Policies - Driving at Work Policy

This policy outlines the requirements for all individuals driving on Council business regardless of whether they are using a Council, hire or private vehicle.

The Council recognises that driving at work is a crucial aspect of delivering our services across Falkirk. Ensuring that the risks associated with driving at work are appropriately managed assists the Council to meet its Climate, Service Delivery, Financial and Safety objectives.

Appropriately implementing the driving at work policy will enable the Council to reduce motor vehicle incidents and associated insurance claims. This in turn will help improvement financial outcomes for the Council and help provide efficient, cost-effective services to the residents of Falkirk.

Table of contents

Scope

This policy and related policies and procedures applies to individuals driving at work. These individuals are referred to as 'Drivers' for the purposes of this policy. Driving at Work is considered to be using any vehicle (Council, hire or private) on public roads for the delivery of Council services. Moving a vehicle around a Council premises or commuting is not considered to be driving at work.

For the purposes of this policy, "Drivers" are defined as:

Employees who drive on Council business using any vehicle on Council business and/or
Individuals from voluntary or approved organisations permitted to use Falkirk Council vehicles as nominated drivers.

For the purposes of this policy a 'Council vehicle' is:

A vehicle owned by the Council
A vehicle hired or leased by the Council

Driving on Council business

The driving on Council business is governed by the Travel Hierarchy. This hierarchy sets out the expectations of the Council to employees in order to assist them in choosing the most appropriate mode of transport to deliver services on behalf of the Council. The travel hierarchy has been designed to assist services in ensuring that vehicle use is undertaken in a way that is cost effective and minimises environmental impacts. Any use of a private vehicle for driving on Council business must be appropriate under the Travel Hierarchy and all associated mileage claims are subject to line manager approval.

It is recognised that Falkirk Council requires those defined as 'Drivers' to drive Council vehicles or travel between locations to undertake their duties or attend meetings however they need to be proactive in considering alternative, efficient or sustainable options. Falkirk Council Travel Hierarchy (Appendix 1) explicitly sets out the options that each 'Driver' needs to consider once the need for travel has been determined.

All employees must follow the How to Make a Pool Vehicle Booking guide when following the Travel Hierarchy.

Anyone acting as a driver for Falkirk Council must:

Hold an appropriate licence and have the relevant insurance in place that has been checked and approved by their line manager (when not using a Council vehicle) to drive the specific vehicle and also include any attachments to the vehicle such as a trailer.
Have any additional training required by Falkirk Council to drive the specific vehicle they are driving (as outlined at Driver competency).
Be authorised to drive for Falkirk Council by their line manager and registered on the Council's driver management database
Report any vehicular incidents whist driving on council business they are involved in immediately to their line manager
Report any vehicular incidents/accidents that they are involved in to their own personal insurance company within the requirements of their policy regardless of what vehicle they were driving.

Recruitment

Where individuals are being recruited to a role with Falkirk Council that requires a specific driving licence (for example a Driver with Refuse Collection requiring a Group 2 licence to drive a Refuse Collection Vehicle) then the recruiting managers must ensure that the candidate is qualified and deemed capable of performing the role. The recruiting manager will ensure:

the individual possesses a current, valid licence of this type and a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) where appropriate
any other employment involving driving is via the Council's Extra Mural Employment Policy and the drivers tachograph card is checked where appropriate
undertake a check of the driver's history (including any driving charges or convictions) prior to offering them a job.
has their GP complete the pre-employment questionnaire issued by Occupational Health (for Group 2 Licences) and have cleared the individual to drive

Additionally, work areas employing individuals for roles that require a specific licence type should consider the use of a driving competency assessment as part of the recruitment process.

Drivers of vehicles requiring driving licence categories C, CE, C1 or C1E must undertake a pre-employment assessment of driving competence and will only be offered upon successful completion and approval by Fleet Services.

