Wyoming Statewide Policy on the Use and Care of Government Provided Vehicles/Equipment

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
IN REPLY REFER TO: Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828
1520 (951) P
July 15, 2009
EMS TRANSMISSION: July 17, 2009
Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2009-030
Expires: 9/30/2010
To: All Wyoming Employees
From: State Director
Subject: Wyoming Statewide Policy on the Use and Care of Government Provided
Vehicles/Equipment
Program Area: Fleet Management
Purpose: As Federal employees, we have a responsibility to ensure that the BLM fleet is
operated in a safe and efficient manner and to be cognizant of the public’s perception of how
we are using our fleet. Our ability to accomplish the mission is dependent upon this
responsibility, as is our personal safety.
Policy/Action: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) reiterates, in part, the existing BLM and
Interior policy regarding the use and care of government owned/leased motor vehicles and
equipment.
Government owned/leased vehicles (GOV) are for official use only. As stated in BLM 1525 Manual,
Fleet Management, official use is described as “government-owned, leased or otherwise managed
motor vehicles, obtained and utilized only to the extent required for the efficient and effective
transaction of official Government business in order to perform the mission(s) of the BLM as
authorized by the BLM”.
Unauthorized use of Government-owned, rented or leased motor vehicles/equipment for other than
an official purpose, or the authorization of use for other than official purposes, is prohibited.
Examples of unauthorized use of GOVs include but are not limited to the following situations:
Transporting unofficial passengers, including family members, other passengers in
“ridealong” status, etc.
Transporting animals other than Law Enforcement K-9 and/or other BLM-owned or
sponsored animal programs.
Using a GOV to drive to meal breaks or other trips while off-duty, in non-travel status, or
local travel which has not been previously authorized by the supervisor.
Operating a GOV without proper training for the class of vehicle provided or without a valid
operator’s license/certification. (Driver Licenses - Each Federal employee, including
temporary staff, volunteers, or contractors using BLM-provided vehicles, is required to carry
a valid operator’s license or heavy equipment certification for the appropriate class of vehicle
or equipment. Currently reside in an adjoining state and work in Wyoming. In addition to a
valid operator’s license, each Federal employee operating a government-provided
vehicle/equipment is required to have a valid U.S. Government or Agency Identification card
in their possession.)
Vehicle Inspections:
operating the vehicle. The inspection should include oil/coolant levels, tire pressure/wear
Employees should perform a basic pre-trip inspection prior to
and visual inspections for vehicle damage. Failure to perform these checks may lead to
serious safety problems, and/or cause personal or property damage.
Travel/Property Protection:
GOV while in travel status. Equipment should be removed from the vehicle or placed in a
Employees should exercise sound judgment in the use of the
covered bin or area to prevent and/or discourage vandalism or theft. The need for after-hours
use of the GOV also should be carefully considered. If there are questions about what is
appropriate, the situation should be discussed with the supervisor.
Accidents:
vehicles/equipment must exercise every precaution to prevent accidents. All accidents or
Federal employees, volunteers, and contractors operating government-provided
incidents that result in vehicle or equipment damage, employee injury and/or any situation(s)
that involve vehicle damage or injury to members of the public (including private or
commercial organizations, contractors and cooperators) must be reported to your immediate
supervisor within 72 hours. These occurrences also must be recorded in the Safety
Management Information System (SMIS): http://www.smis.doi.gov. The circumstances of
the accident/incident involving property loss or damage will determine the need for referral
to the Wyoming State Office (WYSO) Survey Board for further investigation.
For many of us, use of government vehicles is a necessity in order to accomplish our work.
Government drivers must use and care for government vehicles in a safe and appropriate manner to
ensure personal safety and allow work to be accomplished successfully.
In addition, the following vehicle safety guidelines must be followed by every vehicle
operator:
Employees and passengers in government-provided vehicles, rentals or privately owned
vehicles are required by regulation to use seat belts.
Due to the obvious safety issues, use of hand-held cell phones while operating GOV is
prohibited. The use of hands-free accessories is encouraged if cell phone must be used while
operating a GOV.
Employees are prohibited from smoking, consuming alcohol, narcotics or other
intoxicants in government-provided vehicles or heavy equipment.
Employees will not exceed 8 hours of driving time (behind the wheel) during a 16- hour
duty period. Breaks of 15 minutes are recommended every two (2) hours when driving
continuously. At least eight (8) consecutive hours of rest without duty are required prior to each
duty period requiring driving.
Timeframe: The information provided herein is effective upon receipt.
Budget Impact: No additional funding is required to implement this policy.
Background: Statewide policy concerning fleet management is updated to ensure all employees
have the necessary information to perform the duties of their positions.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: This IM implements policy from the BLM Manual and
Handbooks.
Coordination: This effort has been coordinated with the State Asset Manager, State Fleet
Management Specialist and the Business Manager.
Contact: Should you need further information or have questions regarding Wyoming Statewide
Policy on the use of Government Vehicles please contact David Garcia, State Asset Manager, at
307-775-6053.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Donald A. Simpson Pamela D. Hernandez
State Director Wyoming Central Files
Director (850), Room 1075, LS 1
Distribution
CF 1