Fleet Use Policy

Windsor, Ontario

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 3159c39013d7 · verified 2026-06-10 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

Page 1 of 15 THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF WINDSOR POLICY Service Area: Public Works Policy No.: Fleet - General - M246-2013 Department: Operations Approval Date: June 17, 2013 Division: Fleet Division Approved By: City Council Effective Date: June 17, 2013 Subject: Fleet Use Policy Procedure Ref.: Pages: Replaces: Fleet-General-CR258/2011 Prepared By: Date: October 17, 2011 1. POLICY 1.1 To provide effective and efficient delivery of the City of Windsor fleet services through the delivery of safe, reliable, economical and environmentally sound transportation and related support services that are responsive to the needs of stakeholder divisions, while conserving vehicle value and equipment investment. 2. PURPOSE 2.1 Communicate responsibilities of all employees in the use and safe-guarding of City vehicles and equipment including: - How vehicles are assigned - Who can drive a City vehicle - Responsibilities and obligations of employees driving City vehicles. 3. SCOPE 3.1 This Policy covers the use of all City of Windsor supplied vehicles managed by the Operations Department - Fleet Division and used by Divisions with a direct reporting relationship to the CAO. 4. RESPONSIBILITY 4.1 Chief Administrative Officer and Corporate Leadership Team are responsible to: 4.1.1 Support this policy and ensure compliance and adherence by the City Departments. 4.1.2 Assign city vehicles to positions based on specific criteria described in this policy. 4.1.3 Review mileage and related financial information provided by Finance annually and determine continued eligibility for vehicles assigned to a position. 4.2 The Executive Director of Operations (in the role of Chair of the Fleet Review Committee) or designate is responsible to: 4.2.1 Ensure the communication, distribution and availability of this Policy to all City employees. Page 2 of 15 4.2.2 Review the policy content, effectiveness, scope periodically and initiate required revisions. 4.2.3 Represent the City of Windsor as the Director for the Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration #062-452-600 with the Ministry of Transportation. 4.3 The Fleet Manager is responsible to: 4.3.1 Coordinate and integrate fleet policy and procedures that impact on and support the goals of the Fleet Use Policy. 4.3.2 Control the assignment of City vehicles and equipment to authorized departments/divisions; (See 'City Vehicle Assignment' attachment to this policy). 4.3.3 Control the recovery of vehicle and equipment charges to user Departments. 4.3.4 Monitor the usage and the rotation of vehicles to maximize vehicle life. 4.3.5 Complete quarterly Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration (CVOR) Abstract searches to monitor the City of Windsor's CVOR. 4.4 The Fleet Division is responsible for: 4.4.1 The acquisition, maintenance, repair, disposal and management of corporate vehicles in a timely, effective and fiscally responsible manner including consideration for alternative service delivery. 4.5 The Executive Directors and their Subordinates are responsible to: 4.5.1 Provide and communicate applicable policy, procedure and protocol pertaining to the use of City vehicles and equipment to the employees whom they supervise. 4.5.2 Ensure that employees receive appropriate training in the safe use of vehicles and equipment where required. 4.5.3 Regularly monitor use of City Vehicles to ensure proper and safe usage. 4.5.4 Issue discipline for misuse of a City Vehicle or for violations of the rules, regulations or conditions of its use. 4.5.5 Advise all staff of the appropriate contacts in the event of an accident. 4.5.6 Complete and submit to Human Resources, Health and Safety and Risk Management all accident/incident reports within 48 hours. 4.5.7 Contact the Fleet Division for service in the event of a vehicle/equipment failure. 4.6 City of Windsor Employees must: 4.6.1 Abide by all required legislation in relation to the Highway Traffic Act, Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration (CVOR) regulations, the Income Tax Act and related City of Windsor by-laws, policies and procedures as they relate to the use of City vehicles. 