Possession of a UK drivers' licence

When recruiting an individual to the Council who does not possess a UK Driver's Licence, but who needs to drive on Council business, the recruiting Line Manager must obtain a record of the individual's driving history before they can drive on Council Business. Typically this would be acquired from the relevant licensing authority.

Where this record highlights concerns around driving performance (such as previous convictions/etc) they must consult with Human Resources, Health Safety & Wellbeing and/or Fleet Services as appropriate prior to the individual being permitted to drive on Council business.

Any individual offered employment by the Council and who needs to drive on Council business must obtain a UK Driver's Licence within 12 months of the commencement of employment. Further details on exchanging a foreign licence can be found here. Whilst individuals may be permitted to drive in the UK using a foreign licence outside this timeframe, it is a condition of employment within Falkirk Council that the individual obtains a UK Licence within this timeframe to enable effective monitoring of driver performance.

Fitness to drive and medical conditions

Licence requirements

All drivers must hold the relevant licence to drive on Falkirk Council business.

In the event an employee is removed from driving due to a conviction/driving offence that occurred when they were not driving on Council business or a medical condition, managers should apply the Council's Capability Policy to manage this where appropriate.

Medical conditions

Any driver with either a pre-existing or newly occurring notifiable medical condition must inform both the DVLA and their line manager as soon as possible. Any employee with one of these conditions, a condition which could cause a sudden disabling event or another condition (such as temporary short term blackouts) which may affects their ability to drive must not perform any driving duties and must be referred to Occupational Health.

Any driver who drives a vehicle that requires a Group 2 licence and fails a medical test associated with this appointment must inform their line manager immediately. Drivers should be made aware of strict compliance to this policy as failure to report medical issues could lead to a criminal offence.

Where a medical condition (either newly occurring or pre-existing) prevents an employee from maintaining a licence they must inform their line manager immediately. Manager will manage this scenario using the Council's Capability Policy.

Where an employee is being removed from driving due to a medical condition this must be confirmed to them in writing by their line manager.

Driving convictions and withdrawal of licences

Any driver who is charged with or convicted of a driving offence, receives a fine/penalty points or loses their licence due to a driving offence must inform their line manager immediately. The line manager must ensure that the is recorded on the Council's driver management database. Where this involves an employee who drives a HGV on Council Business the Fleet Manager must be notified immediately by the line manager.

Employees who commit a driving offense whilst driving on Council business must be managed under the Council's Disciplinary procedure. Where there is evidence of an employee committing a driving offence whilst on Council business the relevant Line Manager must deal with this under the Council's disciplinary policy. In some instances a referral to Police Scotland may be appropriate, advice should be sought from Human Resources before this occurs.

Driving risk management

Driving risk assessments

All Services must implement the Council wide workplace driving risk assessment for passenger vehicles (Category B). This risk assessment covers requirements for both Council and non-Council vehicles.

Services that operate other types of vehicles should ensure that the work activities using these vehicles are risk assessed (for example Refuse Collection Vehicles). These risk assessments should include at a minimum the following risks:

Pedestrian collision
Vehicle to vehicle collision
Vehicle to object collision
Reversing

Additionally, all drivers using a Council vehicle must complete a first use vehicle checklist prior to operating the vehicle.

Movement of vehicles within Council work premises and work sites will be addressed using a traffic management risk assessment commissioned by the Premises Manager.

Incident reporting

All vehicle incidents must be reported to the employee's line manager immediately in line with the Council's Incident Reporting Policy. Vehicle incidents must be reported even if no one is injured as a result of the incident.

A claim form must be submitted to the Insurance Department within 30 days on any vehicle incident where damage or injury has occurred to either a Council employee, member of the public or any vehicle.

Vehicle incidents occurring whilst driving on Council business must also be recorded on the Council's driver management database.

Employees involved in a vehicle incident when using a Council vehicle must report this to their personal motor insurance provider in line with their policy requirements.

