Motor Pool vehicles are defined as vehicles that are rented on a daily basis for use by state employees in lieu of using their personal vehicle while performing state business. These vehicles will be located throughout the state.

2009 Motor Pool Rate Increase 

RESERVATIONS

It is recommended that reservations be made 48 hours in advance of your trip. Please provide the following information at the time of reservation:

• Your name, email, phone number, and fax number
• Your destination
• Anticipated departure and return date/time
• The department and division responsible for payment
• Business Unit code (5 digit number)
• BGS customer code (BGS+1 or 2 digits)
• Type of vehicle (sedan, hybrid, wagon)
• Pickup Site and Alternate Pickup Site
• Purpose of Trip

Reserving a vehicle is easy and convenient by using one of the following:

CHOOSING PICKUP SITE: Consider when choosing a primary and/or alternate pickup site whether the alternate site works for you. Only enter the locations you are willing to utilize for pickup. Read your reservation confirmation to verify your pickup location. 

DAILY RENTAL RATE: The Motor Pool vehicle daily rental rate is $40.00 per day. This charge includes 100 free miles per day. A charge of $.40 per mile is incurred for every mile over the 100-mile-per-day allowance.

24-HOUR RENTAL CYCLE: Motor Pool vehicles are billed on a 24-hour cycle. If you pick it up at 7:00 AM on day 1 and return it by 7:00 AM on day 2, you will be billed for 1 day. However, if the vehicle is returned anytime after that 24-hour period, you will be billed for a second day. For example, when a customer makes arrangements to pick up a MP vehicle at 4:00 PM on Day 1 for use the next day (Day 2), they want to be guaranteed the vehicle will be available for them at that time. Therefore, FMS reserves the vehicle on Day 1 (at no charge to customer) to ensure the vehicle will be there at 4:00 PM. The billing begins when the customer picks up the keys. The customer pays $40.00 for the first 24 hours the vehicle is used. This charge includes 100 miles per day; the customer pays $.40/mile for any mileage over the 100 mile-per-day allowance. If the customer returns the car later than 4:00 PM an additional day will be charged (which in this example would be two days @ $40.00 per day with 200 free miles).

Weekends: If a customer wants to pick up a car at 4:00 PM on Friday afternoon (Day 1) for use on Monday (Day 4), the customer is charged for use on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (3 days). If the customer returns the car after 4 PM on Monday, the customer is charged for a fourth day.
The customer is allowed 100 miles per day for each of those 4 days – is charged for overages only if the customer has traveled over 400 miles in those 4 days. Occasionally customers reconsider – if it’s only for convenience, they might figure it’s not worth the additional charge. If they need their own vehicle for personal use over the weekend, they might decide to forego the MP vehicle or to pick it up on Monday.

TRIP CALCULATOR: Employees can calculate the most cost effective way to travel by using the trip calculator available at the FMS website under “Forms and Publications.” Enter the number of days you plan to travel and the anticipate round-trip mileage for your trip. The trip calculator will tell you which method of transportation is most cost effective – driving a motor pool vehicle, renting an enterprise vehicle, or receiving mileage reimbursement for driving your personal vehicle.  Trip calculator

CONFIRMATION: All reservation requests will be confirmed by fax or email within 3 business hours after receipt. You are encouraged to read this confirmation sheet to ensure the reservation and the scheduled pick-up location meets your expectations.

REGRETS NOTICE: If FMS is unable to provide a vehicle to you, you will receive a Notice of Regret. This Notice must be attached to your mileage reimbursement request if you then drive your personal vehicle.

EMERGENCY RESERVATIONS: While it is recommended that you make your reservation request 48 hours in advance of your travel in order to increase the likelihood of a vehicle being available to you, you may phone in a request for a vehicle on an emergency basis, and FMS will make every effort to locate a vehicle for you. 

CANCELLING A RESERVATION: You may fax, e-mail, or phone in your cancellation. There is no penalty when a cancellation is made prior to scheduled pick-up time. Cancellations made after the scheduled pick up time will result in a one-day-rental-charge penalty assessed to your department.

RESERVATION NO-SHOW: A reservation will be declared a .no-show. if a vehicle is not picked up within one hour after the scheduled pick-up time. The penalty for a no-show is a one-day rental charge to compensate for lost revenues. You may change your reservation pick-up time up to one hour past the scheduled pick-up time without penalty. If you arrive after the one-hour grace period, FMS cannot guarantee a vehicle will be available. 

REDUCED WORK FORCE OR EMERGENCY CLOSINGS: At various times during the year weather conditions do warrant delayed opening or early closing of state offices. When there are reports of icy road -- particularly on the back roads – FMS encourages employees to exercise caution as they travel. There may be a time when you choose not to drive because of local weather conditions. In that case, you must cancel your reservation. Upon request, the Fleet Manager will review your cancellation and determine if the late cancellation surcharge is warranted.