4.6.2 Employees driving City Vehicles must possess and maintain an appropriate driver's license for the class of vehicle being operated. Page 3 of 15 4.7 The Human Resources department is responsible to: 4.7.1 Obtain a copy of valid driver's licenses of prospective drivers for the purpose of completing a Drivers Abstract Report. 4.7.2 Complete quarterly Drivers Abstract searches on all active City drivers to ensure the validity of driver licenses (Corporate Health and Safety division). 4.7.3 Provide commercial and non-commercial defensive driving courses to facilitate compliance with Section 25(2)(h) of the Occupational Health & Safety Act (Corporate Health and Safety Division). 4.7.4 Provide other training courses relating to the use of city vehicles to facilitate compliance with legislative requirements. 4.8 The Risk Management department is responsible to: 4.8.1 Ensure that all vehicles and equipment used in the undertaking of City business activity are appropriately insured. 4.8.2 Investigate and assess all vehicle accidents/incidents as necessary. 4.8.3 Facilitate communication with insurance companies in case of injury and/or property damage and obtain appropriate recoveries. 4.8.4 Respond to staff inquires as they pertain to insurance coverage of City owned/leased vehicles and equipment. 4.8.5 Obtain liability slips from the City's insurance company for all City owned/leased vehicles and equipment. 4.9 The Finance department is responsible to: 4.9.1 Calculate taxable benefits and mileage reimbursements based on information received from the Fleet Division and the individual employee. 4.9.2 Annually review the mileage reimbursement of employees and reporting the amount annually to the CAO. 4.9.3 Annually review vehicles assigned to an employee and/or position as described in section 5.3.2. (This space intentionally left blank) Page 4 of 15 5. GOVERNING RULES, STATUTES AND REGULATIONS 5.1 Rules, Regulations and Policies that impact on fleet use include: 5.1.1 Acceptable Use Policy 5.1.2 City of Windsor Travel and Business Expense Policy - CS.A03.06 5.1.3 Highway Traffic Act, RSO 1990 5.1.4 Idling (By-Law #233-2001) 5.1.5 Occupational Health and Safety Act 5.1.6 Provincial and City non-smoking legislation and by-laws 5.1.7 Collective Agreements 5.1.8 Commercial Vehicle Pre Trip Inspection Procedure Manual 5.1.9 Corporate Cell Phone/Wireless Device Safe Use Policy 5.1.10 Hours of Service Regulation 555/06 5.1.11 Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990 c. I.8 5.1.12 Negligence Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. N.1 5.1.13 Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25 5.1.14 Income Tax Act 5.1.15 Facility Access and Identification Badge System Policy 5.1.16 Wireless Devices Policy 5.1.17 Provincial Offences Act 5.1.18 Fuel Tax Act 5.2 Assignment of a City Vehicle to a Department 5.2.1 Assignment of vehicles is subject to review by the corporate Fleet Review Committee and the budgetary process. 5.2.2 As part of the annual review of fleet requirements, departments shall rationalize their assigned vehicles for possible consolidation or elimination. 5.2.3 The Fleet Division maintains a pool of marked city vehicles to supplement department's fleet needs and meet short-term requirements on a seasonal basis. These units are intended for durations of no more than 5-6 months. If a vehicle is not available in the pool, the Fleet Division will rent seasonal units from a third party, however, the user department will be billed for damages that must be repaired prior to returning external rentals. 5.3 Assignment of a City Vehicle to an Employee and/or a Position 5.3.1 Vehicles assigned to an employee and/or position will be based on the following criteria: 5.3.1.1 working conditions (i.e. requires travel that may damage a personal vehicle such as off road, construction sites, etc.) 5.3.1.2 bona-fide job requirements and responsibilities (e.g. continuous monitoring of conditions outside of normal working hours such as public safety) 5.3.1.3 requirement of a vehicle for frequent emergency availability 5.3.1.4 emergency or other equipment is contained in the vehicle 5.3.1.5 number of kilometres driven annually on city business by the employee and the point at which it is more economical to utilize a city vehicle in accordance with Schedule A. Page 5 of 15 5.3.2 Vehicles will be assigned at the discretion of the Chief Administrative Officer. 5.3.3 Assignment of a city vehicle may be revoked if the employee and/or position does not meet the criteria described in 5.3.1 for two consecutive years. 