Driver performance monitoring

Vehicle incidents involving employees will be monitored by Services and on an individual level by their line manager. When monitoring driver performance, the following factors will be considered:

Number and frequency of vehicle accidents
Costs associated with vehicle accidents
Involvement of pedestrians/bystanders in vehicle incidents
Telemetry information (including information on braking and acceleration) available from relevant Council vehicles (Refuse Collection Vehicles for example)
History of driving offenses
Adherence to local procedures (for example, traffic management risk assessments) and signage in premises

Where a driver's performance is identified by the Services to be of concern a training review should be undertaken initially. Where a driver's performance is found to fall below established Council standards the These situations should be managed under the Capability or Disciplinary Policies as appropriate to circumstances.

Any individual driving on Council business must notify their line manager immediately in the event they have 8 or more demerit points on their licence at any time. The line manager must then notify the Insurance Department immediately of this.

Roles and responsibilities

The Chief Executive, Chief Officers & Heads of Service

The Chief Executive and Chief Officers of the Council are responsible for the effective operation of the Policy as well as engaging and inspiring their respective teams to achieve a culture that not only encompasses the beliefs and values of Falkirk Council but also promotes and adheres to the processes and procedures designed to complement such policies. They will:

Ensure Services devote adequate resources to implement this policy
Monitor vehicle incidents rates and insurance claims within their respective areas of the Council
Monitor costs associated with vehicle hire and travel claims within their respective areas of the Council
Ensure the Council fulfils the requirements of its Operator Licence

The Fleet Manager

The Fleet Manager is responsible for:

Ensuring that any new or changes in legislation for vehicles and drivers are implemented and communicated to relevant departments.
Agreeing the specification of any new vehicle or vehicle for purchase, lease or hire with the appropriate Service representative.
Ensuring that the specification for vehicles takes full account of the safety of the employee(s) who is/are required to drive and/or use the vehicle.
Ensuring that all Council vehicles and ancillary equipment are maintained in accordance with road safety legislation and manufacturers/suppliers guidance.
Ensuring that, for each vehicle, a detailed maintenance schedule and a log which records all routine maintenance, any complaints with performance, breakdown data, accident data and tachograph recordings are maintained.
Liaise with the Insurance Department and Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team to identify and address areas of concern.
Ensure the Council has membership with appropriate external professional bodies regarding fleet management.

Fit Fleet Group

This group comprises representatives from each Service area and monitors the safe use of Council vehicles across the Council and best practice in terms of Workplace Transport. They will:

Monitor the usage of Council vehicles within Services
Identify and address areas of concern regarding the use of vehicles on Council business
Assist the Fleet Manager with implementation of improvements to fleet management within the Council

Insurance Team

The Insurance Team will:

Provide information to Services on vehicle insurance claims

Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team

The Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team will:

Provide information to Services on vehicle incidents

Customer & Business Support Team

The Customer & Business Support Team will:

Order and arrange fuel deliveries for Council sites
Manage the process for hiring vehicles for the Council
Order and replace fuel cards and fobs
Issue fuel pin numbers to employees

Line managers

Line managers are responsible for:

Ensuring that appropriate pre-employment checks are undertaken for drivers of Council vehicles.
Ensuring that employees or volunteers who drive on council business complete an “Authorisation to Drive” form on an annual basis and Drivers using council vehicles, including voluntary organisations will have their vehicle licences reviewed on a DVLA approved Vehicle Licence check contractor.
Implement the Travel Hierarchy within their areas of the Council.
Ensuring that concerns regarding individual driver's fitness to drive are fully investigated and managed in line with this Policy. Additionally, the line manager must notify the Insurance Department immediately of any employee with 8 or more demerit points on their licence who drives on Council business.
Seek advice/guidance from the Fleet Manager, Insurance Department or the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team where there are concerns over authorising a driver to drive on Council Business.
Ensure suitable training is provided where applicable. This may include vehicles which individuals are not appropriately licenced to drive due to the individual's age, length of time they have been driving or restrictions based on vehicles they can drive use to when their licence was issued (for example, minibuses)
Investigate vehicle incidents within the requirements of the Council's Incident Reporting Policy.
Monitor driving times and behaviours of employees using tachographs and telemetry where these are fitted to vehicles.
Monitor vehicle incident(s) for individual drivers

Drivers (employees and non-employees)

Drivers are responsible for:

Completing an authorisation to drive form on an annual basis.
Complying with Highway Code and other relevant Road Traffic Regulations and the Council's Drivers' Code of Conduct when driving on Council business.
Notifying the DVLA and their line manager of any injury or illness that would have a likely impact on safe driving ability.
Reporting vehicle incidents immediately to their line manager.
Responding fully and accurately to any requests for information from either the DVLA or Occupational Health.
Complying with the requirements of the issued licence, including any periodic medical reviews indicated by the DVLA.
Ensure they follow medical advice relating to conditions which may affect their fitness to drive.
Advising their line manager immediately of any changes to their health which may impact on their ability to drive, any convictions or charges made against them relating to driving or any change to penalties or endorsements on their driving licence.
Notify their line manager in the event they have 8 or more demerit points on their licence at any time.
Participating in any driving related assessment, training or qualifications as required.

Falkirk Council travel hierarchy process

Follow the process to work out if travel for work purposes is essential or not.

Downloads: Falkirk Council travel hierarchy
PDF file, 161.6 KB

Driver competency

LGV

Vehicle classification	Driving licence requirements	Qualification requirements	Legally required training	Additional in-house training for all drivers
General vehicles	LGV "C"	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	-
Refuse vehicles	LGV "C"	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Specialist vehicle driver training
Roads vehicles, winter gritting	LGV "C"	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Familiarisation training for gritter drivers
LGV with trailers under 750kg	LGV "C"	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Provision of training for all new drivers
LGV with trailers over 750kg	LGV "C+E"	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Provision of training for all new drivers

Specialist vehicles

Vehicle classification	Driving licence requirements	Qualification requirements	Legally required training	Additional in-house training for all drivers
Fork lift truck	Normal licence	Appropriate training	Fork lift truck certificate	Specialist vehicle driver training
Dumper truck	Normal licence	Appropriate training	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Specialist vehicle driver training
Construction vehicles	Normal licence	Appropriate training	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Specialist vehicle driver training
Tractor	Normal licence	N/A	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Specialist vehicle driver training
4x4 drive vehicles	Meet class vehicle requirements	N/A	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Specialist vehicle driver training
Ride-on-mowers etc.	Normal licence	N/A	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	Specialist vehicle driver training

Passenger buses

Vehicle classification	Driving licence requirements	Qualification requirements	Legally required training	Additional in-house training for all drivers
Passenger buses	PCV	CPC for PCV	CPC undertaken where required for job 35 hours / 5 years	N/A
Buses operated under S19 & S22 permits - Transport Act 1985 (voluntary drivers)	PCV Normal Licence2 D1	CPC for PCV	CPC undertaken where required for job 35 hours / 5 years	MIDAS
Mini-buses	Normal Licence2 D1	CPC for PCV	CPC undertaken where required for job 35 hours / 5 years	MIDAS
Passenger assistance roles	N/A	N/A	N/A	Passenger assistance training

All other vehicles

Vehicle classification	Driving licence requirements	Qualification requirements	Legally required training	Additional in-house training for all drivers
Light lorries	C1	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	N/A
Vans & crew-cabs	PCV Normal Licence1 B, C1	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	N/A
Use of trailers	Normal Licence2 +E	CPC for LGV	LGV licence 35 hours / 5 years	N/A
Cars	Normal licence	N/A	N/A	All drivers to be risk assessed
Car pool vehicles	Normal licence	N/A	N/A	Fleet Services vehicle familiarisation training