City employees, who by the nature of their job
are on emergency call 24 hours a day, are assigned City vehicles under
the following guidelines:
A. It has been determined that the following employees
are allowed to take their assigned City vehicles home with them so
they can respond to City emergencies:
(1) Public Safety Commissioner (1).
(3) K-9 Units (3). Police dogs must be cared for by police
officers. Therefore, a mode of transportation is necessary. In these
cases, commuting mileage does not need to be recorded and personal
usage is prohibited.
B. Twenty-four-hour vehicles are to be used for emergency
response only, except for limited personal use within the Capital
District area.
[Amended 5-7-2015 by Ord.
No. 39]
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NOTE: There are other City employees who because
of their experience and expertise are on call for emergencies 24 hours
a day. However, unless these employees need to get to an emergency
situation at high rates of speed, with sirens and flashing lights,
they can drive to the motor pool area and pick up the City vehicle
needed to address the emergency conditions. These "on-call employees"
should have a vehicle key assigned to them.
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C. If determined by the Mayor, other City employees may
be added to the above list and assigned twenty-four-hour vehicles.
D. It is required that employees driving twenty-four-hour
vehicles limit personal usage to commuting miles.
E. Unless federal or state law supersedes City policy,
all employees driving "twenty-four-hour vehicles" must record and
report personal mileage.
(1) In order to determine the percentage of personal and
business usage, an official mileage log must be used. The Comptroller's
office will provide this form.
(2) Personal use of an employer-provided vehicle is taxable
income to the individual. Personal use includes commuting to and from
work as well as local and out-of-town personal travel.
(3) The IRS has provided four methods of determining the
personal use value of a (company-) City-owned vehicle. The City Comptroller's
office will determine which method will be used in reporting to the
IRS what is considered an "employer-provided fringe benefit."
F. Unless on official City business or with the Mayor's
approval, no twenty-four-hour vehicle may be taken outside the City
of Troy.
G. On a case-by-case basis, individuals who are not assigned
a vehicle on a twenty-four-hour basis may take a City vehicle home
when it is more cost effective to do so (i.e. where an employee would
be in a travel status and it would be more cost effective to leave
from the employee's home of record rather than place of employment).
It is understood that there may be situations where it may be more
cost effective to take a City-owned car home upon returning from a
business trip. In those situations the City-owned car will be returned
to the workplace the day after the employee's travel status has ended.
H. Vehicles will be returned to the appropriate department
for utilization prior to an individual's vacation or an extended leave
which consists of any period of one week or more.
I. The City may provide an insurance liability policy
which covers the individual as well as the City. Such costs will be
added to the employee's salary as additional income and based on the
percentage of personal to business usage.
All other City vehicles not determined to be
twenty-four-hour vehicles, but assigned to individuals for the performance
of their workday duties, will follow the guidelines for motor pool
vehicles.
A. Vehicles will remain at a designated work site or
garage facility after business hours.
B. Use of these vehicles are for business only, unless
otherwise indicated.
C. Employees, with permission from their immediate supervisor,
may use a motor pool vehicle for business-related activities after
regular business hours. The employee may also get permission for commuter
usage during special situations (e.g. early morning or evening meetings).
D. On a case-by-case basis, individuals who are not assigned
a vehicle on a twenty-four-hour basis may take a City vehicle home
when it is more cost effective to do so (i.e. where an employee would
be in a travel status and it would be more cost effective to leave
from the employee's home of record rather than place of employment).
It is understood that there may be situations where in it may be cost
effective to take a City-owned car home upon returning from a business
trip. In those situations, the City-owned car will be returned to
the workplace the day after the employee's travel status has ended.
E. Personnel from departments not assigned vehicles may
obtain City pool cars by contacting the Department of Public Works
and, upon availability, be given keys to a vehicle along with signing
a log which includes make of vehicle, destination, time leaving and
returning to City Hall.
F. Meal breaks. City-owned vehicles may be used for meal
breaks on a limited basis, if it is in conjunction with regularly
scheduled business. For example, an employee may be allowed to use
a City vehicle for a meal break, if he/she has business immediately
before or after the meal break.
G. Subject to supervisory discretion and control, City-owned
vehicles may be used on a limited basis to pick up food supplies for
City workers who cannot leave their work site, provided the vehicle
is used locally (within five miles of the worksite).
H. High mileage trips. Employees, with permission from
their immediate supervisor, may use a City vehicle for high mileage
business trips.
To ensure that all accidents involving City-owned
vehicles are properly and thoroughly recorded.
A. RULE I. When an accident occurs that results in personal
injury to any person or damage to other than City-owned property,
the vehicle operator must do the following:
(1) Report the accident to the police by calling 911 immediately.
If outside the City, report the accident to the police agency having
jurisdiction for that area.
(2) Get the name and addresses of all witnesses to the
accident and give this information to the investigating police officers.
(3) Do not discuss the accident or make statements concerning
the accident to any one at the scene except the police officers investigating
the accident. The New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law requires
the vehicle operator to show his/her operator's license to any other
person involved in the accident. Registration certificates are on
file in the Department office. If you are asked for information concerning
insurance coverage, state that the City of Troy is self-insured.
(4) Report the accident to your department head or his
or her representative immediately. Your department head or representative
must report the accident to the Corporation Counsel's office and the
Mayor's office the beginning of the next business day.
(5) The State Motor Vehicles Report (MV 104) is to be
completed before the end of the next business day and submitted to
the Corporation Counsel's office for review prior to filing with the
State Department of Motor Vehicles. The New York State Vehicle and
Traffic Law places the responsibility for filing the report with the
operator. Make sure the report is filed by you through your department
head.
(6) Under no circumstances give any statement orally or
in writing concerning the accident to any person other than your department
head, members of the staff of the Corporation Counsel's office or
the police officers investigating the accident.
B. RULE II. When an accident occurs that results in no
personal injury to any person or damage to other than City-owned property,
the vehicle operator must do the following: Report the accident immediately
to your department head or his or her representative.