to operator neglect may result in disciplinary action. It shall be the responsibility of the operator to keep his/her own vehicle as clean as practical at all times. Personnel who are assigned a vehicle should monitor all fluid levels daily.
(o) All fueling should be done at the York County fueling stations. The stations are located in Rock Hill at the County Complex on Heckle Boulevard, and in York at the Public Works Department. Receipts should be presented for reimbursement for all fueling done outside of York County on business trips.
*Employees must complete driver training which is scheduled by York County and conducted in the classroom.
(E) Human resources requirements. The County Manager’s office or Human Resources Department is responsible for acquiring and maintaining the following documentation in the applicant’s/employee’s personnel files. This list pertains to driving requirements only.
(1) Copy of driver’s license;
(2) Training certificate from driver training;
(3) Any documentation relating to vehicle accidents or driving violations;
(4) Signed understanding of contents of county vehicle policy and vehicle user agreement and if necessary a copy of the 24-hour usage authorization form.
(5) Current three-year motor vehicle driving record to be provided during the interview process prior to conditional offer of employment. Employees will be responsible for providing current motor vehicle records every third year at evaluation time, if their position requires driving. Employees and applicants will be responsible for any costs associated with obtaining this record.
(6) Provide a driving course for county employees and maintain records on their attendance and need for retraining. Any employee who registers for the driving course must, at their own expense, turn in a three year driving record, if not already provided during the interview process.
(F) Department director/supervisor requirements.
(1) Before an applicant is hired, the three-year motor vehicle driving record should be turned in during the interview process prior to conditional offer of employment and reviewed to ensure suitability for positions requiring use of county vehicles. Periodic review of a driver’s Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) is helpful in monitoring overall driver performance and in predicting future problems. This review process also needs to be followed every third year at evaluation time for employees who are required to drive a county vehicle.
(2) Department directors are assigned the responsibility of completing and obtaining approval of the 24-hour vehicle authorization form for any employees assigned a vehicle for 24-hours use.
(3) Department directors/supervisors should also ensure that all accidents are reported in a timely manner (current work day) and that post-accident drug/alcohol testing is completed on drivers involved in accidents as soon as possible following the accident.
(4) Ensures that all employees that are involved in “at fault” accidents or that contributed to the accident as per the police report attend a driver training course within 90 days of the accident. Any employee not attending a driver training course within the 90 days will be prohibited from driving any county vehicle without the permission of the County Manager and/or designee.
(G) Risk management requirements.
(1) Maintain and administer an aggressive program for county employees that seeks to reduce vehicular collisions and liability claims against the county.
(2) Maintain complete records on county collisions, property damage, and liability claims, and provide the County Manager and his/her staff with meaningful reports on program progress.
(3) Schedule regular Safety Committee meetings to review all vehicle accidents and safety hazards and make recommendations for improvements.
(H) Marking.
(1) It is the policy of York County that all county vehicles are marked only with official county decals approved and placed on county vehicles by equipment maintenance personnel.
(2) Any exceptions must be approved by the County Manager, his/her designee, or appropriate appointed/elected official. Approvals should be forwarded to the Equipment Maintenance Supervisor.
(I) Vehicle record management. The York County Equipment Maintenance Supervisor will maintain an information system for all county vehicles, which will record at least, but not be limited to, the oil and fuel use, mileage and maintenance history.
(J) Safety equipment. Seat belts shall be installed in all vehicles and must be worn by the driver and all passengers at all times.
(K) Mobile communications.
(1) Mobile communications equipment in county vehicles is to be used for county business only.
(2) Personnel should use hands free features on mobile phones or calls should be made with the vehicle parked. Calls with the vehicle in motion are to be kept as brief as possible and should not interfere with the driver’s concentration of vehicle operations.
(L) Accident reporting.
(1) Each department director is responsible for instituting and reporting accident investigations, which involve county vehicles and his/her department personnel. Reports will be submitted in writing to Risk Management no later than 12 hours after the accident occurred. If an accident occurs on a weekend or holiday, the written accident report should be submitted to Risk Management no later than 9:00 a.m. on the first business day following the accident. A first report of injury should be submitted for employee injuries for workers compensation purposes.
(2) Any employee involved in an automobile accident while operating a county vehicle which results in personal injury and/or damage to property shall complete each of the following steps unless prevented by injury.
(a) Stop as soon as it is safe to do so and turn off engine.
(b) Call 911 for police and if necessary for medical assistance. Guidelines for workers’ compensation injuries should be followed, depending on the severity of injuries of the county employee. The York County Sheriff’s Office shall not conduct the on-scene investigation of accidents involving York County-owned vehicles.
(c) Do not move vehicle unless directed by law enforcement.
(d) Do not comment or give information regarding responsibility to other driver(s) or by-standers. An investigating law enforcement officer will ask pertinent questions for determination of fault.
(e) Notify your supervisor immediately. As soon as the employee is able they should provide a detailed statement of the accident to Risk Management. The FR-10 Proof of Insurance form from the investigating officer and a TR-310 Uniform Traffic Collision report should also be submitted to Risk Management as soon as possible.
(f) Notify the Equipment Maintenance Department at 803-628-3202. If the county vehicle cannot be driven, then it shall be towed to the Equipment Maintenance Shop at 1751 York Highway in York. It shall not be towed to a private garage unless the accident occurs outside of York County. The Equipment Maintenance Supervisor will give additional instructions when notified.
(g) Obtain the name and insurance company of other drivers, and provide all required information to the officer investigating the incident. Names and addresses of witnesses are also helpful.
(h) Cards containing the name of the county’s insurer are located in vehicle glove compartments.
(i) If the accident results in a fatality and/or three or more people are hospitalized, the County Risk Manager must be informed immediately. If such an accident occurs at night or on holidays or weekends, ask 911 to contact the County Risk Manager.
(j) Any employee driving a vehicle who has an accident will be drug/alcohol tested.
(M) Accident review.
(1) The York County Safety Committee has established an Accident Review Subcommittee. This committee reviews all accidents and losses involving York County vehicles, employees, on the job injuries and property damage, and presents its findings to the full Safety Committee for review. The Accident Committee has the right to request appropriate information from supervisors or employees in order to adequately review the accident.
(2) The Subcommittee will present its findings and recommendations to the Safety Committee, which will determine what recommendations should be made to the County Manager, department director, and the driver. Department directors may take disciplinary action in accordance with current personnel policies.
(Ord. 109, passed 2-2-09; Am. Ord. 1214, passed 5-5-14; Am. Ord. 5717, passed 11-6-17; Am. Ord. 3918, passed 8-20-18)