Article XIX — RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF COUNTY OWNED VEHICLES

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2057, adopted Dec. 17, 1991 provided for the addition of Article XVII. Inasmuch as provisions designated as Article XVII currently existed in this Code, said ordinance has been redesignated as Article XIX, per the county's instructions.

The purpose of this article is to establish rules and regulations governing the use of County owned vehicles.

This article shall apply to all County owned vehicles registered in the name of "County of Lake," including those vehicles purchased by the Road Fund, special districts governed by the Board of Supervisors, or any other special funding source.

(Ord. No. 2057, § 2, 12-17-91)

Official Use. County owned automobiles are provided for official use only. "Official Use" is defined as directly connected with the employee's assigned duties in the County service. The following situations are not permissible uses of County vehicles:

A.

Personal errands or personal business, except as permitted in this section.

B.

Allowing riders other than County employees or persons associated with official County business.

Recognizing the inconvenience of being left without a personal vehicle, employees who are required to take a vehicle home as the result of being assigned to "standby" are allowed to use the County vehicle for the limited purpose of conducting necessary personal business. Necessary personal business includes acquiring meals, attending medical appointments, using rest room facilities and similar necessary activities.

Employees assigned to use County vehicles during work hours may be allowed to use the County vehicle for the limited purposes of acquiring meals during a lunchbreak, if they are required to be in the field during the lunchbreak, and for using rest room facilities. It is not the intent of this section to allow employees to use a County vehicle to acquire a meal when an employee has a personal vehicle available.

(Ord. No. 2728, § 1, 3-8-2005)

Eligible departments. All departments are authorized to use County vehicles in the performance of official County duties. Department heads shall take steps to ensure that employees are, in fact, on official County business when using County vehicles.

Eligible drivers. Only employees who possess a valid California driver's license of the required class shall be allowed to operate County vehicles. Each County department head shall be responsible for verifying that all employees assigned to his or her department who are allowed to drive a County owned vehicle, possess

a valid California driver's license of the appropriate class. From time to time, the County's Risk Management Department may require department heads to submit written certifications that a departmental review has been conducted of the driver's licenses of those employees who are allowed to operate County owned vehicles.

Fines and penalties levied for violation of State, County or City laws and ordinances for which the driver is responsible shall be paid by the driver. Persons who are not County employees shall not be allowed to drive a County owned vehicle, unless another written policy, adopted by the Board of Supervisors, specifically allows such use.

Permanent, regular work hours assignment. Upon the request of a department head, the Administrative Director may permanently assign a County pool vehicle to a County department. A department head requesting such permanent assignment shall submit sufficient justification to the Administrative Director. Vehicles may be authorized for permanent assignment to a department if any one of the following conditions exist:

A.

The vehicle has special fittings and/or carries special equipment applicable to a single department or a single job classification. Special fittings and equipment shall include, but are not limited to, such items as red lights, sirens, undercover car radios and fittings, utility bodies and other specialized equipment. However, portable equipment, including mobile radios, shall not be covered under the terms of this subsection.

B.

The use of the vehicle requires an average of twenty-four (24) working hours out of each forty-hour work week and accumulates a minimum of nine hundred (900) miles per month on official County business.

C.

The need for the vehicle is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Administrative Director.

The Administrative Director shall periodically review such permanent assignments and determine, based upon whether or not each permanent assignment is still meeting the conditions above, whether or not each assignment shall continue.

Temporary, overnight authorization. On certain limited occasions, department heads may authorize the temporary use (less than twenty-four (24) hours) of an assigned vehicle during hours other than the regular working hours of the employee. Such an authorization may allow for the overnight storage of a County vehicle at an employee's residence if any one of the following conditions exist:

A.

An employee is departing on or returning from an authorized out-of-County trip and the employee's home is enroute to the destination of the trip or the trip will begin or end at a time of day when Central Garage is closed.

B.

An employee is required to attend a meeting on official County business after normal working hours.

C.

An employee is working in a remote location and reports directly from home to such place of work. This includes an employee who works in several locations without one designated place for commencing regular working hours.

D.

An employee is in an established stand-by status at home, or at another location, responding to emergency calls relating to the loss of life or property.

E.

The overall net County cost is less than if the employee is reimbursed for use of his private vehicle for miles travelled on official County business.

Permanent, Overnight Authorization. Upon the request of a department head, the Board of Supervisors may authorize an employee to take a County vehicle home at night on a permanent daily basis. In order to apply for such approval, the department head must submit an application to the Board of Supervisors and clearly demonstrate that at least one of the following conditions exist:

A.

The employee is working in a remote location and reports directly from home to such place of work. This includes an employee who works in several locations without one designated place for commencing regular working hours.

B.

The employee is in an established stand-by status at home, or at another location, responding to emergency calls relating to the loss of life or property.

C.

The overall net County cost is less than if the employee is reimbursed for use of his/her private vehicle for miles traveled on official County business.

D.

The employee is a Board-appointed department head who:

i.

Is responsible for supervising staff who work at several remote locations throughout the county; and

ii.

Is required before or after normal working hours to respond to calls which require unscheduled travel to remote locations; and

iii.

Travels to remote locations before or after normal working hours to meet with County officials and/or supervise and evaluate the work of subordinate staff; and

iv.

Resides within three (3) miles of his/her regular place of work where the County vehicle would otherwise be parked overnight.

Under no circumstances shall a County vehicle be used for personal, non-County business purposes either during or after normal working hours.

(Ord. No. 2437, § 1, 7-21-98)

Procedure regarding permanent, regular work hours assignment and permanent, overnight authorization. A request for each permanent, regular work hours assignment and/or permanent, overnight authorization shall be in writing, signed by the department head, and shall contain the following information:

A.

The type of request: permanent, regular work hours assignment or permanent, overnight authorization.

B.

The justification for the request in terms of subsection 4 or 5 above.

C.

The requested effective dates of the assignment or authorization.

D.

The title of the position or positions of the drivers and the general function for which the vehicle will be used.

Vehicle operation. All vehicles shall be operated in a safe and courteous manner in accordance with law and such safe driving rules as may be promulgated by the Board of Supervisors, department head or other

appropriate authority.

Penalty. Violation of these rules and regulations shall be grounds for disciplinary action pursuant to the "County of Lake Revised Personnel Rules" and memoranda of understanding.

(Ord. No. 2057, § 2, 12-17-91)