[Adopted 6-21-2004]
The purpose of this article is to establish the policy and procedures
for the use of Town-owned motor vehicles.
Organizations affected are all departments/divisions.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any Town-owned motor vehicle that has been designated for
use by an employee holding a specific position.
Any vehicle that travels on Town streets, including passenger
cars, station wagons, trucks, tractors, street sweepers, police cruisers,
fire vehicles and fire duty officer's vehicles.
Any authorized activity that is related to a Town department/division
function and/or is undertaken because of the specific duties and responsibilities
of an employee's position with the Town.
A.
Town-owned motor vehicles shall only be used for official Town business.
Any personal use of a Town-owned motor vehicle other than for department-authorized
or required commuting directly between an employee's home and
the work site is strictly prohibited.
B.
Town-owned motor vehicles shall only be operated by properly trained
and authorized Town employees who possess an appropriate state driver's
license for the vehicle being operated. Town employees without proper
training or an appropriate driver's license may be allowed to
operate a Town vehicle only when participating in department-authorized
training under the direct supervision of a qualified vehicle operator.
C.
All vehicles being used by Town employees for official Town business
shall be operated in a safe and courteous manner. Town employees operating
vehicles on official Town business shall comply with all applicable
traffic laws, rules, motor vehicle regulations and safe vehicle operating
procedures and shall generally use caution, particularly when in the
vicinity of other vehicles and pedestrians.
D.
All drivers and passengers are required to use seatbelts at all times
when in any Town-owned vehicles, if equipped.
E.
Smoking is prohibited in all Town-owned vehicles.
F.
Passengers not directly related to official Town business are strictly
prohibited.
G.
Town-owned motor vehicles are to be used whenever possible for conducting
official Town business. Authorized Town employees using private vehicles
for official Town business shall be reimbursed for properly documented
transportation expenses that are ordinary and necessary, including
tolls, parking and mileage.
H.
Town-owned vehicles may be assigned by department heads to specific
Town employees for use during the course of performing their work-related
activities. Certain Town employees and department heads may also be
assigned the use of a Town-owned vehicle by the Town Manager for their
travel directly to and from their home and a work site, provided that
such employees or department heads reside within the Town limits or
within 10 miles of the Town line, and also provided that they are
subject to regularly respond back to work or answer emergency calls
after scheduled work hours. Such assignment of vehicles shall be made
at the recommendation of the department head with prior written approval
of the Town Manager. The Town Manager will notify the Board of Selectmen
whenever additional employees are permitted to take vehicles home
for transportation to and from work.
I.
The decision to allow Town employees use of Town vehicles to commute
to and from work will be based on the following criteria:
(1)
Availability of the vehicle for use.
(2)
Emergency service primary responder.
(3)
The employee or department head is subject to nighttime or weekend
call-outs.
(4)
The response time is important to the health, safety or well-being
of Raymond residents or the protection of property in the community.
(5)
It is a cost-effective way to save the money and time responding
to emergencies or other situations.
Each department shall be responsible for ensuring the proper
maintenance and effective deployment of the motor vehicles assigned
to and used in its operation.
In the event of a motor vehicle accident involving property
damage to another vehicle or bodily injury while in a Town-owned vehicle,
the Town employee or department head will be required to submit to
a drug and alcohol test as soon as practical or within eight hours
of that accident if:
Police vehicles covered by separate police policy are exempted
from this article. Additionally, all accidents will be reported to
the appropriate department head as well as the Town Manager, Police
Department and Finance Director. In the event of a motor vehicle violation,
the appropriate department head will be notified, as well as the Town
Manager.
Department heads shall be responsible for the enforcement of
the provisions of this regulation.
Any temporary exceptions to the policy or procedures outlined
in this regulation must be approved in writing by the Town Manager
and reported to the Board of Selectmen as to the nature of the exception
and the duration.
A.
Each department head having motor vehicles assigned to and used in
his/her operation shall develop and implement standard operating procedures
that include a description of department-authorized activities for
which Town-owned motor vehicles may be used, requirements for driver/operator
training and authorization to use vehicles, driver/operator responsibilities,
and procedures for requesting and making repairs.
B.
Each vehicle user will maintain a daily mileage log for all use.
This will note the day, date and starting mileage every day. It will
be turned in and inspected by the Finance Director on a monthly basis.
C.
At no such time shall any Town-owned vehicle be used to transport
family members, run errands, or for any situation that is not in keeping
with the official responsibilities of the employee.
D.
The Finance Department shall develop and distribute procedures to
be followed by each department for the proper documentation and reimbursement
of authorized employees utilizing private vehicles for official Town
business.
E.
Department heads shall submit requests in writing to the Town Manager
for approval to assign vehicles to certain employees for commuting
between home and a work site. Requests will include the employee's
name, position title, home address, round-trip distance between the
employee's home and work site, and the justification for the
assignment.
F.
When an employee normally assigned a vehicle for commuting use is
unavailable for call-back to work after hours, as in cases of vacation
or extended illness (more than three days), a department head may
temporarily reassign that vehicle for commuting use to another employee
without seeking the prior approval of the Town Manager. When a department
head normally assigned a vehicle for commuting use is unavailable
for call-back to work after hours, as in cases of vacation or extended
illness (more than three days), the Town Manager may temporarily reassign
that vehicle for commuting use to another employee.
G.
Such temporary reassignment shall be allowed, provided that the substitute
employee resides within the Town limits or within 10 miles of the
Town line. In the event that the vehicle is not reassigned, the vehicle
will be returned and garaged on Town property and made available for
other Town employees to use during that time period.
H.
Department heads shall designate the sites to which specific Town-owned
vehicles will be assigned and parked when they are not being used
for official Town business or being repaired.
