Staff Tools Home | Table of Contents | Search Manual

X.D. Use of vehicles for State business

9/8/2017

It is the policy of DHS and a requirement of Oregon Revised Statutes for state vehicles to be used only for official state business and be operated only by authorized persons who meet the Department’s driving criteria. This applies to state-owned vehicles and private or rental vehicles while authorized for use on official state business or at state cost and risk.

  • See DHS-080-005 for the complete list of qualifications and expectations for state employees.

1.     Guidelines

Please see below for guidelines when using state vehicles.

  • Drivers must be state employees or volunteers registered with the DHS Volunteer Program;
  • Drivers are required to have a valid driver's license and have an acceptable driving record;
  • Smoking in vehicles is prohibited;
  • Use of wireless communication devices is prohibited. Use of a hands-free device is acceptable unless transporting consumers;
  • All safety precautions must be used including the use of all restraints such as seat belts and shoulder harnesses;
  • Drive defensively;
  • Follow all traffic laws and speed limits;
  • Be courteous. The vehicle identifies the driver and passengers as state employees; make a good impression on fellow drivers;
  • Do not use state vehicles for personal business or errands;

o   When traveling on state business the driver may stop for breaks or meals at appropriate intervals, staying as near the route as possible;

  • Drivers must promptly report to their supervisor any incident which occurs while they are driving any vehicle for official state business, including citations, vehicle accidents, or arrests;
  • Do not take vehicles home overnight except in very unusual circumstances, and only with prior approval of management;
  • Drivers may not pick up hitch hikers;
  • Lights must be on at all times;
  • Passengers, other than state employees, are allowed only under certain circumstances and with prior permission from management.

State vehicles leased by APD for field office use are the property of the Department of Administrative Services (DAS). Please see the DAS Fleet and Parking website for policies, statutes, and administrative rules.

Each vehicle should have:

  • The current Vehicle Rules for State Drivers;
  • DAS Vehicle Use and Access Administrative Rules;
  • DAS Vehicle Operator's Manual.

The Vehicle Operator's Manual includes an overview of Motor Pool procedures, including vehicle maintenance, use of the Voyager fuel credit card, emergency and accident procedures, and use of Motor Pool-issued tire chains.

Accidents or breakdowns

Keep a copy of the Vehicle Rules for State Drivers in each state vehicle at all times during use. The Vehicle Operator's Manual section provides guidance and instruction in the case of an accident or a breakdown.

In any true emergency, call 9-1-1.

After any accident, no matter how minor, stop and investigate.

  • Do not make any statements of responsibility for the accident;
  • Notify the police and/or appropriate authorities if anyone is injured;
  • Obtain information about the other vehicle's registration and insurance;
  • Report any accident immediately to your supervisor;
  • Complete a DHS 2108 and/or a DMV 735-32, depending on the type of incident. Send the DHS 2108 and/or DMV 735-32, along with any other documents, including photos of the vehicle license plate and damage, to DHS Safety and Health, via fax to 503-378-3689, or via email to gayla.l.andresen@state.or.us. Follow the instructions on the DMV 735-32 to determine if the report must be submitted to DMV.

o   The DMV 735-32 must be completed in full regardless of the estimated damage;

o   If not submitted to the DMV, the form is still required to be submitted to the Motor Pool and DHS Safety and Health.

If the vehicle needs emergency service, contact the Motor Pool for instructions. The phone number and hours of operation for the Salem Motor Pool are listed on the first page of the Vehicle Operator's Manual section in the Vehicle Rules for State Drivers.

If the Motor Pool is not open, and the work needs to be done to reach your destination, follow the steps in the Vehicle Operator's Manual section. Always report any after-hours emergency service to the Motor Pool on the following work day.

For 24-hour non-emergency assistance, contact Fleet Services at 503-881-2451. If no one answers, leave a message. If you do not receive a return call in a reasonable amount of time, contact the fleet assistance number on the back of the Voyager fuel credit card, 1-800-987-6591. This can also be used to request aid.

The Voyager fuel credit card may also be used in an after-hours/weekend situation to pay for repairs should you choose to arrange for repairs yourself. On the next business day, you must notify Fleet Services of the repair details.

2. Permanently assigned vehicles:

Offices should refer to the Fleet and Parking Services site for service and maintenance information.

Local offices are responsible to create an account in Outlook for each permanently assigned vehicle assigned to the local office. Staff should reserve vehicles using the Outlook calendar to ensure vehicle availability of and maximum use is achieved.

Permanently assigned vehicles should be listed in the global address book by city, then by street name, then APD, E plate number, color, and model. For example: Medford – 6th – APD 500800 Blue Impala.