5.4 City Vehicle Use 5.4.1 Vehicles are for municipal business during working hours. 5.4.2 Vehicles are not permitted outside the limits of the City of Windsor without prior authorization from the employee's immediate supervisor. 5.4.3 Vehicles are not to be used for personal matters. 5.4.4 Under normal circumstances, the vehicle shall not be used for the transportation of any persons other than City of Windsor employees or persons engaged in City of Windsor business without prior authorization from the employee's Executive Director or designate. Only in exceptional or emergency situations will passage in a City Vehicle by non-employees be permitted. 5.4.5 Vehicles should contain only those items for which the vehicle is designed. 5.4.6 Employees are to keep vehicles clean. 5.4.7 Employees shall report any malfunction or damage to their supervisor immediately. 5.4.8 All Employees must wear seatbelts during the operation of the vehicle, whether a driver or a passenger. 5.4.9 Employees must not, under any circumstance, operate municipal vehicles under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription drugs or medications which may interfere with effective and safe operation. 5.4.10 Employees of city vehicles are responsible to ensure that any materials or equipment being transported in their vehicle is secure at all times. Covers, ties or other restraining devices can be requested from their supervisor as required. 5.4.11 Employees of city vehicles are responsible to remove ice and snow build- up that may fly from the top of a city vehicle prior to its use to ensure the safety of other motorists and the general public. 5.4.12 Employees are to ensure they take every precaution to avoid a collision when reversing a vehicle. 5.4.13 Employees driving City Vehicles shall obey all applicable traffic and parking regulations, ordinances and laws. 5.4.14 Employees shall not idle their vehicle in contravention of the Idling by- law. 5.4.15 Employees will be personally responsible for any and all traffic/parking violations or other fines incurred during their use of a City vehicle. 5.4.16 If the suspension of an employee's driver's license occurs while driving a city vehicle, and if the city vehicle is impounded or towed, any costs incurred to obtain the release of the City vehicle and any legal costs may be the responsibility of the employee. Page 6 of 15 5.4.17 Employees who are issued citations for any offence while using a City vehicle must notify their supervisor immediately if practical, otherwise within 24 hours at the maximum. 5.4.18 Smoking is not allowed in City vehicles pursuant to the Smoking in the Workplace By-law. 5.4.19 No modifications are permitted to a city vehicle without the approval of the Fleet Review Committee. 5.5 In case of an Accident 5.5.1 The Ontario Highway Traffic Act (HTA) sets out criteria for motor vehicle collision reporting in Ontario. 5.5.2 By law, as may be amended from time to time, motor vehicle collisions meeting any one of the criteria outlined below must be reported to the police service governing the jurisdiction in which the motor vehicle collision occurs: - Death or injury - Suspected criminal activity, including fail to remain, impaired driving and/or stolen vehicles - Damage to public property or motor vehicles - Hazardous materials and/or conditions - Community safety zones - Unlicensed/uninsured/suspended drivers - Disturbances between involved persons - A vehicle damaged to the point it is not drivable - Major traffic congestion as a result of the collision - Person who demands police attendance at the scene - Reason to believe a driving offence has been committed against federal, provincial or municipal legislation where charges may be appropriate 5.5.3 Accident Reporting Procedure - All employees and others involved in an accident should obtain appropriate medical attention in the circumstances. - Report the accident to Police. - Report the accident to immediate supervisor. - Request that parties and property remain at the scene of the accident until the accident investigation is completed. - Refrain from making statements regarding the accident with anyone other than the investigating officer, municipal officials or municipal insurance company representatives. Statements should be confined to factual observations. - Complete an Accident/Incident report and forward to appropriate parties. Page 7 of 15 5.6 Change in License Status - Duty to Report 5.6.1 An employee who must have a valid driver's license as a requirement of his/her job must report any change in the status of his/her driver's license which results in the loss and/or suspension of the license required to do his/her job. This may include, but is not limited to: - Impaired Driving Conviction - Failure or refusal to provide a breath sample - 90 day Administrative Driver's License suspension - Criminal Code conviction other than Impaired Driving - Highway Traffic Act conviction - Mandatory demerit point suspension - Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Fund suspension - Failure to pay judgment suspension - Novice driver violation suspension - Family support enforcement suspension - Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act suspension - Defaulted Fine suspension - Youth Criminal Justice Act suspension - Medical downgrade - Conviction for a related offence in the U.S.A. or conviction for a related offence in another province or territory in Canada. 5.6.2 An employee must report in writing to his/her supervisor immediately upon learning of any change in his/her driver's license status. The report will explain the nature of the change in the driver's license status. 5.6.3 Failure to report any changes in the status of a driver's license will result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. 5.6.4 The City of Windsor reserves the right to verify an employee's driver's license with the Ministry of Transportation provided the employee is required to drive a City vehicle as part of his/her job function. 5.6.5 The City of Windsor reserves the right to examine at any time the driving record of an employee whose job function requires him/her to drive a City vehicle. 5.7 Commercial Motor Vehicles 5.7.1 All Corporate owned, rented or leased commercial motor vehicles are required to have a pre trip inspection done once in a 24-hour period of operation as per the Commercial Vehicle Pre Trip Inspection Procedure Manual. 5.7.2 All employees who drive commercial motor vehicles are required to complete a "Daily Record of Driving/Duty Status" at the end of each shift as per the Hours of Service Procedure. 5.7.3 All commercial motor vehicles are equipped with a first aid kit. Employees shall ensure supplies are replenished from the Fleet Division stockroom as they are used. Page 8 of 15 5.8 Distracted Driving 5.8.1 Drivers must not talk, text, type, and dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices while driving pursuant to the Corporate Cell Phone/Wireless Device Safe Use Policy. 5.9 Out of Town Vehicles 5.9.1 Marked city vehicles may be used for business purposes out of town. 5.9.2 The Fleet Division maintains a pool of unmarked vehicles for use by City departments that may be reserved for out of town business. 5.9.3 In addition to City vehicles, a contract exists to utilize a third party for vehicle rental purposes on an as-needed basis. 5.9.4 Use of city vehicles for out of town business travel is strongly encouraged as the first choice to avoid third party costs including mileage reimbursement to staff, while cars are available and unused. Use of alternative means of transportation must be justified within the travel and expense advance approval form, giving regard to the most economical means of transportation. 5.10 Parking of City Vehicles 5.10.1 When finished with the City Vehicle, it must be returned to the appropriate and safe location. Vehicles must be locked and keys are not to be left in the vehicle. 5.11 Take Home Privileges 5.11.1 Except for vehicles specifically assigned under 5.3, vehicles are not to be taken home without the permission of the immediate supervisor. Permission shall only be granted for urgent circumstances. 5.11.2 After working hours, vehicles shall be used only to respond to situations within the scope of the employee's duties and for no other purpose. 5.11.3 Vehicles are not to be used for personal matters. The personal driving of a City of Windsor vehicle for purposes not related to his or her employment is a taxable benefit for the employee. This includes personal use during an employee's vacation, driving to conduct personal activities and travel between home and work (even if the employee is directed to drive the vehicle home). Travel from home to a point of call (such as responding to a call after hours) is not considered personal driving. The taxable benefit shall be calculated as outlined by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) subject to amendment from time-to-time. Page 9 of 15 5.12 Car Allowance 5.12.1 For employees entitled to a car allowance (whether paid monthly, quarterly, annually, or on any other basis) this is a taxable benefit as per the Income Tax Act and included as remuneration. 