SURPRISEARIZONA

CITY MANAGER

ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY

POLICY NAME FLEET SAFETY POLICY

POLICY NUMBER 36

EFFECTIVE DATE 070112010

RESPONSIBLE DEPT FINANCE

APPROVAL Mark A Coronado Interim City Manager

A PURPOSE

This policy formally establishes an accident prevention program with a minimum set of safetyregulations standards and disciplinary procedures which will be completely enforced It isexpected that all individuals driving vehicles for City business will fully understand these rulesand the need to follow them and it is expected that supervisors will enforce them This policysupersedes all previous fleet safety policies

B POLICY

1 Definitions

a Accident is any contact by any City vehicle or equipment with any person orobject that it was not intended to come in contact with which causes creates orleaves any damage to the vehicle the person or the object whether visible ornot

b Abuse of a vehicle or equipment is any operation beyond the specifiedpurpose or capabilities for the vehicle or equipment that may result in inordinatewear or damage

c Driveroperator of any vehicle or equipment is a person who is assignedassumes or takes responsibility whether directly or indirectly for the operation ofany City vehicle or equipment or any person who is at any time in actual physicalcontrol of any vehicle or equipment

d Vehicle is any motorized equipment that requires a license to operate or isregistered through the Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division

2 Background

a The theme of this manual is safety the purpose is ACCIDENT PREVENTIONOur aim in implementing this policy is to improve safety awareness andperformance in addition to creating a system of accountability for any individualwho is entrusted with the serious responsibility of operating a vehicle for City ofSurprise City business The primary objective of vehicular accident preventionis the prevention of injuries to people with an additional goal of preventingdamage to vehicles and other property

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b This policy supplements the City Personnel Policies and Procedures CityEmployee Manual If there is any inconsistency between the terms of this policyand the City Employee Manual the terms of the City Employee Manual shallcontrol

3 Exemption

a Public Safety to include the Police and Fire Departments will be exempt fromthis policy if they have a policy in place that meets or exceeds the policies andprocedures outlined here City Council will also be exempt from this policy

4 Application

a MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ALL DRIVERS

i Driversoperators should always practice good courteous defensivedriving habits All driversoperators shall comply with the applicable localstate and federal traffic laws at all times by observing posted laws andregulations speeds traffic control signals and signs pertaining to theoperation of motor vehicles on public streets and highways

ii Seat belts must be used in all vehicles at all times

iii The possession transportation or consumption of any alcoholic beverageor any controlled substance within or upon any City vehicle is expresslyprohibited See City of Surprise Employee Policy 800

iv No personal business may be conducted using a City vehicle unlessspecifically approved by the City Manager or designee

v No unauthorized passengers may ride in a City vehicle unless

specifically approved by the City Manager or designee Other Cityemployees or individuals conducting business with the City are

considered to be authorized

vi Any substantiated report of tailgating speeding or other unsafe drivingbehavior will be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and includingtermination

vii All moving violations or traffic citations are to be reported to thesupervisor as soon as practical

viii License denials suspensions and revocations or any change in drivingstatus must be reported to the supervisor before the beginning of the nextscheduled work shift

ix All moving violations or citations will be the responsibility of the driverwhether driving a City vehicle or not The City will not pay for any costsassociated with violations or citations

x Smoking is expressly prohibited in all City vehicles City of SurpriseMunicipal Code 929060 This applies to all employees of the City aswell as volunteers or employees of other agencies performing work forthe City It shall also apply to any member of the general public who hasaccess to a City vehicle as a passenger The assigned driveroperator isat all times responsible for insuring that no one smokes in the vehicle

A No radio tape player or CD player will be played in a City vehicle at avolume that interferes with the driveroperators ability to hear traffic andengine sounds

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xii Exercise reasonable care and caution if it is necessary to answer a cellphone or radio call while operating a City Vehicle

xiii It is the full and total responsibility of the driveroperator assigned to aCity vehicle to conduct daily inspections of the City vehicle Inspectionforms should be turned in to the driveroperators supervisor if repairs orservice are needed If not the inspections should be maintained in theCity vehicle and turned in every Friday Driveroperator of City poolvehicles must turn in an inspection form if repairs or service are needed

xiv All accidents regardless of circumstances or fault are to be reported to asupervisor as soon as possible The supervisor must immediately notifyRisk Management and the Fleet Services Manager to expedite insuranceclaims and damage repair

xv It is the responsibility of the driveroperator to keep an Accident ReportingKit in each City vehicle and to use it to collect information in the case ofan accident Refer to the In Case of an Accident portion of this programfor specific details

xvi A Damage Report Form must be filled out whenever a City vehicle comesinto contact with another vehicle person building or other propertyregardless of apparent lack of damage

xvii It is the responsibility of the driveroperator of any City vehicle who isinvolved in an accident to file an accident report as required by law

xviii The City requires that privately owned vehicles operated for City businessbe registered in the State of Arizona and insured as required by ArizonaState law

b ABUSE OF CITY VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT

Abuse of any City vehicle or equipment may subject the abuser to asuspension of driving privileges andor other disciplinary action up toand including termination in accordance with the City Employee ManualExamples of abuse include but are not limited to

