When your team is working from home, do they use their personal cars for work tasks? If you don’t know the answer then you probably have a grey fleet. And even though employees are using their personal car, the organisation has the same liability as a fleet vehicle with the potential for greater risk.
Here is an outline of the key areas that you should consider when starting to write your policy on grey fleet vehicles:
1. Regulatory Compliance:
a. Vehicle registration and licensing: Ensuring that all fleet vehicles are appropriately registered and licensed as per state or territory requirements.
b. Roadworthiness and maintenance: Complying with vehicle safety and maintenance regulations, including periodic inspections, repairs, and servicing.
c. Driver’s licenses: Verifying that all drivers possess valid and appropriate licenses for the vehicle types they operate.
2. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS):
a. Driver training and qualifications: Implementing driver training programs to ensure that all fleet drivers are adequately skilled and licensed for the vehicles they operate.
b. Vehicle safety features: Ensuring that fleet vehicles meet OHS standards and have appropriate safety features installed, such as airbags, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), and stability control systems.
c. Fatigue management: Implementing policies to prevent driver fatigue, including limits on driving hours, rest periods, and regular fatigue management training.
d. Incident reporting and investigation: Establishing protocols for reporting and investigating accidents, incidents, and near misses to improve safety standards.
3. Insurance and Risk Management:
a. Comprehensive insurance coverage: Maintaining adequate insurance coverage for fleet vehicles, including comprehensive, third-party, and public liability insurance.
b. Risk assessment and mitigation: Conducting regular risk assessments to identify potential hazards and implementing appropriate risk management strategies, such as driver safety training, vehicle maintenance programs, and GPS tracking systems.
c. Claims management: Establishing procedures for handling insurance claims promptly and efficiently to minimise financial losses.
4. Environmental Compliance:
a. Emissions standards: Planning for organisational targets on Scope 1,2 and 3 emissions.
b. Green vehicle initiatives: Encouraging the use of environmentally friendly vehicles, such as hybrid or electric cars, and implementing policies to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
c. Waste management: Implementing environmentally responsible practices for waste management, including proper disposal of vehicle fluids and recycling programs.
5. Data Privacy and Security:
a. Telematics and GPS tracking: Establishing policies for the collection, use, and storage of telematics data, ensuring compliance with privacy laws and protecting sensitive information.
b. Driver behavior monitoring: Ensuring that driver monitoring systems respect privacy regulations and obtain appropriate consent from employees.
c. Data breach prevention: Implementing robust cybersecurity measures to protect fleet data from unauthorised access or cyber threats.
6. Financial Considerations:
a. Budgeting and cost control: Developing strategies to manage fleet-related expenses, including vehicle acquisition costs, maintenance, fuel, insurance, and depreciation.
b. Taxation and reporting: Understanding and complying with tax obligations related to fleet management, such as fringe benefits tax (FBT) and goods and services tax (GST) reporting.
It is important for companies to seek legal and professional advice to tailor their fleet policies to the specific needs of their organisation and ensure compliance with the relevant laws and regulations.
