Overview of the Motor Vehicle Program and General Responsibilities

1.1 What is the purpose of this chapter?

A. This chapter describes the following for all the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Manual chapters in Part 320, Motor Vehicle Management:

(1)   Authorities,

(2) Definitions of terms used, and

(3) Roles and responsibilities of Service employees.

B. Table 1-1 shows how Part 320 is organized.

Table 1-1: Part 320, Motor Vehicle Management

1.2 What is the scope of Part 320? The chapters in Part 320 of the Service Manual apply to all motor vehicles that the Service owns and leases or manages through other means (e.g., short-term rentals for non-temporary duty assignments).

1.3 What are the authorities for the chapters in Part 320? The authorities for this chapter and the other chapters in Part 320 include:

A. Department of the Interior, Interior Property Management Directives (IPMD), 410 Addition, Supplement to the Federal Property Management Regulations (41 CFR 101).

B. Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L.109-58).

C. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Standards, Green Vehicle Guide.

D. Executive Order (E.O.) 10579, Regulations Relating to the Establishment and Operation of Interagency Motor Vehicle Pools and Systems.

E. E.O. 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade.

F. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Part 7.1, Acquisition Plans (48 CFR).

G. Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act (31 U.S.C. 901 et seq. and 3511 et seq.).

H. Federal Property Management Regulations, Motor Vehicle Management and Home-to-Work Transportation (41 CFR 101 Parts 26 and 39; 102 Parts 5, 34, and 35).

I. Federal Transportation Regulations, Commercial Driver’s License Standards, Requirements, Penalties, and Qualifications of Drivers (49 CFR 383.1 and 391.1).

J. Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. 2672).

K. Government Performance and Results Act (31 U.S.C. 1116 et seq.).

L. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Management’s Responsibility for Internal Control.

M. Passenger Carrier Use (31 U.S.C. 1344).

N.412 Departmental Manual (DM) 1, Motor Vehicle Management, General Program Policies.

O. 446 DM 12, Law Enforcement, Equipment, and Vehicles.

P. 485 DM 16, Motor Vehicle Safety.

1.4 How does the Service define “motor vehicle” and categorize the different types of motor vehicles in Part 320? A motor vehicle is any self-propelled conveyance that is designed to operate on highways to transport property or passengers. In accordance with Federal Automotive Statistical Tool (FAST) categorizations, the Service categorizes motor vehicles as follows:

A. Passenger vehicles. These types of vehicles include:

(1) Low-speed electric vehicles;

(2) Sedans, which include:

     (a) Sub-compact,

     (b) Compact,

     (c) Midsize,

     (d) Large, and

     (e) Limousines;

(3) Passenger vans, which include:

     (a) Light passenger vans, and

     (b) Medium passenger vans;

(4) Sport utility vehicles (SUV), which include:

     (a) Light SUVs, and

     (b) Medium SUVs; and

(5) Buses.

B. Trucks. There are three general subcategories of trucks:

(1) Light-duty trucks, which are pickup trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds (lbs.) or less;

(2) Medium-duty trucks, which are trucks with conventional cabs, van bodies, dump trucks, and stake-side trucks with a GVWR of 10,001 to 26,000 lbs.; and

(3) Heavy-duty trucks, which are trucks with conventional cabs, van bodies, dump trucks, stake-side trucks and tractor trucks with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. and greater.

C. Commercial motor vehicles. Only an operator with a commercial driver's license (CDL) may operate commercial motor vehicles (e.g., ambulances, buses). Commercial motor vehicles may include medium- or heavy-duty trucks used to transport passengers or property if the vehicle:

(1) Has a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds;

(2) Has a gross combination weight (GCW) rating of 24,000 or more pounds (the GCW rating includes the weight of a tow vehicle plus that of the towed unit);

(3) Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver (e.g., a bus); or

(4) Is of any size and is used to transport materials that are hazardous according to the standards of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 5103(b)) and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR part 172, subpart F).

