Erie County, NY – Erie County Legislators passed a resolution to establish a process for governance of county fleet vehicles. The resolution states that one policy will be adopted for all vehicles not governed under a different policy.
Under the policy, any independently elected official may adopt a separate fleet vehicle policy or supplemental policy for their own office under their own authority, while still following Section 101 of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law and any other applicable laws. Section 101 defines an authorized emergency vehicle as ambulances and emergency ambulance service vehicles, police cars or bicycles, fire, correction, civil defense emergency, blood delivery, human organ delivery, county emergency medical services, environmental emergency response, sanitation patrol, hazardous materials and ordinance disposal vehicles of the U.S. armed forces.
“It was important that we govern the use of county vehicles, while also understanding that independently elected officials should have the ability to determine specific guidelines for the office they were elected to lead. It is appropriate to give them that autonomy,” said Minority Leader and Erie County Legislator John Mills.
The policy (Communication 14E-24) establishes rules governing the acquisition, assignment, operation, maintenance and disposal of all county vehicles, while aiming to strengthen oversight, accountability and transparency regarding the procurement, assignment and use of county vehicles. Only authorized Erie County employees with a valid driver’s license appropriate for the class of vehicle being operated may operate county vehicles. These vehicles are not to be used for non-County purposes, and passengers must be county employees, individuals conducting official county business and individuals in the custody of Erie County. Additional parameters are laid out for those having 24-hour take-home vehicles, and there are specific instructions for emergency fleet operations, operating rental vehicles.
“It was important not only that we get this policy in place, but also to amend it to give those who were elected by the public greater control over their fleets. This was the right thing to do,” said Legislator Frank Todaro. “The public is better served when independently elected officials can oversee their offices the way they see fit.”
