Policy brief & purpose 

Our pool car policy describes our guidelines for using pool cars. A “pool car” is any type of vehicle our company assigns to employees to support their transportation needs for their jobs. Pool cars belong to our company and we want to make sure our employees use them properly.

Scope 

This policy refers to all of our employees who are eligible to receive a pool car and those who drive one as part of their daily job duties.

 Policy elements 

Employees who may be assigned a pool car. Employees who are eligible to be assigned a pool car fall into three categories: 

• Employees who need to travel more than [X miles] per year to meet with customers, partners or vendors. 

• Employees who use company vehicles as an indispensable part of their jobs (e.g. truck drivers and delivery drivers).

• Employees who are given a pool car as a benefit attached to their jobs. 

In most cases, our company will determine which employees will be assigned pool cars. Employees who aren’t assigned pool cars but believe they need one may discuss this with their supervisor or consult with our [Human Resources (HR) department.] Employees are permitted to drive pool cars outside of working hours on a limited basis and they must always abide by this policy. We retain the right to revoke or assign company vehicles at our discretion.

 Prerequisites to drive a pool car 

Our employees are only allowed to drive a pool car if they:

• Have a valid driver’s license.

• Have a clean driving record for at least [X years]. This means they mustn’t have been held at fault for a car accident, or arrested on charges of violating vehicle and traffic laws (e.g.driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol). 

Employees will need to complete a form and submit a copy of their driver’s license to be eligible for a pool car. Employees with disabilities Employees with disabilities may also be eligible for pool cars and parking spaces. We’re also willing to make reasonable accommodations to facilitate their company vehicle use. Employees who take medications that severely affect their sense of orientation, vision or reflexes may not be permitted to drive a pool car. 

Driver’s obligations We expect employees who drive company vehicles to follow rules. 

They should:

• Drive safe and sober.

• Respect traffic laws and fellow drivers.

• If applicable, wear glasses or contacts when driving.

• Document any driving-related expenses, like fuels and tolls.

• Check their car regularly to ensure gas, tire pressure and all car fluids are at appropriate levels.

• Report any damages or problems with their assigned cars to HR as soon as possible.

• Avoid double-parking, blocking entrances and engaging in other traffic violations that may result in fines.

Pool car policy:

If employees have their driver’s licenses suspended or revoked, they must inform our [HR department.] We’ll reassign their pool car until they become eligible to drive in accordance with our policy (maintaining a clean driving record for at least 1 years). Employees who are fatigued and/or sick should avoid driving if they feel their driving ability is impaired. If sickness occurs during a business trip that requires the use of a pool car, employees should take regular breaks while driving or ask HR for overnight accommodations, if needed.

Employees are not allowed to:

• Smoke inside of a pool car.

• Lease, sell or lend a pool car.

• Violate distracted driving laws by using a phone or texting while driving.

• Use a pool car to teach someone how to drive.

• Leave the pool car unlocked, unattended or parked in dangerous areas.

• Allow unauthorized people to drive a pool car, unless an emergency mandates it.

Accidents If employees are involved in an accident with a pool car, they should contact our HR department immediately, so we can get in touch with our insurance provider. Employees shouldn’t accept responsibility or guarantee payment to another party in an accident without company authorization. Employees should follow legal guidelines for exchanging information with other drivers and call local police if accidents are serious. Our company’s obligations We want to ensure that all our employees are safe at work and preserve our company’s legality.

For these reasons, we will:

• Make sure cars are safe to drive before assigning them to employees.

• Schedule periodical maintenance to ensure cars remain in good condition.

• Provide a copy of this policy to all employees who are assigned pool cars.

• Insure vehicles with a reliable insurance provider. Pool car policy: 

Drivers are responsible for bringing in their pool cars for any maintenance our company schedules. We keep records of our fleet with manufacturing date and mileage. We will retire any car that’s deemed too old or too high in mileage.

We are not responsible for:

• Paying fines employees accumulate while driving pool cars that they are responsible for (e.g. for driving too fast.)

• Bailing out employees arrested while driving pool cars.

Protecting the environment and saving costs Cars are harmful to our environment and costly to use. We’ll try to provide employees with eco-friendly cars when possible. We also expect our employees to use their assigned pool cars sensibly, considering environmental impacts.

Examples of instances when using pool cars isn’t necessary:

• When public transport is easily accessible and faster.

• When business trips are far enough to warrant use of train or plane.

• When employees can complete a task without driving.

Disciplinary Consequences Employees will face disciplinary consequences if they don’t follow this policy’s rules. For minor offenses, like allowing unauthorized people to drive a pool car or receiving more than [two] fines, we may issue reprimands and ultimately revoke the pool car. We may terminate an employee and/or take legal action as needed for more serious offenses. That can include leasing out a pool car for personal financial gain, or causing an accident while driving intoxicated.

Disclaimer: This policy template is meant to provide general guidelines and should be used as a reference. It may not take into account all relevant local, state or federal laws and is not a legal document. Neither the author nor Workable will assume any legal liability that may arise from the use of this policy.