1 driving at excessive speeds2 towing without proper equipment3 overloading4 failure to perform operator inspectionsmaintenance5 failure to facilitate scheduled preventative maintenance and6 general neglect and horseplay

Any person observing such abuse may report incidents of abuse ofequipment to the Public Works Director Public Works Manager FleetManager or your Supervisor

c MOTOR VEHICLE RECORD MVR GUIDELINES

NEW HIRES

1 It is the responsibility of the Human Resources Department torequest an MVR from each prospective employee Volunteercoordinators are responsible for requesting an MVR for eachvolunteer driver prior to allowing them to operate a City vehicleNo one shall be allowed to drive a City vehicle whose MVRindicates

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a Eight 8 points or more in the previous 36 months Pointsare shown in the current MVD Acceptable Violation CodeTable

b More than two chargeable accidents within the previous 36months

c A conviction of driving under the influence within theprevious 36 months

d License has been cancelled refused revoked suspendedor restricted as the direct result of a moving violationreceived within the previous 36 months

e A current cancellation expiration refusal revocation

suspension or restriction that affects the applicantsabilityto drive on City business

2 Other factors such as a non chargeable accident zero pointviolation or pending DUI charge are considered in determining ifthe applicantsdriving record is permissible

3 No person may be hired to operate a vehicle for City businesswithout possessing a valid current Arizona drivers license OutofState applicants may be required to furnish a copy of theirdrivers license record prior to the offer of employment and may berequired to obtain an Arizona Drivers License as a condition ofemployment Depending on the vehicle to be driven the licensemust be the appropriate class

ANNUAL MOTOR VEHICLE RECORD

1 At least annually the City may request a copy of the MotorVehicle Record MVR through the Arizona Department ofTransportation Motor Vehicle Division for all City employees andvolunteer drivers The City reserves the right to check MVRs atany time for proof of valid drivers license License revocation orsuspension DUI DWI or any drug violation shall be cause fordisciplinary action up to and including termination

2 MVRs for employees and volunteer drivers accumulating eight 8points or more in a two 2 year period will be forwarded to theappropriate Manager or Department Head for action Action mayconsist of any combination of the following warnings verbal orwritten retraining evaluation by a professional probationsuspension and termination

3 The Human Resources Department must review all decisionsregarding disciplinary action to be taken or not taken against thedriveroperator Any action involving demotion suspension ortermination of the driveroperator must be reviewed and approvedby the Human Resources Department This policy does notprohibit the City from taking action before the accumulation ofthree 3 moving violations if the situation warrants such action

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d IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT

ACCIDENT REPORTING

1 The supervisor will assure that all driversoperators have beenadequately trained in what to do when an accident occurs Allaccidents will be reported immediately to a supervisor Thesupervisor will immediately report the accident to Risk

Management and the Fleet Services Manager All accidents are tobe carefully investigated in a prompt manner to determineaccident cause responsibility and preventability

2 Driversoperators are required to call the police to the scene ofany accident involving a noncity vehicle or property

3 It is the responsibility of the driveroperator to keep an AccidentReporting Kit in each City vehicle he or she operates and to use itto collect information in the case of an accident Kits may beobtained from Fleet Services or Risk Management

4 A Damage Report Form should be filled out whenever a Cityvehicle comes into contact with another vehicle person buildingor other property regardless of apparent lack of damage

5 It is the responsibility of the driveroperator of any City vehicle whois involved in an accident to file an accident report under the termsand conditions of the state in which he or she drives

VEHICLE ACCIDENT REVIEW

1 Corrective action will be based on a number of factors such as

employee history how much the employee contributed to theincident severity of damage or loss etc The Department Headwill determine the final decision on corrective action or disciplinewith the Human Resources Department reviewing all decisionsany decision involving demotion suspension or termination mustalso be approved by the Human Resources Department

2 The Fleet Safety Review Committee consisting of an AssistantCity Manager Fleet Services Manager Risk Manager andorSafety Administrator will meet once a month This committee willreview the incident and its disposition and may make additionalrecommendations based on their examination

3 Action may consist of any combination of the following warningsverbal or written retraining evaluation by a professionalprobation suspension and termination The Human ResourcesDepartment must review all decisions Any discipline involvingdemotion suspension or termination must be reviewed andapproved by the Human Resources Department Any appeal willbe governed by the City Employee Manual Any City vehicle orequipment which is involved in any accident or is reportedly orsuspected to be involved in abuse must be driven towed ortransported to the Vehicle Maintenance Shop as soon as possiblebut no more than three 3 days after the accident or incidentreport for inspection and estimates for repair Failure to properlyreport any accident or to deliver the vehicle or equipment to theVehicle Maintenance shop in accordance with this policy may

