• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Part A - Purchase of Vehicles
• Part B - Business Use Only Vehicles
• General Passenger Use Vehicles
• Specialist Vehicles
• Part C - Private/Business Access Vehicles
• Part D - Petrol Cards and Purchases
• Part E - UWS Policy Regarding 'Change-Over' of Vehicles
• Sedans and Station Wagons
• Specialist Vehicles
• Part F - Parking and Traffic Fines
• Part G - Authorised Drivers
• Part H - Overnight Access (Other than Travel Involving Overnight Absence Away from Home) of Business Use Vehicles
• Part I - Log Sheets and Charge-Outs
• Part J - Reporting of Damages and Accidents
• Part K - Services/Maintenance
• Part L - Vehicle Pools/Fleet Vehicles
• Pool Vehicle Bookings
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The University has a sizeable motor vehicle fleet and it is important that vehicle replacement (or new acquisitions) and vehicle operations are managed in line with the approved procedure - both from the viewpoint of fleet management and cost minimisation.

Section 2 - Definitions

(2) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

Part A - Purchase of Vehicles

(3) Only the UWS Purchasing Unit is authorised to place orders for purchase of UWS vehicles and to arrange disposal action with respect to UWS vehicles.

(4) All requests for vehicle purchase or disposal must be actioned via completion of either:

1. Form V1 - Vehicle Requisition - Business Use Only Vehicle
2. Form V2 - Vehicle Requisition - Private/Business Use Vehicle

(5) Electronic copies of these forms are available on the UWS Finance Office website.

(6) These forms must be completed by the requisitioning centre (the unit/cost centre to which the vehicle will be cost allocated). The procurement/disposal action requested via the form must be authorised by an appropriately delegated officer for the unit/cost centre .

(7) Following completion, Form V1 is to be forwarded directly to the Purchasing Unit for procurement action. Form V2 is to be forwarded to HR Strategy and Services for verification of private use access. HR Strategy and Services will on forward to the Supervisor Purchasing.

(8) Motor vehicle acquisitions involve a lead time for process, order and delivery. Units/cost centres should allow for this delay in their change-over planning.

Part B - Business Use Only Vehicles

(9) These fall into two classifications:

1. General Use Passenger Vehicles
2. Specialist Vehicles (vans, utilities, twin cabs, trucks etc.)

General Passenger Use Vehicles

(10) For general passenger use vehicles, the University has determined to move to a standardised and limited range of vehicles. The approved vehicles will be reviewed annually by the Purchasing Unit taking into account experience with resale values and operating costs. A current list of approved general passenger use vehicles is available from the Purchasing Unit.

(11) General passenger vehicles are to be automatic.

(12) The only optional extra that will normally be approved is a tow bar and wiring - where this is a requirement of unit/cost centre's business use.

(13) Only the approved vehicles will be ordered by the Purchasing Unit for general passenger use.

Specialist Vehicles

(14) Where a unit/cost centre requires a specialist application vehicle, they should consult the Purchasing Unit as to suitable available options prior to ordering the vehicle. Selection of vehicle should be based on unit/cost centre business use requirements.

Part C - Private/Business Access Vehicles

(15) The University has a policy regarding staff eligibility for Private Use Access to a UWS motor vehicle. This policy is titled Salary Sacrifice (Vehicles) Policy and is available on the Policy DDS.

Part D - Petrol Cards and Purchases

(16) The University will arrange to issue petrol cards with all vehicles.

(17) The card suppliers have been selected as UWS can obtain electronic monthly accounts that can be interfaced with Oracle Financials.

(18) All petrol purchases shall be obtained via the petrol cards. UWS Corporate Credit Cards should not be used for petrol purchases except during any change-over of a vehicle where petrol cards are not yet available.

(19) The only costs that can be charged to petrol cards are:

1. Fuel
2. Oil

(20) Under no circumstances are petrol cards to be used for personal expenditure.

(21) Cardholders are required to quote and have recorded vehicle kilometre reading at time of all fuel purchases. The University has instituted a system of vehicle fuel consumption monitoring and it is a requirement of vehicle access that staff record kilometre details at time of fuel purchase. UWS petrol cards should not under any circumstance be used for purchase of fuel for other than the UWS vehicle recorded on the card.

(22) Loss of petrol cards must immediately be notified to the Purchasing Unit who will arrange for cancellation and re-issue of replacement card.

Part E - UWS Policy Regarding 'Change-Over' of Vehicles

Sedans and Station Wagons

(23) The UWS policy regarding replacement of passenger vehicles (sedans and station wagons) is to hold these vehicles until:

1. the kilometre reading is between 35,000 and 40,000 kilometres; or
2. the vehicle reaches two years of age; (whichever comes first).

(24) The above arrangement is designed to both minimise operation costs and maximise resale value.

(25) Operators of passenger vehicles should commence replacement action when the vehicle has reached 30,000 km or eighteen months old (whichever comes first). The action involves completion and submission of Form V1 or V2.

Specialist Vehicles

(26) The UWS policy regarding replacement of specialist vehicles (vans, utes, twin cabs and light trucks) is to hold these vehicles until:

1. the kilometre reading is between 75,000 and 80,000 kilometres; or
2. the vehicle reaches 3 years of age; (whichever comes first).