PICKING UP YOUR FLEET VEHICLE: You can usually expect to pick up your vehicle at your primary vehicle pick-up site (see the Fleet Management Services pick-up site list on the web-site). If a vehicle is not available at your primary vehicle pick-up site, you will be notified of an alternate site when you receive the reservation confirmation. Reservation confirmations will indicate the vehicle pick-up site and the location where you can obtain the keys. Whenever possible, this site will be conveniently located near your work location. The key keeper will need to see your valid driver’s license and have the driver’s signature prior to dispatching the vehicle.

The driver must pick up the keys during normal business hours. If you need to leave before business hours the next day, indicate this on your reservation request. You may pick up keys after 3:30 PM the previous day, but the vehicle must remain at the pick-up site. The vehicle may not be taken home with you unless you have prior authorization from Fleet Management Services.

Unless the vehicle is reserved for the weekend period, the vehicle must be returned on Friday to accommodate any weekend servicing or cleaning.   You may park your personal vehicle at the confirmed pick up site with an approved identification card FMS will provide.

VEHICLE PICK-UP SITES: The Division of Fleet Management Services has established several vehicle pick-up sites in the Central VT area. The Fleet Management Services staff will advise you of your vehicle pick-up site when your reservation is confirmed. Additional sites will be added as the program expands.

Barre

• McFarland House, 5 Perry Street
• Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM (except on state holidays)
• Park in the upper lot
• After entering the front door, take the elevator to the 3rd floor
• Turn Left, go to the end of hall – to get keys from BGS personnel

Montpelier 

  Capital Visitor's Center, 134 State Street, Montpelier,

• Summer Hours:  June 1st to October 31st
  • 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM -- Monday through Friday
  • 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM – Saturday, Sunday, Holidays
• Winter Hours:  November 1st to May 31st
  • 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM – Monday through Friday
  • 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM – Saturday, Sunday, Holiday

  National Life Building

• Monday through Friday 6:35 AM to 5:00 PM (except on state holidays)
• Enter the North Building via the North Lobby. 
• Go thru the double doors to the right and down the first stairway to the first floor.  (Note: North Lobby is on 2nd floor) 
• Proceed past the elevators, thru another set of double doors, go straight down hall then through the first door on the left. 
• Key pickup is just inside that door with Hal Lawrence. 

Rutland

• The Rutland Multi-Modal Transit Center (AKA: Merchants Row Parking Garage)
• Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (except on state holidays)
• See BGS Security on First Floor of Parking Garage
• Please Note: Rutland State Employees wanting to use the Motor Pool must have a parking pass or their BGS Security Badge updated to have free entry to parking garage.

Waterbury 

• Fleet Management Office
• Monday through Friday    6:30 AM to 5:00 PM (except on state holidays)
• Enter the Waterbury State Complex
• Drive to the large smoke stack at the back of the Complex
• FMS Office is located in the Old Carpenter Shop Building on the same side of the road as the smoke stack (a/k/a the Power House) 

VEHICLE CHECK: While FMS staff checks Motor Pool vehicles each morning, drivers are encouraged to check the vehicle before departing the pick-up site, i.e., lights, turn signals, tires not flat, hood secure, etc. If any problems are detected, notify the dispatch staff immediately.

KEEPING VEHICLES CLEAN: Drivers are expected to remove trash from the rental vehicle before returning it. For your convenience, trash cans are available at the pick-up sites. Vehicles requiring major interior cleaning after you return it will incur a surcharge to the employee’s department at the current market rate. Routine and regular interior cleaning and all exterior cleaning will be the responsibility of Fleet Management Services. 

RETURNING MOTOR POOL VEHICLES:

• Full Fuel Tank: It is expected that each driver will return the vehicle with a full tank of fuel. This is a courtesy that will ensure the fuel tank is full the next time you pick up a motor pool vehicle.
• Return to Same Location: It is expected that the vehicle will be returned to the same location from which you picked it up. Approval from Fleet Management Services must be obtained at the time of reservation if you plan to return a fleet vehicle to a site other than its origin. If a vehicle is returned to a site other than its origin without prior approval, your agency will be charged an additional rental charge.
• Return When Expected: If the vehicle is not returned to the pickup site according to the reservation return time, the department will be charged the full rental rate for each day that the vehicle is not returned. Departments could be charged for additional FMS expenses necessary in regaining possession of the vehicle

RETURNING KEYS & FUEL CARD: 

• During Normal Business Hours: If you return to the vehicle pick-up site during normal business hours, return the keys and fuel card to the key-keeper. 
• After Normal Business Hours: If you return after normal business hours, put the keys and fuel card in the locked key box or slot at the vehicle pick-up site. Check with the key-keeper or call FMS for the exact location of the lock box or slot.
• Keys Not Returned: If keys and fuel card are not returned to the pick-up site according to the reservation return time, the department will be charged for an open reservation until the keys and fuel card are returned.