Authorized Levels of Vehicles

Considerations

These procedures apply to all DHS/DBHDD organizations, and state operated hospitals, that operate DHS or DBHDD owned or leased vehicles.

All requests to acquire (purchase, transfer, rent, or lease), or surplus a DHS/DBHDD vehicle must be sent through the Office of Facilities and Support Services (OFSS), Transportation Services Section (TSS) Regional Transportation Office (RTO).

Procedures for DHS and DBHDD vehicle acquisitions, transfers, and disposals are provided in checklist formats in the exhibits of this manual. Organizations are encouraged to copy and use the procedures/checklists as needed when working with DHS/DBHDD vehicles.

Organizations using DHS/DBHDD vehicles should review the operating principles listed in this manual in the Vehicle Obligations section in this chapter and consider the following points of information prior to seeking approval to acquire a vehicle.

Use of current vehicle(s):

  • What is the average mileage your vehicle(s) accumulates?

    • Low mileage may indicate under-utilization or may simply indicate that the vehicle(s) are primarily used for local driving. In either case, does the mileage justify replacement or acquiring additional vehicles or does it indicate a need for a closer look at the agency’s vehicle use patterns?

  • Does the workload of the organization demand additional acquisition?

  • What type of vehicle assignment is being used?

    • Too many individual assignments often lead to under-utilization. Would it be more economical to use rental vehicles as needed rather than to purchase?

  • Are you currently reimbursing employees for driving personal vehicles?

  • Condition of current vehicle(s).

    • Do any of your vehicles require excessive repairs that make it economically advisable to replace them?

  • Type of current vehicle(s).

    • The mix of wheelchair and seated passengers and the frequency with which you transport wheelchair users must be considered when choosing a vehicle. The provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may apply. Matching the proper vehicle with the type of service can strongly improve the efficiency of your operation. For example, vans and modified vans may be uncomfortable for passengers over long distances due to the limited interior space. A minibus may be more suitable for carrying wheelchair passengers.

Authorized Vehicle Counts and Vehicle Redistribution

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) establishes authorized levels of vehicles (sometimes referred to as "capped" vehicles) for state operated organizations. Organizations that have authorized counts include state hospitals, outdoor therapeutic programs, and general administration. These state operated organizations must limit their possession of state-owned vehicles to the level authorized.

The Fleet and Risk Manager maintains information on authorized vehicle levels. Each year Fleet and Risk Manager submits an updated vehicle listing to DHS' Office of Budget Administration (OBA) to report details of the vehicles filling the authorized count. OBA supplies the information to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB).

Vehicle Count Adjustments

As programs expand or reduce services, there may be a need to adjust the number of vehicles operated in support of services. Any increases in the vehicle count for the state operated programs listed above require the approval of OPB. For increases, the vehicle acquisition approval process must be followed in order to justify the increase in the authorized vehicle count and to seek approval for the added acquisition (for additional information, refer to Vehicle Acquisition (Purchase, Transfer, Rental/Lease) section in this chapter).

Vehicle Redistribution

Circumstances such as a facility closing, or contract termination may dictate the redistribution of DHS and/or DBHDD vehicles. A vehicle redistribution team will be led by the Fleet and Risk Manager convened to redistribute the agency’s vehicles based on consumer needs. Other factors, such as available drivers and the financial capabilities of the receiving organization, may also be taken into account. The vehicle redistribution team will work under the guidance of the DHS Transportation Services Section (TSS) and relevant parties within DBHDD. At a minimum, the redistribution team will include the District Operations Manager (DOM), the RTO, and the Regional Services Administrator for DBHDD.