(27) Operators of these vehicles should commence replacement action when the vehicle has reached 65,000 kilometres or two and a half years of age (whichever comes first).

(28) The replacement of trucks (above 2 tonne) should only occur where the vehicle has reached the end of its assessed effective operational life. These vehicles involve substantial capital acquisition costs and will have a depreciable working life of between five - ten years depending on usage level.

Part F - Parking and Traffic Fines

(29) All parking and traffic fines are the responsibility of the driver, or in case of Private/Business Vehicles, the controlling staff member unless the driver at the time of the offence is identified by the controlling staff member. The University will arrange to transfer all fine notices to the driver/controlling staff member for settlement. Fines are a personal expense and shall not be charged to Corporate Credit Cards or University Centre Accounts.

Part G - Authorised Drivers

(30) The Salary Sacrifice (Vehicles) Policy states the policy position as to authorised drivers of Private Use Vehicles.

(31) UWS Business Use Vehicles (Centre and Fleet) can only be driven by drivers holding a valid and appropriate (to the vehicle) licence. This could be an Australian Drivers licence, International Licence or licence recognised and accepted by the Roads & Traffic Authority. These vehicles will normally only be driven by UWS staff or authorised postgraduate students involved in University business.

Part H - Overnight Access (Other than Travel Involving Overnight Absence Away from Home) of Business Use Vehicles

(32) All overnight access of Business Use Vehicles by staff where the vehicle is garaged at or close to the staff member's home incurs a Private Use Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) obligation. This is irrespective of whether the vehicle is actually used for any Private purpose or not. The tax legislation presumes the vehicle was available for Private Use.

(33) All bookings of Business Use Vehicles involving overnight and/or weekend access must be approved by unit/cost centre head (e.g. Dean/Director). Such access should only be approved where it is unreasonable to require the staff member to collect or return the vehicle from its normal University location. Unless authorised, Private Use of vehicles is not permitted when overnight access is granted.

(34) Vehicle Log Sheets must record overnight access for FBT purposes. For fleet vehicles, FBT will be charged to the Cost Centre nominated by staff member for charge purposes on the Log Sheet or where vehicle is a unit/cost centre vehicle used by unit/cost centre staff member to the unit/cost centre.

Part I - Log Sheets and Charge-Outs

(35) All UWS Business Use Vehicles are required to be Vehicle Fleet Management System (VFMS) or Log Book controlled. All users must complete Log Sheets in full. Log Sheets are to be regularly reviewed by the staff member with responsibility for management control of the vehicle.

(36) Use of a vehicle by other than a staff member of the holding unit/cost centre will involve a cost recovery charge-out based on kilometres travelled at $0.55 per kilometre (refer to Charge-Out of Expenditure Policy). Costing of charge-outs will occur monthly with recoveries notified to Finance for entry to ledger.

Part J - Reporting of Damages and Accidents

(37) All damages and accidents to vehicles must be reported to the Accountant Tax and Insurance by completing an Accident Report Form. The driver is responsible for completion of the Accident Report Form and to ensure delivery of vehicle to a designated repairer for inspection and repair.

(38) The University will wherever possible provide a replacement vehicle but cannot guarantee to supply a replacement for vehicles under repair.

Part K - Services/Maintenance

(39) The vehicle holder is responsible for ensuring that the vehicle is serviced in line with dealer recommended schedules. The holder shall arrange to book services with an Authorised dealer and to deliver/collect vehicle from the service. All service charges should be either invoiced to UWS or charged to a UWS Corporate Credit Card. Vehicle holders are not to arrange repairs without prior consultation with, and approval of, the Purchasing Unit.

Part L - Vehicle Pools/Fleet Vehicles

Pool Vehicle Bookings

(40) Bookings are made via the UWS Fleet Management System (VFMS).

(41) The University has on each Campus a limited number of fleet vehicles for business use on a pre-booked basis. The size of these general access pools is reviewed regularly.

(42) Centres currently with dedicated vehicles should in the first instance access unit/cost centre vehicles. Where unit/cost centre vehicles are unavailable access should be made to the general pool. Only where pool vehicles are unavailable should the staff member be authorised to utilise their own vehicle.

(43) The University is unable to guarantee the availability of a pool vehicle on all occasions. Allocation will be made on a 'first booked' basis. Early reservation will assist in access to a vehicle. Vehicles booked and not cancelled or collected will however be automatically subject to a 100 kilometre use charge.

(44) Staff are required to nominate collection and return times when booking. It is the responsibility of the staff member to make every effort to return the vehicle by the nominated return time as late returns inconvenience subsequent bookings.

(45) Staff accessing vehicles that are not on the VFMS must fully complete the Log Sheet in the vehicle.

(46) All pool vehicles contain, in the console, UWS Petrol Cards. It is the responsibility of the driver to refuel the vehicle prior to return to the pool where the petrol indicator shows a level below 1/4. Vehicles returned with fuel levels well below 1/4 will involve a surcharge to the using staff member's unit/cost centre of $50. All surcharges will be reported to unit/cost centre manager.

Section 4 - Procedures

(47) Nil.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(48) Nil.