Vehicle Use

Subject: Vehicle Use

Section 1: General Information1.1  Overview

The purpose of this document is to provide a clear, concise, and enforceable policy governing the use of vehicles owned by Indiana Institute for Global Health Kenya, Ltd or Indiana Institute for Global Health Kenya (hereafter both referred to as IIGH-K) and under the use of AMPATH Consortium employees stationed in Eldoret, Kenya.

The expansion of all activities connected with the AMPATH program in Eldoret has necessitated more and more extra vehicular needs. All IIGH-K vehicle needs require the expressed permission of the Kenya Program Administrator, who will oversee and supervise the use of vehicles owned and operated by IIGH-K according to the provisions of this Vehicle Use SOP. Vehicles are intended to be shared among all qualified drivers. 4WD vehicles shall be made available for those trips requiring off-tarmac excursions. The initial primary driver for each vehicle is attached as an addendum to this SOP.

1.2  Audience

The intended audience for this document includes any short-, mid-, or long-term visitor to AMPATH Kenya who receives authorization to drive an IIGH-K owned vehicle during their stay.

Section 2: Authorized Drivers and Destinations1.    “Short-term” visitors (i.e., visitors that are staying less than four continuous months in Eldoret) including visiting faculty members, residents, and students are forbidden from driving IIGH-K vehicles at any time except in cases of emergency.

a.    Persons excluded include the AMPATH Consortium Executive Director, Director of Operations, Program Managers and Assoc. Executive Directors. It is further understood that the driving privilege/responsibility is to be invoked only when no other options are available, and all other means of transportation (no qualified drivers) are available for work-related or personal travel.

2.    Expatriate “mid-term” and “long-term” faculty members and staff members who are paid directly by Indiana University or an AMPATH Consortium partner may drive IIGH-K vehicles for any work-related activities. “Mid-term” is defined as living in Kenya for 4-10 months/year. “Long-term” is defined as living in Kenya for more than 10 months.

3.    Spouses of “mid-term” faculty/staff may not drive IIGH-K vehicles. (Partners in recognized civil unions are considered “spouses” for purposes of this policy).

4.    Spouses of “long-term” faculty/staff may drive IIGH-K vehicles around Eldoret but not outside of Eldoret. (Partners in recognized civil unions are considered “spouses” for purposes of this policy). All spousal travel is subject to the personal sage reimbursement rate as outlined in this policy in Section 9.

5.    Vehicles are assigned to task and purpose, not to a specific driver. It is expected that vehicle use will be monitored by the Program Administrator to ensure best use of each vehicle for each day’s tasks.

6.    The “primary driver” is responsible for ensuring that the logbook is accurately completed and submitted by the end of each month as noted in Section 13 below. On the 10th of the following month, if the logbook has not been received by the IU House office, the IIGH-K Managing Director will be responsible for notifying the primary driver that the keys will need to be returned to the Executive Field Director within 24 hours.

7.    IIGH-K may designate specific Kenyan drivers to drive its vehicles. Such drivers may not use the vehicles for any personal activities.

a.    The AMPATH Program Administrator will qualify Kenyan drivers and will institute a period review policy to ensure that all drivers meet appropriate driving quality standards designed to emphasize safety and driving prudence.

b.    It is further understood that passengers will be notified that they will be expected to complete a trip evaluation form evaluating the performance of the vehicle and their driver. This form should be completed by the passenger upon return to IU House after each trip.

8.    All drivers are expected to cover the cost of their own fuel and oil. Drivers will then be expected to turn their receipts into the IU House office for complete reimbursement of their costs. Drivers will only be reimbursed, however, if the logbook for their vehicle is up to date and submitted within the time frame noted in Section 6. Fuel purchases are to be noted in the logbook; each entry should include the date of purchase, total liters, and total cost in Ksh.

9.    All personal trips should also be noted in the logbook. Personal trips include the use of the car from home to their primary work site. Drivers for personal trips will be expected to reimburse IIGH-K for their use of the vehicle at the internationally accepted reimbursement rate (at the time of this edit, the rate stated by the international Rotary guidelines is 57.19 Ksh per Km) (at the time of this edit the rate stated by AA Kenya is 79.55 KES). This rate has been determined to cover fuel, oil, and wear/tear of the vehicle. Invoices for personal usage will be generated by the Program Administrator and forwarded to the responsible party by the IIGH-K accounts team on a monthly basis. Payment will be made to IIGH-K through the IU House office (payment account details to be included in the Invoice). Failure to pay for personal usage will result in loss of vehicle use privileges.

Section 3: Administrative Policies and Procedures1.    No student, medical resident or short-term faculty member may drive any IIGH-K vehicle while in Kenya.

2.    All drivers must possess a valid home country driver’s license and an International Driver’s Permit, OR a valid Kenyan Driver’s License.

3.    No vehicle may be driven at night by anyone other than long-term and mid-term faculty/staff ANYWHERE except for work related trips as described below:

a.    Emergencies

b.    hospital call

c.     emergency airport pickups

d.    work related dinners with donors, etc.

4.    A logbook is required to be completed by the driver daily, and for each trip within that day if there are both personal and work trips occurring. The logbook entry should clearly and legibly state the date, driver name, passengers, destination and mileage at beginning and end of each trip including personal travel. A copy of that month’s logbook entries must be made by the driver and submitted to the IU House office by the end of the month. The logbook will be reviewed by the Program Administrator on a minimum monthly basis to record mileage and to help establish an appropriate preventative maintenance/replacement schedule for that vehicle. After the driver copies the log book monthly entries, the log book must be immediately returned to the vehicle. The addendum to this SOP includes example log book entries demonstrating how fill out the form.

5.    A monthly or semi-monthly overview spreadsheet for each vehicle use must be submitted to the Managing Director by the Program Administrator. This spreadsheet should clearly delineate work related usage and personal usage by vehicle.

6.    The Program Administrator & Director of Operations will keep a separate sub-account for all vehicle-related transactions, and funds that accumulate in this account cannot be used for any purchase other than a vehicle related expense, without written consent of the AMPATH Consortium Executive Director or his/her designee.

7.    The Program Administrator will advise each primary driver of scheduled maintenance and will follow up to ensure that a regular maintenance schedule is followed. Furthermore, the Program Administrator will schedule all maintenance and repairs for each vehicle and secure an accurate estimate detailing the specific service to be performed. Service for any IIGH vehicle must be coordinated with the Program Administrator and not by the primary driver. Completed maintenance and repair receipts will be presented to the primary driver for review and approval to confirm the work was completed. Maintenance and repair receipts signed by the primary driver will be submitted with the logbook entries each month. Maintenance and repairs should also be noted in the logbooks with the approved and signed invoice date and invoice # referenced in the entry. See the example entries in the addendum for guidance on repair and maintenance notations in the logbook.