Scheduling a vehicle using the Outlook calendar:

1.    Click New Appointment;

2.    In the Subject line, enter the purpose of the appointment, such as Home visit, Vehicle maintenance, or Training;

3.    Leave the Location line empty.

·        If a destination is entered, the information will conflict with the information about the vehicle chosen for the appointment;

·        Do not to include any protected information in the body of the appointment;

4.    Enter the Start Date and Time and the End Date and Time;

5.    Click on Scheduling Assistant. The name of the person making the appointment will appear in the All Attendees box on the left side of the calendar grid;

6.    Click on Add Attendees to view the Global Address Book;

7.    Choose one of two options:

·        If a personal contact group has been created, select Contacts under the staff name and select the contact group for the vehicles, such as Medford DSO Vehicles. Select Resources > OK; or

·        Select Global Address List. Type the name of the city where the vehicles are located. Look for the street name of the office and the description of the vehicle, such as Medford – 6th – APD 500800 Blue Impala. Choose a vehicle.

o   To check availability for all vehicles, highlight all vehicles for Medford– 6th. Select Resources > OK.

  1. The calendar group or individual vehicles will appear under All Attendees. To display each vehicle in the contact group, click the plus (+) sign;
  2. Locate an available vehicle during the required time and uncheck all options except the one chosen. When the date and time and vehicle have been selected, click Send;

o   If no vehicles are available, there is an option at the bottom of the screen to change the time or date of the appointment to align with the availability of a vehicle.

  1. An email will be sent to the vehicle mailbox in Outlook with the reservation acceptance and an appointment will display on the driver’s calendar;

Changes to local office fleet

When reassigning vehicles from one office to another within a district, or outside the district, notify APD Field Services. Contact the DHS Service Desk to change the account name in the Outlook address book to the new location. Ask the Service Desk to change the name of the vehicle using the naming convention described above to the new location.

Temporary changes in vehicles, such as receiving a vehicle on loan while an assigned vehicle is being serviced, do not need to be reported.

3. Renting a vehicle

The State of Oregon contracts with both Enterprise/National and Hertz car rental companies. Renting a vehicle from Enterprise or Hertz is an option only when state vehicles are not available and use of a personal vehicle is more costly or not available. Rented vehicles fall under the same rules and statutes which apply to state owned vehicles.

  • If asked to purchase extra insurance when renting a vehicle, answer NO. Enterprise, National and Hertz rental contracts cover ALL damage while using the vehicle. There is no mileage limit when renting a vehicle as long as the driver picks up and drops off the vehicle at the same location;
  • If offered, DO NOT take the refueling service option. The State contracts include provisions for returning cars with less than a full tank of gas;
  • The state contract allows drivers 18 and older to rent a vehicle;
  • Walk around the vehicle before departing from the rental location and bring attention to any marks, scratches or other damage on the vehicle and ask the representative to sign off on it;
  • Be conscious of the return time to avoid additional charges. For example, if a vehicle is rented at 12:00 p.m. and returned by 12:00 p.m. the next day, the office will be charged for a one-day rental. If the vehicle is returned at 3:00 p.m., the office will be charged for an additional 3 hours at approximately $11 per hour.

Enterprise Rent a Car/National Car Rental

State employees can rent a vehicle over the phone, in person, or online from Enterprise Rent a Car and National Car Rental. When renting a vehicle staff will need to know the direct bill account number and index number for the local office; local office managers can provide this information.

Rental vehicles can be used by multiple drivers in an office or while on training without incurring additional charges.

Hertz Rent a Car

Hertz Rent a Car also has a contract with the state for renting vehicles. A direct bill account is not available; staff should pay via personal method and request travel reimbursement.

Purchasing gas for rental vehicles

Each state field office has been provided Voyager cards for the express purpose of purchasing gas for rental vehicles. The Voyager cards must not be used for any other type of purchase. See below for Voyager card information.

4. Voyager cards

State vehicles: A Voyager credit card is issued for each state vehicle for the purchase of fuel, including at the Motor Pool, and for emergency repairs as described in the Vehicle Operator's Manual section of the Vehicle Rules for State Drivers.

The account number on each card coincides with the vehicle's license plate, and the cards are not transferable to another state vehicle. Do not leave the credit card inside the vehicle when the vehicle is unoccupied.

Rental vehicles: Voyager cards and PINs are distributed to state offices for the sole purpose of purchasing gasoline for Enterprise or National car rentals. The specific PIN for each Voyager card must be entered at the gas pump. For security purposes, it is recommend staff key in the number personally rather than giving the PIN to an attendant.

A log must be completed at least monthly to document use of the Voyager card. The logs and receipts for fuel purchased must be scanned and sent to Central Office each month. Originals should be retained in the local office and for six years.

For questions related to the Voyager card or receipts, please contact Janet Morse, janet.e.morse@state.or.us.

5. Personal vehicle use

Staff may request mileage reimbursement for using their own vehicle with written approval from their supervisor. Form MSC 0823, Authorization to Use Private Vehicle is used to make this request.

DHS policy requires management approval to use a personal vehicle for official state business, including justification for receiving reimbursement at the full GSA rate versus a reduced rate. Before using a private vehicle for state business, the driver is required to present proof of adequate legal insurance on the vehicle to be driven. The form describes auto insurance requirements and limitations of state insurance coverage for damages resulting from an incident in a personal vehicle.