5.13 Fuelling of City Vehicles 5.13.1 Employees who use a city vehicle are responsible for ensuring that the vehicle has an adequate supply of fuel. 5.13.2 Employees are to fuel city vehicles at one of the City's fuel sites operated by the Fleet Division except in extraordinary and/or emergency situations. In the event of an emergency, employees may contact their supervisor for direction. Fuel may be purchased from one of the local service stations approved by the Fleet Division. 5.13.3 Employees are to follow the fuelling procedures posted at the fuel site. 5.13.4 Employees who use a city vehicle must complete a onetime fuel training session administered by Corporate Health & Safety and a fuel refresher training session on an annual basis. 5.13.5 Employees who have not completed the appropriate fuel training session will not have access to dispense fuel at a city fuel site. 5.13.6 Employees must provide the correct vehicle mileage or number of equipment hours at the time of fuelling. 5.13.7 Employee and vehicle HID cards are required for fuelling a city vehicle at a city fuel site operated by the Fleet Division. 5.13.8 Employees must notify their supervisor immediately if an HID employee/vehicle card is lost or stolen. New or replacement cards are subject to a $10 fee. 5.13.9 As the Corporation no longer offers propane fuel at its fuel sites, vehicles still using propane must refuel at an authorized external site. 5.13.10 Employees fuelling at an authorized external site must provide unit number, employee name (printed and signed), employee id and mileage on the fuel slip. 5.13.11 Coloured fuel is available for off road equipment only. The use of coloured fuel in a licensed motor vehicle is prohibited and the driver may be liable to penalties and fines under the Provincial Offences Act or the Fuel Tax Act. Page 10 of 15 6. RECORDS, FORMS AND ATTACHMENTS 6.1 Schedule A - City Vehicle Assignment Methods 6.2 Schedule B - Definitions 6.3 Schedule C - Break Even Point for Assignment of a City Vehicle 6.4 Schedule D - Fuel Sites Operated by the Operations Department Fleet Division 6.5 Regulations for and Authorization for Replacement Vehicle ID Card Notice of Amendment: June 17, 2013: 5.11.3 Moved by Councillor Dilkens, seconded by Councillor Sleiman, THAT City Council APPROVE an amendment to Section 5.11.3 of the Fleet Use Policy to read; ..... Page 11 of 15 Schedule 'A' City Vehicle Assignment Methods City Vehicles are assigned in one of three ways: 1) Dedicated 2) Assignment of a Pool Vehicle (Infrequent Use) 3) Assignment of a City Vehicle to an Employee and/or Position 1) Dedicated Vehicle Dedicated vehicles are assigned to a department on an annual basis. They are assigned on a day-to-day basis by the immediate supervisor based upon job description and will be consistent with departmental workload and employee function. 2) Assignment of a Pool Vehicle Pool vehicles are vehicles assigned for use on a request basis as needed. The Fleet Division maintains a pool of vehicles to supplement dedicated vehicles on a seasonal basis, for out of town use and for casual use when vehicles are in for service or individuals require local travel on an as-needed basis. A pool vehicle is also assigned to City Hall and is available through the City Engineer's office at City Hall. Seasonal - User departments provide their seasonal requirements to the Fleet Division. - Fleet Division will assign vehicles from the pool and charge monthly to the user. - If there is not a seasonal unit available, the Fleet Division will make arrangements for an external rental. Out of Town - A cost/benefit analysis regarding the number of out of town pool vehicles available at any given time is performed by the Fleet Division and Finance annually. Casual Use - User requests a pool vehicle prior to or when required from the Fleet Division or the City Engineer's office. - For the Fleet Division's pool vehicles, the user provides the Fleet Division with a chart field for billing of vehicle usage. The user will be charged the rental rate associated with that class of vehicle until it is returned by the user. - Loaner vehicles are not provided free of charge to users who require replacements for vehicles brought in for service. Exception may be made for units that require a significant amount of downtime. 