Effective Date: November 2, 2020
Approved by: Scott Edwards
I. Purpose
To establish statewide requirements for the use of telematics equipment and data associated with StateFleet vehicles. The telematics system is used to monitor State Fleet vehicle location and activities,which will improve employee safety, operational efficiency, energy efficiency, and cost reduction.Telematics data increases productivity and efficiency while mitigating risk through such factors asimproved dispatching, driver routing, scheduling, safe driving habits, fuel economy, and energy transfer.
II. Scope
This telematics universal policy (“Policy”) applies to all employees operating a State Fleet vehicle.Employees have no reasonable expectation of privacy while using an agency State Fleet vehicle. TheState reserves the right to use telematics data to monitor State Fleet vehicles. While monitoring maytake place on a regular or random basis, telematics data is collected for the location and activities of allState Fleet vehicles and must be used lawfully and fairly. Telematics information gathered may beavailable for review by authorized personnel, which may include Fleet Coordinators, managers, humanresources representatives, other State agencies such as the State Office of Risk Management (SORM),State Fleet Management, and third parties in the event of claim submissions, litigation or ColoradoOpen Records Act (CORA) requests, subject to applicable law.
III. References
State Fleet Manual
State Fleet FAQs
State Office of Risk Management Vehicle Use Guide
IV. Employee Responsibilities
Employees who operate State Fleet vehicles are responsible for the following:
- Maintaining a valid, non-restricted driver license;
- Obeying all traffic laws and associated regulations;
- Adjusting behavior to account for variable traffic, road, and weather conditions;
- Reporting to their employer any traffic citations received or accidents occurring in a Statevehicle;
- Reporting to their employer any traffic citations received in their personal vehicle that impacttheir ability to operate a State Fleet vehicle, including but not limited to Driving While AbilityImpaired (DWAI), Driving Under the Influence (DUI), reckless driving, vehicularmanslaughter or any event regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration(FMCSA) (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov);
- Reporting to their employer any medical conditions that may impact their ability to safelyoperate an agency State Fleet vehicle;
- Paying any traffic or parking citations received in an agency State Fleet vehicle; and
- Using the State Fleet vehicle for proper work-related purposes.
V. Management Responsibilities
Managers responsible for overseeing authorized State Fleet vehicle drivers are responsible for:
- Informing employees that all driving is monitored by telematics.
- Reviewing data to determine how drivers are behaving in variable traffic, road, and weather conditions.
- Enforcing compliance with this Policy and agency-specific guidance around authorized use of State Fleet vehicles.
VI. Information Collection and Use
Telematics collects a variety of information about agency State Fleet vehicles, including location, speed, path of travel, route, stopping, maneuvering severity, idle and park time. The State of Colorado uses this information for a range of purposes that benefit both employees who drive State vehicles, employee-passengers, and the public.
Data obtained from telematics units is an invaluable operations and customer service tool to:
- help the State to improve employee safety, reward safe driving, and increase efficiencies;
- empower agencies to make more informed dispatching and customer decision; and
- maximize employee productivity and performance.
Telematics data helps determine the status and location of agency State Fleet vehicles as well as when an agency State Fleet vehicle breaks down or an employee may be in distress, monitor vehicles for safety, aid in emergency response, and provide vehicle performance data for scheduled maintenance. In addition, telematics data may also be used to address any operational training and performance management issues, for example, where an employee is driving unsafely, using a State Fleet vehicle in
violation of any law or State policy, or using a State Fleet vehicle for an unacceptable use.
VII. Telematics Information Review
Each State agency’s telematics data and driver performance review process should include the agency Fleet Coordinators, agency leadership and managers, and agency human resources representatives. Agency Fleet Coordinators are the agency Subject Matter Expert on the agency State Fleet vehicles and serve as the liaison to leadership teams to help identify and manage the strategic fleet needs of the agency and coordinate implementation of the Policy. The Fleet Coordinator is responsible for a deeper level of knowledge about the agency’s use of vehicles and how to interface with State Fleet Management including telematics.
Agency Fleet Coordinators and leadership teams are charged with reviewing telematics data following an accident as well as review telematics data to identify highly efficient drivers and allegations of driver misconduct (e.g. unsafe driving maneuvers, speeding, or any other activity considered hazardous or dangerous to the employee or general public). Allegations of driver misconduct should be referred to the appropriate manager/supervisor and/or an agency human resources representative.
VIII. Access Maintenance of Data
Access to the data produced by the telematics system will be strictly controlled and securely maintained at all times by any authorized user.
All telematics data must be closely controlled and all files must be password protected before distributing to authorized recipients. Printed reports must be securely maintained in a locked file cabinet that has tightly controlled access. Distribution of telematics data should not be performed without approval from agency human resources and the open records request administrator. Subject to CORA and other applicable laws, the agency may disclose telematics information when appropriate to third parties, such as law enforcement, in administrative or legal proceedings, and when otherwise necessary to respond to claims, to protect the State’s legitimate interests or the health and safety of others, or as required by law.
Data from telematics systems are maintained by the State Fleet Manager and purged based on State retention policy, except when subject to a legal hold.
IX. Tampering or Altering Telematics System
The telematics equipment installed in vehicles used by State agencies is costly and must be treated as any other state-owned equipment assigned to, or utilized by, State employees. In general, the State expects employees to use common sense and sound judgment when utilizing state-provided resources and to protect the equipment from loss, damage or theft. As always, the improper, careless, negligent, destructive or unsafe use or operation of equipment or State Fleet vehicles, as well as failure to report damage or repair needs, can result in corrective or disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
The following covers all agency State Fleet vehicles equipped with a telematics system:
- Tampering with or altering the physical telematics equipment in a State Fleet vehicle is prohibited
- Tampering with or altering the telematics equipment by intentionally blocking or interfering with the electrical systems, wireless signal, or satellite receiver/antenna is prohibited
- Attempting to repair or adjust the telematics system in an agency State Fleet vehicle is prohibited
Employees who believe that the telematics system in a State Fleet vehicle is not working properly should report the malfunction immediately to their agency’s Fleet Coordinator.
X. Corrective or Disciplinary Action
Employees who violate this Policy or use State property in an unauthorized manner may be subject to corrective or disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
XI. Agency Requirements
State agencies are permitted to issue additional policies and guidance on telematics provided they stay within the framework of this Policy.
XII. Other Provisions
This Policy will be administered in compliance with all State, Federal and local laws. The State reserves the right to modify, revoke, suspend, terminate, or change any or all of its policies, procedures, employment standards and practices related to telematics at any time with or without notice.
All employees are expected to know and follow all the appropriate policies and procedures, including those outlined in this Policy.
The information contained in this Policy supersedes all policies, practices or procedures on the same or similar topic prior to the effective date of this Policy.
**Online Acknowledgement Form coming soon. Please contact your agency’s fleet coordinator/human resources for a PDF version until the online version is available.