Vehicles, Management of Laboratory or Government Fleet

Title:	Vehicles, Management of Laboratory or Government Fleet
Publication date:	12/21/2023
Effective date:	12/21/2023

BRIEF

Policy Summary

This policy provides guidance on the roles and responsibilities of managing and maintaining any Berkeley Lab-, Department of Energy (DOE)-, or General Services Administration (GSA)-owned vehicle and other motor equipment and low speed electric vehicles.

Who Should Read This Policy

This policy applies to anyone operating a Laboratory or government vehicle, other motor equipment, low-speed vehicle, vehicle custodians, Line Management, and Fleet Operations staff.

To Read the Full Policy, Go To:

The POLICY tab on this wiki page

Contact Information

Fleet/Contracted Services Manager
Facilities Division

Title:	Vehicles, Management of Laboratory or Government Fleet
Publication date:	12/21/2023
Effective date:	12/21/2023

POLICY

A. Purpose

This policy provides guidance on the management and maintenance of any Berkeley Lab-, Department of Energy (DOE)-, or General Services Administration (GSA)-owned vehicle.

B. Persons Affected

This policy applies to all operators of a Laboratory or government vehicles, other motor equipment and low-speed vehicles, vehicle custodians, Laboratory divisions, and Fleet Operations staff.

C. Exceptions

Not applicable

D. Policy Statement

Berkeley Lab requires operators of Laboratory or government cars, trucks, and electric vehicles to have a valid California driver's license or a California-recognized license issued by the employee's state of legal residence.
Fleet Operations of the Facilities Division is responsible for the maintenance and management of Laboratory or government fleet vehicles, low speed electric vehicles, and other motor equipment.
Vehicles are assigned to various groups through custodians who are directly responsible for their proper use. These vehicles are required to meet specific usage criteria (see Fleet Procedure: Local Use Objectives [LUO]).
DOE has supplied the Laboratory with a fleet of cars, trucks, and low speed electric vehicles to support the Laboratory's scientific mission. Berkeley Lab provides each department with convenient transportation to meet its mission in the most cost-efficient manner. The minimum number of vehicles will be retained to satisfy program and Environment, Safety & Health requirements.

E. Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Division Director/ Department Head/ Supervisor	Responsible for restricting use of Laboratory or Government Vehicles/Equipment to official Laboratory business carried out by properly authorized personnel, as described in Section D.5, License Requirements Appoints vehicle custodians for every government vehicle/equipment assigned to their division Sets strict guidelines to ensure assigned fleet inventory is managed and used according to mission In conjunction with Human Resources, enforces disciplinary measures when vehicles are mismanaged or misused
Fleet Manager	Administers and oversees the fleet of vehicles and other motor equipment in accordance with Laboratory and government policies Manages fleet inventory to ensure vehicle use criteria is met Notifies vehicle custodians and others when vehicles do not meet appropriate utilization criteria Approves and coordinates vehicle additions, deletions, assignments, or reassignments to the Laboratory fleet Processes all new vehicle acquisitions in accordance with federal and state guidelines Removes, reassigns, or relocates vehicles when misused or mismanaged Maintains records of fleet maintenance and operation costs Ensures vehicle inventory information is maintained to include appropriate Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and license information Performs periodic reviews of fleet performance criteria and provides guidance and recommendations Completes required Federal and State reporting (in partnership with EH&S and Sustainability as appropriate) Receives and approves all modification requests for lab owned, government or off road equipment Approves all acquisitions of other motor equipment and accessories (including, but not limited to, forklifts, aerial lifts, low speed electric vehicles, etc.) Report all vehicle accidents, incidents, and found damage to DOE Fleet Manager Approves all overnight use of laboratory or government owned vehicles
Fleet Administration/ Fleet Maintenance Technician	Maintains fleet maintenance and usage databases Solicits repair estimates and initiates the collection of damages, where necessary Conducts quarterly assessments of fleet inventory (lab-owned and government vehicles) Records monthly usage data of each Laboratory or government vehicle Prepares and maintains maintenance schedules, and notifies vehicle custodians of required maintenance Receives and coordinates all Vehicle Rental Requests for Fleet Pool vehicles Arranges and coordinates repairs for all division-owned low speed electric vehicles (GEMs/Club Cars) and Off-road equipment preventative maintenance and repairs
Custodian Responsibilities	Ensures that assigned vehicle or equipment is used for the assigned usage Responsible for monthly reporting of vehicle mileage and meter readings by designated deadlines Ensures only qualified and appropriate individuals have access to assigned vehicles Ensures assigned vehicle is meeting local use criterion Provides vehicle for maintenance at scheduled time for Fleet Maintenance Technician Maintains the vehicle in clean condition Notifies the Fleet Manager prior to reassignment of vehicles Notifies Fleet Administration of any update to assigned PIDs Requests permission from Fleet Manager for any vehicle modifications, including, but not limited to, stickers, ladder racks, liftgates, etc. Reports vehicle damage to Fleet Manager promptly Reports any mechanical problems promptly to Fleet Operations Maintains sign-out logs for each vehicle assigned to them Responsible for making sure routine inspections of assigned vehicles and other motor equipment are performed Responsible for making sure assigned vehicles are kept secure when not in active use. Secure means, at minimum: Engine is off Vehicle is placed in “Park” Parking brake is set Windows are rolled-up Keys are removed and doors are locked Responsible for coordinating a backup custodian to fill in their duties during absences, shift coverage and extended time off-site. The back-up should be someone who is able to carry out the custodian responsibilities.
Driver Responsibilities	Ensures they have authorization to drive the vehicle, including completing FAC0021 Government Vehicle Driver Briefing Reports vehicle accidents/damage to Vehicle Custodian promptly and works with supervisor to complete appropriate reporting Uses vehicle for official use only Abides by all applicable vehicle laws and regulations Signs out vehicle for use Responsible for making sure vehicles are kept secure when not in active use. Once vehicle is stopped you MUST do the following at minimum: Place vehicle in “Park” and secure the “Parking Brake” Roll-up windows Turn off engine Remove Keys and lock doors Pays for unauthorized vehicle expenses they incur such as parking tickets, speeding tickets, and other driving penalties Does not use portable electronic devices when operating a vehicle Does not smoke or use other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vape pens, inside the vehicle Does not idle vehicles excessively Conducts inspection of vehicle or equipment prior to use Reports any maintenance or vehicle concerns to vehicle custodian promptly

F. Definitions/Acronyms

None

G. Recordkeeping Requirements

The Fleet Administrator maintains all records for three years.

H. Implementing Documents

Document number	Other reference number	Title	Type
09.05.008.002	FLEET-004	Fleet Procedure: General Information/Vehicle Acquisition	Procedure
09.05.008.003	FLEET-001	Fleet Procedure: Maintenance	Procedure
09.05.008.004	FLEET-005	Fleet Procedure: Global Positioning System (GPS)	Procedure
09.05.008.005	FLEET-003	Fleet Procedure: Local Use Objectives (LUO)	Procedure
09.05.008.006	FLEET-002	Fleet Procedure: Off-Site/Overnight Use of a Vehicle	Procedure

I. Contact Information