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result in disciplinary action up to and including termination inaccordance with the City Employee Manual

iii IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT

DO

1 Stop at once Turn off engine Turn on emergency flashersExtinguish fires

2 Make sure no one is injured Call 911 if needed3 Fill out a Damage Report immediately and thoroughly4 Notify your supervisor and Fleet Services Manager immediately5 Answer all questions truthfully when asked by the police agency

investigating the accident

DO NOT

1 Do not admit that you did anything wrong violated any

policiesprocedures or failed to act reasonably2 Do not call insurance company please let management do this3 Do not give a signed statement to the claims adjuster

representing the other drivers insurance company4 Do not speak to the claims adjuster representing the other drivers

insurance company without the presence of a representative ofthe Legal Department Risk Management the Citys insuranceadministrator or a law firm hired by the Citys insurance

administrator

5 Do not give a statement to the press

e TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

NEW HIRES AND VOLUNTEER DRIVERS

1 All new employees and volunteer drivers who will operate Cityvehicles or personal vehicles while conducting City businessshould be enrolled in the first available Safe Driver Awareness

Initial course This course will be scheduled on a periodic basis bythe Risk Management Division of the Management and BudgetDepartment

ALL EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEER DRIVERS

1 All employees and volunteer drivers who operate City vehicles orpersonal vehicles while conducting City business should

participate in an annual Safe Driver Awareness Refresher

course This course will be conducted as part of each

Departments annual training program Course materials will beprepared and distributed by the Risk Management Division of theManagement and Budget Department Options for providing thecourse may include Train the Trainer courses for departmentaldesignees outside training resources andor computer basedtraining programs

iii DRIVERS INVOLVED IN VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS

1 Drivers involved in an accident deemed to be preventable underCity guidelines may be required to complete additional safe driver

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training as provided for or arranged by the Risk ManagementDivision of the Management and Budget Department

iv EXEMPTIONS

1 Departments who conduct annual driver training courses specificto their department are not required to conduct additional annualrefresher training

5 Responsibility

a Operators with a Commercial Drivers License must follow federal and stateguidelines as well as City policy

b RISK MANAGEMENT

i Ensure effective application of this policy by seeing that the requiredprograms are carried out

ii Work closely with the Fleet Services Manager in establishing goals andobjectives of the accident prevention program

iii Review and log all vehicular Incident Reports and InvestigationsOversee that quality and accuracy is maintained and proper disciplinaryand corrective action has been taken

iv Provide initial safe driver training for all new hiresV Assist departments and divisions with resources and materials for

annual refresher classes

vi Perform annual Motor Vehicle Record MVR checks on an ongoingbasis

c FLEET SERVICES MANAGER

Ensure that all vehicles vehicular equipment and fleet facilities meetand are maintained at safety standardsThe City Fleet Services Division is responsible for the maintenance ofall vehicles and equipment purchased by the City The Fleet ServicesDivision will perform or commission all repairs on vehicles andequipment unless otherwise directed

d SUPERVISORS

i See that drivers receive complete safety instruction at the first availableopportunity

ii Enforce all safety rules regulations and standardsiii See that all accidents are properly and promptly reported to the Risk

Management Divisioniv Ensure proper maintenance of equipmentV Immediately remove from a driving position any driver whose license is

cancelled expired refused revoked suspended or restricted in amanner which affects the individualsability to drive on City business

vi Arrange for all new hires to attend an initial Safe Driver AwarenessInitial Course as soon as is feasible after starting employment

vii Arrange for all employees to receive annual refresher training

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e DEPARTMENT HEADS

Ensure that supervisors have a clear understanding of their

responsibilities as they relate to this policyEnsure that effective programs are developed and administered in theirrespective departments regarding maintenance safety and cleanlinessstandards

6 Sanctions

a Employees and volunteer drivers in Driving Positions are expected to obey alllaws regulations policies and mandates when operating City vehicles or whenoperating personal vehicles on City business Failure to do so may result indisciplinary actions up to and including termination Examples of violationsinclude but are not limited to

i Employee or volunteer driver drives when their license is expiredii Employee or volunteer driver fails to notify supervisor that heshe is not

in possession of license and drivesiii Employee or volunteer driver drives without appropriate class of licenseiv Employee or volunteer driver drives contrary to a restrictionV Employee or volunteer driver drives while license is cancelled refused

revoked or suspendedvi Employee or volunteer driver fails to notify supervisor of change in

drivers license status or fails to notify supervisor of any citationconcerning DUI DWI by the beginning of the next scheduled work shiftor return to active work status from leave status

vii Violation of any policy concerning DUI while on City business or drivinga City vehicle

C RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED POLICY

No qualifying statement previously established rules or procedures shall be used to negate thespirit or intent of this statement of policy

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