3) Assignment of a Vehicle to an Employee and/or Position Vehicles assigned to an employee and/or position are vehicles that are for use specifically by an employee and/or a position. Employees and/or positions must meet eligibility criteria and the assignment must be approved by the Chief Administrative Officer. Page 12 of 15 Schedule 'B' Definitions "Accident" -an incident whereby a City owned vehicle/equipment has come into contact with another vehicle/equipment, person or object regardless of damage or injury, or an incident with or without contact that results in injury to a person, property, vehicle or equipment. "City Vehicle" - any licensed or unlicensed automobiles, trucks, vans, or other self-propelled equipment owned, rented, or leased by the City of Windsor. "Car Allowance" - payment that employees receive from an employer for using their own vehicle in connection with or in the course of their office or employment without having to account for its use. An allowance is a taxable benefit unless it is based on a reasonable per- kilometre rate. "Commercial Motor Vehicle" - a commercial motor vehicle includes: - Trucks that have a registered gross weight of over 4,500 kilograms - Buses that can carry ten or more passengers - Trailers that have a registered gross weight greater than 2,800 kilograms, when pulled by a truck that is less than 4,500 kilograms and the overall weight is greater than 4,500 kilograms. A commercial motor vehicle does not include fire apparatus. "Dedicated Vehicle" - a vehicle assigned to a department or division on an annual basis. "Distracted Driving" - Drivers in Ontario are prohibited from using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held electronic entertainment or communications devices while driving. The use of hands-free devices is permitted. Emergency calls, such as calls to 911, are not affected. "Licensed motor vehicle" - any motor vehicle to which a number plate is attached as required under the Highway Traffic Act. "Pool Vehicle" - a general purpose City Vehicle supplied by the City of Windsor which can be used on a request basis as needed. "Valid Driver's License" - (a) appropriate to the vehicles being driven; or (b) specified by the department. Page 13 of 15 Schedule 'C' Break Even Point for Assignment of a City Vehicle Individual mileage claims will be monitored on an annual basis by the Finance Department. Once an individual's annual reimbursement exceeds the annual charge out rate for a rental vehicle (based on the Class of vehicle used), an assessment of whether or not a dedicated vehicle should be provided to the employee will take place. Consideration will also be given to other individuals in the department to see if vehicles can be rationalized and shared amongst employees/positions. The analysis will involve comparing annual mileage paid at the current Corporate Travel Policy rate (based on CCRA guidelines) against the annual vehicle rental rate charged by the Fleet Division for the Class of vehicle being used on a 'cost per km' basis. If the cost of providing a dedicated unit is lower than payment of individual mileage over the course of a year, the Fleet Manager, in conjunction with the individual's Manager, will bring forward a recommendation to the Fleet Review Committee that a dedicated vehicle be issued. The criteria for determining the cost/benefit of a dedicated unit, and an individual's eligibility, will be reviewed on an annual basis by the Fleet and Finance areas. Page 14 of 15 Schedule 'D' Fuel Sites Operated by the Operations Department Fleet Division Site Fuel Type Capacity Type Status EMERGENCY SITE Crawford Yard 1531 Crawford Ave. Windsor, ON N8X 2A9 Unleaded Diesel 22700 litres 22700 litres Underground Underground Active McDougall Parks Yard 2461 McDougall Windsor, ON N8X 3N5 Unleaded Diesel 11000 litres 11000 litres Aboveground Aboveground Active Mic Mac Park 1051 Prince Windsor, ON Unleaded Coloured Diesel 2200 litres 2200 litres Aboveground Aboveground Active Little River Parks Yard 9578 Little River Road Windsor, ON Unleaded Coloured Diesel 4400 litres 4400 litres Aboveground Aboveground Active Environmental Services Yard 3540 North Service Rd. E. Windsor, ON N8W 5X2 Coloured Diesel 4400 litres Aboveground Active Page 15 of 15