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BAT Did Not Properly Document the Use of Its Non-Revenue-Producing Vehicles by Its Employees.

Audit found that BAT did not properly document vehicle information, which creates a greater risk of vehicles being used for non-business purposes without detection.

Table of Contents

Overview

BAT did not properly document the use of its non-revenue-producing vehicles. Specifically, it did not properly document information such as the name and driver’s license expiration date of the employee who used the vehicle, the trip’s intended destination and purpose, the date and time the vehicle was picked up, the date and time it was returned, its license plate number, its description, its beginning odometer reading, its condition before and after use, any damage, and any maintenance issues identified during use, for every trip for all of its non-revenue-producing vehicles. According to BAT records, its nine non-revenue-producing vehicles were driven a combined total of 43,849 and 40,206 miles during fiscal years 2016 and 2017, respectively. As a result of the lack of monitoring of use, there is a higher-than-acceptable risk that these vehicles may be used for non-business purposes without detection.

Authoritative Guidance

BAT’s oversight agency, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), has a Motor Vehicles Policy, No. P-D0032-01, dated October 5, 2016, regarding the use of MassDOT’s non-revenue-producing vehicles by its staff. This policy requires MassDOT management to maintain a log that documents the name and driver’s license expiration date of the employee who used the vehicle, the trip’s intended destination and purpose, the date and time the vehicle was picked up, the date and time it was returned, its license plate number, its description, its beginning odometer reading, its condition before and after use, any damage, and any maintenance issues identified during use. Although BAT is not required to follow this policy, it represents a best practice in vehicle fleet management that BAT should follow because it will allow the agency to more effectively manage the maintenance and proper use of these vehicles.  

Reasons for Noncompliance

BAT management stated that the agency had a written policy, distributed to all staff members, that required employees to request the use of non-revenue-producing vehicles from BAT’s fleet manager and state their purpose for doing so. They said they believed that the vehicles were adequately safeguarded from potential misuse because the fleet manager was the only staff member who had the keys when employees asked to sign out the non-revenue-producing vehicles. However, BAT had not established a log or specific monitoring controls to ensure that these policies and procedures were properly adhered to.

Recommendations

  1. BAT should establish policies and procedures, consistent with those established by MassDOT for its non-revenue-producing vehicles, that require a log that documents the following:
    a. the name and driver’s license expiration date of the employee who used the vehicle
    b. the date and time the vehicle was picked up
    c.  the date and time the vehicle was returned
    d.  the vehicle’s license plate number
    e.  the vehicle description
    f.   the intended destination and purpose
    g.  the beginning odometer reading
    h.  the condition of the vehicle before and after use
    i.   any damage
    j.   any maintenance issues identified during use
  2. BAT should ensure that these policies and procedures include monitoring controls to ensure that they are adhered to.

Auditee’s Response

BAT will revise its policy and procedures for the oversight and use of its non-revenue vehicles to incorporate best practices from other RTAs and MassDOT. At the same time, they will be tailored to the non-revenue vehicles of BAT. The revised policies and procedures will include a log for those non-revenue vehicles requiring such. This log will include all pertinent information regarding use, operator, and vehicles. BAT’s revised policies and procedures will include monitoring controls to ensure compliance. The development of this log will be consistent with our policies and oversight responsibilities.

Auditor’s Reply

Based on its response, BAT is taking measures to address our concerns in this area.

Date published: August 24, 2018

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