D. Trailers. A trailer is a rubber-tired vehicle without its own power that is pulled or propelled by a motor vehicle or motorized equipment. For the chapters in Part 320, we consider trailers to be motor vehicles for licensing purposes only.

1.5 What terms do you need to know to understand the chapters in Part 320?

A. Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV). An AFV is a motor vehicle powered with fuels other than gasoline or diesel as defined by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Using AFVs contributes to the achievement of statutory and E.O. goals for sustainability and energy performance and reduces air pollution. Additional information on AFVs is available on the Department of Energy’s Web site and in Section 2862 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2008. AFVs include:

(1) Electric vehicles,

(2) Hybrid electric vehicles,

(3) Lean burn technology vehicles,

(4) Fuel cell vehicles,

(5) Flexible fuel vehicles (may use a combination of petroleum fuels and ethanol, liquid propane gas, or compressed natural gas),

(6) Natural gas-fueled vehicles,

(7) Propane-fueled vehicles,

(8) Alternative fuel blend-capable vehicles such as late-model diesel vehicles that may use biodiesel, and

(9) Any other type of vehicle that the EPA demonstrates would achieve a significant reduction in petroleum consumption.

B. Billing Office Address Code (BOAC). A BOAC is a six-digit alphanumeric code that identifies the agency or bureau and the unit’s mailing address for billing documents issued by the General Services Administration (GSA). Employees must send approvals and requests for additional BOACs to the Service’s National Fleet Manager.

C. Board of Survey. A board of survey is a group of people that the Regional Director appoints for each Region to conduct official investigations into incidents, as necessary. See 310 FW 6 for more information.

D. Federal Fleet Registration System. The Service’s fleet registration system is a Federal system that the Service uses to record vehicle information such as license plates, vehicle identification numbers (VIN), operator assignments, vehicle details, and other information for Service-owned, leased, and rented motor vehicles.

E. Fleet Management Center. The Fleet Management Centers are the GSA-maintained network of offices that assist the Service in assigning GSA fleet motor vehicles and provide administrative support and management control for specific geographical areas.

F. Fleet Management System. The fleet management system is a Departmental financial and property management system that the Service uses to record financial, utilization, inventory, and other metrics.

G. GVWR. GVWR is the manufacturer-recommended maximum loaded weight of a single vehicle.

H. Home-To-Work (HTW). HTW is the use of a Government passenger vehicle to transport an employee between his/her/their home and place of work (see 320 FW 3).

I. Hybrid Vehicle. Hybrid vehicles typically combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle.

J. Intra-Governmental Payment and Collection (IPAC). IPAC is a process that allows Federal agencies to transfer funds to other Federal agencies with standardized descriptive data.

K. Management Control Review. Management control reviews are the Service’s requirements and policies for ensuring proper control within the motor vehicle management program.

L. Seasonal Vehicles. Seasonal vehicles are those used 120 calendar days or less annually.

M. Short-Term Rental. A short-term rental is a non-temporary duty (TDY) assignment vehicle that a Region may lease on its own authority, through GSA’s short-term rental program or through another third party, for special needs such as seasonal transportation, repairs, and special missions. A short-term rental must not exceed 120 days. See 265 FW 5 for information on short-term rentals for TDY assignments.

N. Vehicle Allocation Methodology (VAM). The VAM is a set of standards and rules the Service developed to help ensure that the fleet meets the unique requirements of the Service’s mission and the Federal and Departmental mandates for efficient and effective fleet management by setting fleet size targets for each Region. The VAM takes into consideration factors such as the number of personnel, number of field stations, utilization performance, and field season requirements for each Region.

O. Zero-Emission Vehicle. A zero-emission vehicle is one that produces zero exhaust emissions of certain pollutants or greenhouse gases under any possible operational modes or conditions.

1.6 Who is responsible for implementing the Service’s motor vehicle management policy? See Table 1-2.

Table 1-2: Responsibilities for Implementing the Motor Vehicle Management Program