The district owns or leases and maintains vehicles for use by properly authorized district staff for district business purposes. The purpose of this policy is to outline appropriate use of district owned or leased vehicles.
USE
Vehicles owned or leased by the district are to be used for business purposes. Employees or volunteers for the district are expected to operate vehicles used in the course of district business in a safe and lawful manner. Employees or volunteers must be authorized by their supervisor to operate a district owned or leased vehicle prior to use. Employees or district volunteers must have a valid Idaho driver’s license and/or commercial driver’s license (CDL) with appropriate endorsements. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring employees or district volunteers have a valid driver’s license or CDL prior to authorizing employee or district volunteer use of district owned or leased vehicles. Employees or district volunteers must notify their supervisor immediately of the expiration, suspension or revocation of their driver’s license or CDL. Employees or district volunteers without a valid driver’s license or CDL will not be permitted to operate district owned or leased vehicles.
Employee or district volunteer drivers may not loan out district owned or leased vehicles to others or use such vehicles for personal use, including but not limited to errands and travel to and from the employee’s home, unless otherwise authorized by the employee’s or district volunteer’s supervisor. Any mileage driven in a district owned or leased vehicle that is not for official district business will be considered a taxable fringe benefit to the employee driving the vehicle. This taxable fringe benefit will be in addition to the employee’s annual salary and will be reported on the individual employee’s W-4. Records of mileage and use other than for official district business must be recorded in a diary or log and provided to the district business manager on a monthly basis.
CONDITIONS OF USE
All drivers are expected to comply with state and local laws governing motor vehicle use, including but not limited to, seatbelt use and use of handheld wireless devices (e.g. cell phones), while driving. Smoking is expressly prohibited in all district owned or leased vehicles.
ACCIDENT REPORTING
Employee or district volunteer drivers shall report accidents involving district owned or leased vehicles to local law enforcement and to their supervisor. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring accidents are reported to the district’s insurance provider. Employees and district volunteers are expected to cooperate fully with law enforcement and insurance claims investigations.
TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS
All fines and other penalties due to violations of the law by an employee or district volunteer driver while driving a district owned or leased vehicle are the responsibility of the employee or district volunteer. Employees and district volunteers are expected to promptly notify their supervisor of any citations for moving violations or accidents. Employees and district volunteers may be required to provide a copy of the citation to their supervisor.
VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
The transportation supervisor is responsible for vehicle maintenance and repair. All employees or district volunteers authorized to drive district owned or leased vehicles shall promptly report maintenance or repair concerns to the transportation supervisor.
USE OF PERSONAL VEHICLES FOR DISTRICT BUSINESS
Employees or district volunteers, may use their personal vehicle on district business when approved in advance by their supervisor. Employees or district volunteers using their personal vehicles must maintain auto liability insurance with minimum state limits and maintain their vehicle in a safe operating condition. Proof of liability insurance may be requested by the employee’s or district volunteers supervisor, the transportation supervisor, superintendent or other designee as necessary. Employees or district volunteers may request reimbursement for use of their personal vehicle in accordance with Policy 846 (Travel Allowances).
DISCIPLINE
Employees or district volunteers who fail to follow all conditions of use and reporting requirements set forth herein may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
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LEGAL REFERENCE:
Idaho Code Sections
33-506 – Organization and Government of Board of Trustees
49-673 – Safety Restraint Use
49-1401A – Texting While Driving
ADOPTED: April 17, 2024
AMENDED: