Driver pack

Partnership Pledge

We are here if you need us

You can speak to a person over the phone or can contact us by email or via our website. If you contact us, we will respond to your enquiry promptly and keep you informed if we can’t answer your query straight away.

We will acknowledge your email/query by the next working day

We will do the right thing

We are committed to providing trusted, honest, transparent and genuine solutions. We will communicate in a clear way avoiding industry jargon.

We will endeavour to be easy to work with

We ask all our colleagues to take ownership of an enquiry and for the same person to get back to you and provide regular updates on the progress of your enquiry.

We aim to get it right first time

We appreciate that it is not always possible. We understand not one solution will fit all, but will work using our expertise to put things right. We welcome your feedback to make our services better. We welcome your feedback to continually improve our services.

1. Important Contact Details

- Out of Hours Assistance

- Breakdown (Including PuncturedTyres) - Lease and KCC Owned Vehicles - Breakdown (Including Punctured Tyres) Hire Vehicles - Accident Recovery

- Telematics – Emergency Assistance Due to Vehicle Immobilisation

2.

3.

Driver Fobs

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

-

10. The Care and Condition of the Vehicle

- What are your responsibilities as the driver of this vehicle?

o Routine servicing

o Tyres

o Checks and top ups

o MOT

o Driving licence

o Fines

o Accessories

o Smoking/vaping in a lease vehicle

o Care and attention

- End of Lease: What you need to be aware of?

- Vehicle Collection

11. End of Lease: The BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Standard

12. Saving Fuel, Saving Money

13. Driving in Poor Weather

14. Skid Control

15. Vehicle Maintenance

16. The “MyVehicle” App by Jaama: How-to Guide

- The “MyVehicle” App by Jaama

- Getting Logged In

- The Home Screen

- Events

- Vehicle Checks

- Defect Reporting - Update Distance - Contact Numbers - Incidents and Accidents

1 Important Contact Details

For any queries or issues within office hours

(Monday–Friday8:30am –5:00pm) please call us on 01622 942791.

You can also email us to vms@csltd.org.uk Out

of Hours Assistance

For any emergency issues outside of office hours please refer to the below contact information: Breakdown (Including Punctured Tyres)–LeasedandKCCOwnedVehicles

Please call your breakdown provider on their driver helpline–please refer to the below tables to locate your registration number and provider details.

Lease Provider

EY18MVR EY18MVS EY18MVT

EY18MVW EY18MVX EY18MVZ

EY18MYU GC19XPG EY18MYT

GC19YWG GD18HZB

GD18HZE GD18HZF

GD18HZH GD18HZJ

GC19YVJ

GD18HZC

GD18HZG

GF18HWX GF18NZT GD18HZK

GH19ETR GH19FOT GF18NZU

GJ18BRF GJ18BYN GH19OUK

GJ18JJO GJ18JJU GJ18JJL

GJ18JJX GJ18JJY GJ18JJV

GJ18JKE GJ18JKF GJ18JJZ

GJ70JYL GJ70JYZ GJ70JAU

GK18RZR GK18RZS GK18RZP

GK18RZU GK18RZV GK18RZT

GK18RZX GK18RZY GK18RZW

GN18UVR GP19FML GK18SBY

GK18SBY GN18UVR GP19FMO

GP19FMO GP19FMU GP19FML

GP19FMX GP19FMY GP19FMV

GP68AAF GP68AAJ GP19FNE

GP68AAO GP68AAY GP68AAK

GP68ABF GP68ABK GP68AAZ

GP68ABO GP68ABU GP68ABN

GP68ABX GP68ABZ GP68ABV

GV18EOP GV68ZGA GV18EOA

GV68ZGC GV68ZGD GV68ZGB

GV68ZGF GV68ZGL GV68ZGE

GV68ZGK GV68ZGO GV68ZGJ

GV68ZGN GV68ZGU GV68ZGM

GV68ZGT GV68ZGZ GV68ZGS

GV68ZGY GV68ZHC GV68ZGX

GV68ZHB GV68ZHF GV68ZHA

GV68ZHE GV68ZHJ GV68ZHD

GV68ZHH GV68ZHM GV68ZHG

GV68ZHL GV68ZHP GV68ZHK

GV68ZHO GV69EAP GV68ZHN

GY18UFB GY18UFK GV68ZHR

GY18UFP GY19UZN GX19ZWP

GY19UZR GY69TFX GY18UFN

GY19UZP

Lex Autolease

Lease Provider

GJ22KLO 0870 2400 560

Lease Provider Sinclair Finance and Leasing

GF20OTR

GF20OUB

GF70DKA

GF70JJZ

GF70SYX

GF72TXO

GJ71KUY

GU24EFJ

GU24EFL

GU24EFM

GU24EFN

GU24EFO

GU24EFP

GU24EFR

GU24EFV

GU24EFZ

GU24EGC

GU24EGE

GU24ULN

GU24ULP

GU24ULR

GU24ULT

GU24ULV

GU24ULW

GU24ULX

0845 130 8555

Breakdown (Including Punctured Tyres) – Hire Vehicles

Ifyouaredrivingahirevehicle,youwillneedtocalltherelevanthirecompanyforbreakdownassistance.Ashirevehicles changefrequentlyitisnotpossibletoincludealltheregistrationsinthisguide,butthevehicleshouldbeclearlymarked (eg.stickersinthewindscreen,documentationinthegloveboxetc.) toindicatewhothehirecompanyis

Accident Recovery

Kent County Council’s provider for accident recovery is FMG. In the event of an accident which leaves the vehicle undriveable, please call 0344 3221553.

Telematics – Emergency Assistance Due to Vehicle Immobilisation

Issues due to the installed tracker and driver ID are rare, but if you should incur any issues out of hours which you believe to be the result of the tracker, please call Teletrac Navman on their emergency number: 0113 471 2321

2 Vehicle Fobs

Driver Fobs

You will need a personally allocated fob in order to drive any vehicle within Kent County Council Highways and Transportations fleet. Not only will the fob allow the vehicle’s tracker to show your current location in the county (which is essential for your line manager to be able to look after your wellbeing under health and safety regulations), it also enables the recording of the data that is needed for your driver scorecard to be generated (please see section “Driver Scorecard and Reports” for further information).

Please note: Fobs must not be shared between colleagues or teams, and you are not permitted to hold more than 1 at a time.

Lost / Broken Fobs

If you lose your fob, or it is broken, you will need to collect a new spare from the reception at the Aylesford Highway depot, or from Kroner House Ashford (addresses in below section). Please call or email us, confirming the 7-digit fob number printed on the fob, and we will allocate it to you.

Maintenance Fobs

If your vehicle needs to go into a garage for any routine servicing or repairs, you must collect a maintenance fob from the depot to give the garage. You must not give the garage your fob as doing so will mean that any poor driving behaviours carried out by the garage’s technicians will be attributed to you; this will negatively impact your driver score, and we are unable to remove any data from your scorecard. You can collect a maintenance fob from the below locations:

• Aylesford Highway Depot, St Michaels Close, Aylesford, ME20 7BU

Collection From: Reception - Samantha Rogers or Rona Davies

• Kroner House, Eurogate Business Park, Ashford, TN24 8XU

Collection From: Reception - Kyle Oliphant

Swanley Highway Depot, Tear Drop Centre, London Road, Swanley, BR8 8TJ

Collection From: Kevin Gore

Preston Highway Depot, Canterbury Road, Faversham, ME13 8LY

Collection From: Hazel Walters or Alan Blackburn

Haysden Highway Depot, Upper Haysden Lane, Tonbridge, TN11 8AA

Collection From: Mike Payton or Julian Cook

Sandwich Highway Depot, Ash Road, Sandwich, CT13 9HZ

Collection From: Thomas Williams or Paul Valek

PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST RETURN THE MAINTENANCE FOB PROMPTLY WHEN YOU NO LONGER NEED IT. FAILING TO DO SO WILL IMPACT ON YOUR COLLEAGUES, AS THERE WILL NOT BE A FOB AVAILABLE WHEN THEY NEED IT.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE, YOU MUST NEVER USE A MAINTENANCE FOB FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE OTHER THAN TO GIVE TO A GARAGE DURING SERVICING/REPAIRS. THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE USES:

• TO DRIVE TO THE GARAGE, OR BACK FROM THERE

• TO GIVE TO A NEW STARTER TEMPORARILY

• TO USE IN PLACE OF YOUR OWN IF YOURS IS LOST/BROKEN

• TO KEEP AS A MAINTENANCE FOB SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU/YOUR TEAM

• TO USE TO PREVENT YOUR DRIVING BEHAVIOUR TO BE TRACKED

Driver Scorecards and Reports

Each week you will receive a driver scorecard report which will show your performance over the previous week. The score is made up of the below.

• Number of speed events

Time spent speeding

Number of harsh brakes

• Number of harsh accelerations

The data gathered by the tracker goes through a process of normalisation in the system, to ensure that everyone is marked fairly in relation to the number of between journeys, hours and miles they have travelled in the week. For example, you could have two drivers, each picking up five speeding events in the same week. Driver one made 5 journeys, travelled 10 miles over 2 hours. Driver two on the other hand, had 100 journeys; they travelled 420 miles over 18 hours. Their overall scores for the week were 73.16 and 92.01 respectively.

What does your weekly score mean?

As an employee and representative of Kent County Council , it’s important that you drive safely and within the law. Kent County Council has allocated bandings to indicate how drivers are performing in real time to their expectations and goals.

Allocated score bandings

0-74.9 =

75.0 - 84.9 =

85.0 - 94.9 =

95.0 - 100 =

BELOW AVERAGE

Every driver should be striving to score in the top banding for the majority of the time. Drivers who consistently score at average or below average should expect their line manager to highlight the issue with them and request that their driving behaviour improves. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the background mapping is accurate, we acknowledge that on some occasions a driver may be penalised unjustifiably. Should you believe this to be the case, please email us with the following information.

The date and time the speeding event was picked up

• The location

The driver name and registration number (if reporting on behalf of someone else)

Any supporting evidence/information you can provide

On receipt of this information we will raise the issue with Navman for investigation/rectification. Unfortunately, we are unable to adjust the weekly score, but you should make your line manager aware of the issue so they have an understanding for why your score is lower that week.

3 Breakdown Advice

During Office Hours

In the event that your vehicle breaks down during office hours (Monday – Friday, 08:30am – 5:00pm), please give us a call on 01622 942791. You will need to confirm the following information:

The vehicle location; please be as specific as possible

• The vehicle registration number

Your name and contact number

• Details surrounding the breakdown/issue.

We will then liaise with the lease provider to arrange for roadside assistance to come out to you.

If the vehicle is not fixable at the roadside, it will be towed to the nearest lease provider approved garage. If you have travelled to the garage with the vehicle, you will need to arrange to be collected from there.

Outside Office Hours

If your vehicle breaks down outside of office hours, please contact your lease provider on their driver helpline to arrange for roadside assistance. Please refer to the contact information section to identify the lease provider of your vehicle and their contact information.

Out of hours, if your vehicle is not fixable at the roadside they will recover you and your vehicle to an address of your choosing. You will need to contact us the next working day so we can arrange for your vehicle to be recovered to a garage for repair. Please note, you will need to collect a maintenance fob to provide to the garage (see section “Vehicle Fobs” for more information).

Once the vehicle is with the garage, we will liaise with them for regular updates and will keep you informed every step of the way until the vehicle is back on the road.

4 Accident advice

In the event of an accident you are legally obliged to stop, but ensure you pull over somewhere it is safe to do so. If your vehicle is immobilised by the incident make sure you stand well away from any danger.

Exchanging Details

Ensure you obtain the following details for any other parties involved in the accident, and that you pass on your details to all involved:

Your full name

Home address / work address

Contact information

• Insurance company name - Zunch Municipal

Registration number(s) of any other vehicles involved

• Name(s) /contact information for any witness

If anyone is involved who doesn’t stop you should report the accident to the police as soon as possible, within 24 hours to avoid being prosecuted.

Reporting the Accident

You can use the “MyVehicle” Jaama app to report an accident to us; simply take photographs of the damage to your vehicle and any 3rd party vehicles. For details on how to do this, please refer to the “How-to “ guide at the back of this guide.

On receipt of the accident report, we will be in contact with you to provide a full accident claim form to complete. You will need to complete and return the form to us within 2 working days of receipt. We will then submit your completed claim form to Kent County Council’s insurance department, who will provide a claim reference for us to book the repair with their nominated repairer, FMG.

FMG Repair Works

After receiving Kent County Council’s claim reference, we will contact FMG to register the claim with them and arrange for the repairs to be booked in. FMG will make an initial assessment based on the information we provide them, and will then assign the job to a repair shop or mobile repairer as appropriate.

FMG will make contact with you directly to book in a suitable date/time for the vehicle to be collected, or they may ask for some additional information before the job can be booked in.

Once the vehicle is on site with FMG, we will liaise with them regularly for updates, and keep you updated on progress until the vehicle is returned to you.

Please note, whilst we will do all we can to ensure repairs are progressed through as quickly as possible, it is in the hands of the body shop as to how quickly these are completed.

5 Windscreen Repairs and Replacements

Windscreen Replacements

If your windscreen is cracked or otherwise badly damaged, we will need to arrange for it to be replaced. Please contact us confirming.

• Your registration number

Contact number

Chosen address for the windscreen fitter to attend

We will then send you over a claim form to complete. Similarly to accidents, the completed form is sent over to Kent County Council’s insurance team, who will provide us with a claim reference.

On receipt of the claim reference, we will contact FMG Motorglass to register the job with them, and they will contact you directly to book in the replacement. We ask that you advise us of the booking date once it has been confirmed so that we can update our records accordingly.

Once the booking is confirmed, please notify us once the job is completed, or notify us if there are any issues.

Windscreen Repairs

If your windscreen is chipped, we will need to arrange for a chip repair. Please contact us with the following information:

• The vehicle registration number

The address you’d like the windscreen fitter to attend

• Your contact number

Our preferred supplier for chip repairs is National Windscreens, and we will contact them to register the job. National Windscreens will call you directly to book in a suitable date/time for the repair. We ask that you advise us of the booking date once it has been confirmed so that we can update our records accordingly.

6 Spare Key Advice

If you are unsure where your spare key is, it might be held by us! We currently hold around 30 spare keys for Kent County Council for safe keeping. If you are unsure whether we have your key, please email or give us a call.

If we hold your key

All of the keys we hold are at the below address, and are available to collect Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm (If you lose your key outside of office hours you will need to call for breakdown assistance). Please call ahead so we can ensure someone is on site to meet you.

KCS

New Hythe Lane

Aylesford

ME20 7FE

You will need to travel to KCS’ address. On arrival please call 01622 942791 and someone will come out to sign the key over to you. Please note, you will need to return the key to us as soon as possible once yours has been recovered/found.

Lost Keys

If you lose either of your keys, we will need to arrange for these to be replaced. Please notify that the key has been lost, and we will obtain pricing for a replacement which will be sent to your budget manager for authorisation. Once authorised, we will order the key and notify you when it is ready to collect from the dealer.

7 Replacement Vehicle Advice

The vehicle contract with the leasing company does not include a relief/replacement vehicle in the event that yours is off the road due to breakdown or an accident.

If you require a replacement vehicle please give us a call or send us an email. Using the tracking data we will check for any vehicles not being fully utilised and send the information over to your line manager, who may be able to arrange for you to borrow a vehicle short-term. If there are no spare vehicles in the fleet we can investigate the option of a hire vehicle. If we are able to source a suitable vehicle your budget manager will need to authorise the costs before a booking can be made.

8 Day to Day Vehicle Management

Daily Vehicle Checks

It’s a requirement that you carry out a vehicle inspection every day before you set off.

To make this a straightforward process, all drivers are provided with logins for the “MyVehicle” app by Jaama. Once logged in, you are able to complete your daily check within a few minutes. Simply select the relevant check list, and go through the check items - ticking off as you go. If you identify any defects, you can mark these against the relevant item and provide further details/photos for us. Once you’ve clicked submit, that’s the check done for the day!

We recognise that some checks are not possible to do on a daily basis, e.g. checking tyre pressures, washer fluid etc, so we have also provided a monthly check list. You must also do this checklist each month.

PLEASE NOTE: AS IT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR DRIVERS TO DO A DAILY VEHICLE CHECK, WE DO MONITOR AND REPORT BACK TO MANAGERS REGARDING DRIVERS WHO ARE NOT DOING THIS REGULARLY.

Defects

Once a defect has been reported it will come through to us to review and action. We will be in contact on receipt of the defect for further information so we can book a suitable date/time for the issue to be investigated/rectified. We aim to respond to all defect reports with 24 working hours, but if it is something urgent please give us a call and flag the issue to us so we can pick it up more urgently.

MOTS

THE MOT IS DUE, WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

Your MOT due date will be listed on the MyVehicle app under the “Events” section on the menu. You will also receive an email to advise when the MOT is coming up to expiry.

When you receive the email from us, please respond back confirming:

• Where you are based so we can book somewhere local Any dates we need to avoid when booking

• The current mileage of the vehicle Your contact number

We will then book in the MOT and confirm the details to you by email. Please note, if we are unable to get in contact with you for any reason, we will contact your line manager for assistance in booking.

THE MOT HASN’T BEEN COMPLETED IN TIME AND HAS NOW EXPIRED, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

We always aim for MOTs to be completed before the expiry date, however, if for any reason it does not get completed on time the vehicle must not be driven anywhere except for the testing station.

Driving the vehicle for any reason other than to take it to the testing station is a criminal offence, and could result in a fine of up to £1,000 if stopped by the police. Additionally, if the vehicle is considered to be dangerous and not roadworthy, the charge could be as much as £2,500 and the driver may also be issued points on their licence. Furthermore, the vehicle insurance will also become invalid if the vehicle does not have a valid MOT, which also carries the risk of prosecution, a fine and penalty points on your licence. If we are not already aware that the MOT booking has been missed, please give us a call and we will contact garages in your area to try and find an urgent booking slot.

Servicing

THE SERVICE IS DUE, WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

You will be notified when the service is due via the “MyVehicle” app and by email; this may be a time or mileage based interval, as defined by the manufacturer.

When you receive this email, please confirm the below so we can get this booked in for you:

Where you are based so we book somewhere local

• Any dates to avoid when booking

The current mileage

• Your contact number

Please note, it is essential that the servicing is carried out in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines (you can find more information on this in the manufacturer’s vehicle handbook, which would have been in the vehicle on delivery, or available online via the manufacturer’s website).

Missed services, or services that are not carried out to the manufacturer’s guidelines (e.g having a service too late or having an incomplete or incorrect service) may result in the manufacturers warranty becoming void, so it’s essential that you respond promptly when we make contact to book in the service.

PLEASE NOTE: IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO BOOK A SERVICE FOR A ‘WHILE-YOU-WAIT’ APPOINTMENT. WE WILL DO SO WHEREVER POSSIBLE, BUT IF WE ARE UNABLE TO DO SO WE WILL LET YOU KNOW SO YOU CAN MAKE THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS TO DROP OFF/PICK THE VEHICLE UP.

Replacement Tyres

All lease vehicles in the fleet have replacement tyres for fair wear and tear under the contract; if your tyres reach a minimum tread of 2mm and need replacing, or any of the tyres are damaged, then please call or send us an email. You will need to confirm the following information:

The tyre size

Which tyre(s) need repairing/replacing

• Where you are based so we book somewhere local

• Any dates to avoid when booking

Your contact number

Please note, if a tyre needs replacing or repairing due to damage, the leasing company may charge for this - we will notify your line manager of any impending costs as we become aware of them.

Penalty Charges/Speeding Offences

WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR PENALTY CHARGES / SPEEDING OFFENCES?

It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure they are driving within the speed limits, and complying with all laws/rules that apply to the areas they are travelling in (for example, car parks, bus lanes, congestion zones, toll roads etc.). It is important that you take notice of any notices/signage displayed on the roads and in car parks to try and avoid receiving any penalties.

PENALTY CHARGE LEFT ON THE WINDSCREEN

If you return to find a penalty charge notice on your windscreen, you will need to either:

• Arrange to pay the charge by the deadline provided

• Appeal the charge by the deadline provided (instructions will be provided on the document on how to do this).

*Do not ignore the charge, this will only cause it to escalate*

PENALTY CHARGE RECEIVED BY THE LEASING COMPANY

If the leasing company receive a penalty charge, either as the first notification or secondary after the initial penalty left on a windscreen has not been paid, they will do either of the following:

AUTOMATICALLY MAKE PAYMENT TO AVOID THE COSTS ESCALATING AND THEN RECHARGE THE COSTS, PLUS AN ADMIN FEE.

Depending on the nature of the alleged parking offence and the organisation, you may still be able to appeal the charge despite the payment having already been made. If you make an appeal which is successful, the leasing company may credit any charges on receipt of their funds back. You will need to email vms@csltd.org.uk to advise that you have made an appeal which has been accepted so that we can request the credit from the lease provider.

MAKE REPRESENTATION TO THE PARKING COMPANY/LOCAL AUTHORITY TO PASS THE LIABILITY FOR THE FINE TO PROCUREMENT SERVICES.

In this case the penalty issuer will readdress the fine to us, and we will receive a copy through the post. On receipt, we will email a copy of the fine to you, and give you a set period of time (this period will vary depending on the specific timeframes of the penalty issued) to make payment or dispute directly with the issuer. If we do not hear from you in the time frame specified we will automatically make payment of the penalty, and recharge the costs to Kent County Council. If this were to happen you would need to liaise with your line manager to discuss reimbursement of this cost to Kent County Council as necessary.

SPEEDING OFFENCE

If the leasing company receive a speeding offence notice they will complete the document and return it to the police nominating Procurement Services as the user of the vehicle. Once we receive the speeding offence through, we will complete the fine to pass on liability for the alleged speeding offence to the driver. The driver will then receive a copy of the fine through the post, and will need to complete the form to accept liability and return it to the police.

9 Fuel Cards

The process for fuel cards

At the start of a new vehicle contract we will issue a fuel card for that vehicle. The fuel card is allocated to the vehicle rather than the driver, so if you swap vehicles at any point please ensure you also swap fuel cards.

The card is valid for 4 years; when it is due to expire we will email you to advise, and ask where you’d like the new card to be sent to. This will then be dispatched to you.

If your fuel card is missing, please email vms@csltd.org.uk and we will order a replacement for you. Please note, if your card has been stolen please notify us urgently so we can arrange for it to be cancelled.

WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR FUEL CARD IS LOST OR STOLEN?

If you lose your fuel card, please urgently contact your Procurement Services account manager on 01622 942791 or email vms@csltd.org.uk , providing your full name, department, line manager and vehicle registration, to arrange for a new card to be issued and existing card to be cancelled.

WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU LOSE YOUR PIN?

We hold the PIN for all fuel cards, so if you lose or forget your PIN, please give us a call or send us an email.

What are your obligations as the holder of a KCC fuel card?

You must notify us if your card is lost or stolen. You must have a means of payment should your card fail. Please follow your expenses process to reclaim. • If you forget your PIN please call us during office hours

10 The Care and Condition of the Vehicle

What are your responsibilities as the driver of this vehicle?

Routine servicing

It is essential to service your vehicle in line with the manufacturer’s schedule. Failure to do so could result in your company incurring extra costs for any damage as a result of missing a service. Please ensure that the dealer stamps and dates the service voucher book.

Tyres

You must take care not to drive your vehicle with tyres below the legal limit – you can put yourself and other road users at risk and both you and your company can be held liable for prosecution.

You should be aware that prosecution for illegal tyres will result in penalty points on your licence. We strongly recommend that you regularly check your tyres to make sure they conform to legal requirements.

Checks and top ups

You are responsible for checking and topping up of the following fluids:

Engine oil

• Coolant

Hydraulic fluid

• AdBlue

Windscreen washer fluid

You should also regularly check the tyre pressures (you can find the appropriate tyre pressures in the vehicle hand book) and the operation of lights.

MOT

Please make sure that you are aware of the MOT expiry date and allow adequate time for the inspection to be carried out. Vehicles up to 9 seats and under 3500kg will need an MOT after three years and then annually thereafter.

Driving licence

It is a requirement that, at all times, you are the holder of a full and valid driving licence. We recommend that you always have your licence with you while driving.

Fines

All parking fines and penalty charges must be paid promptly by you. You may face additional costs if you fail to pay any charges on time. If you are disputing a charge you must make KCS Procurement Services aware and keep us up to date; if we are not made aware and are chased by the local authority/parking company we will pay the charge to prevent the costs escalating.

Accessories

If Kent County Council need to add any accessories to your vehicle after delivery, such as a tow bar, audio equipment, telephone kit, driving / fog lamps, body kits or modifications, they will need authority from the lease provider.

Any added accessories need to be removed prior to the return of the vehicle, and any damage caused by the fitment of those accessories needs to be repaired.

Smoking/vaping in a lease vehicle

Smoking/vaping in a lease vehicle is prohibited by law – this includes both cars and vans. Legislation states that a no smoking sign should be displayed in the vehicle. It is also prohibited to use an e-cigarette in any lease vehicle.

Care and attention

Cleaning your vehicle regularly and checking oil and water levels as well as tyre pressures will help to keep your vehicle running efficiently. During winter, the appropriate amount of anti-freeze should be included in the cooling system.

Do you know when your next MOT is due?

End of Lease: What you need to be aware of

At the end of the lease we will need to arrange for the vehicle to be decommissioned prior to it being collected by the lease provider.

The stages of decommissioning will vary from vehicle to vehicle, and we will arrange everything as needed. Some stages may include.

• Telematics removal

Sign writing removal

• Removing retro-fit electrics / racking Arranging any essential repairs (e.g windscreens, tyres) that are needed before the leasing company will collect

• Arranging repairs for any significant areas of damage that exist on the vehicle that have been brought to light

Irrespective of what your particular vehicle needs, we ask you to support us in ensuring that you make the vehicle available as needed so that the necessary work can be completed.

Vehicle Collection

Prior to the return of the vehicle, you should ensure the following:

• All the items that were supplied with the vehicle are returned with it (e.g service book, locking wheel nut key, spare key etc.)

• The vehicle is cleaned inside and out

You remove all of your personal information stored within the vehicle’s sat nav, phone book etc. You remove all of your personal belongings from the vehicle

11

End of Lease: The BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Standard

When it comes to returning a vehicle at the end of a lease, the lease provider has quite high expectations as to its condition.

Whilst it does not make financial sense for Kent County Council to pay out to repair every small scratch, dent, scuff or stain, we do encourage you to let us know of any significant areas of damage or missing items that would not be covered under an insurance claim, e.g. a missing mirror cover/wheel trim, or a medium sized dent that no one admits to causing or having any awareness of!

By pulling up these issues before the vehicles are returned we can look to save Kent County Council some money.

Are there any damages on your vehicle you need to report to us?

Saving Fuel, Saving Money

Reducing your fuel consumption can be achieved in two ways. You can either drive fewer miles or get more miles per gallon. The single greatest factor affecting the amount of fuel used is you, the driver!

It takes more fuel to get a car moving than it does to keep it moving once it is on the move. Acceleration from stationary to 30mph uses more fuel than going from 1530mph. If you can reduce your speed earlier when you approach a delay, it should give you enough time to reach the delay while still moving at 15mph and the traffic has started moving.

Look well ahead towards the roundabouts and junctions; lift off the accelerator early to allow momentum to carry you there. This will also reduce brake wear. Remember the value of a light touch on the brake pedal so that your brake-lights warn traffic behind that you are slowing.

When your car is decelerating it is using no fuel at all (the fuel supply is turned off to optimise consumption). Ease off the accelerator sooner and save even more fuel.

Keep to the speed limits. Aside from risking fines or penalties, traffic congestion means speeding rarely gets you anywhere quickly; it just enables you to reach the next queue sooner where you can wait for longer.

Planning Your Journey

• Check your tyre pressure regularly as soft tyres create more drag and use more fuel.

• Keep your windows closed for better aerodynamics.

• Moderate use of air-conditioning uses less fuel.

Choose your route wisely. Which route uses less fuel?

10 miles cruising at a steady 40mph in a high gear; or

7 miles of stop-start traffic, constantly overcoming inertia to get moving again, and then accelerating through the lower gears?

Over 14,000 accidents and over 20,000 casualties are caused by wet weather conditions each year. Over 2,500 accidents result from poor vision from rain, sleet, snow or fog. The best advice is to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary. If you have to travel you should prepare your vehicle and drive with caution.

In adverse conditions it is harder to see and takes longer to stop. Traffic may also be slowmoving meaning journeys take longer than expected so drivers are more prone to tiredness.

Basic Principles

• Leave early to allow extra time to get to your destination.

• Slow down – if visibility is poor or the road is wet or icy, it will take you longer to react to hazards and your speed should be reduced accordingly.

• Travel, steel and brake sooner but more slowly than usual.

• Maintain a safe gap behind the vehicle in front – stopping distances are double in wet and ten times greater in snow and ice.

• Look out for vulnerable road users – be aware that people on foot, bicycles, motorbikes and horses are harder to spot in adverse weather and in the dark.

• Look out for signs warning of adverse conditions.

• Stay in control – avoid harsh braking and acceleration and carry out manoeuvres slowly and with extra care.

• Use low gears to keep traction and brake gently to avoid skidding.

• Stay on well-travelled and maintained roads.

Preparation

• Start early to allow time to clear and defrost car windows.

• Check the tyres, battery, brakes, fuel, oil lights, heater, cooling system, and wipers.

• Keep emergency equipment (blankets, a firstaid kit, jump leads, torch, ice scraper, gloves, snacks and water) in the vehicle.

• Clear and keep snow and ice off your mirrors, windows and lights.

• Make sure all occupants of the vehicle wear seat belts.

• Drive with your headlights on.

Driving in Rain

• Maintain at least a four second gap between you and the vehicle in front.

• Never attempt to cross a flooded road if you are unsure how deep it is. Many vehicles will be damaged if you drive through just a few inches of water.

• If you need to cross shallow water, only cross when there is nothing coming the other way and drive very slowly in first gear with the engine speed high to prevent stalling.

• Test brakes immediately after driving through floodwater by driving slowly over a flat surface and pressing the brakes gently.

Driving in Snow

• Make sure windows are de-iced on the outside and de-steamed inside before setting off.

• Maintain at least a 10-second gap between you and the vehicle in front. It takes 10 times further to stop in icy conditions than on a dry road.

• Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin whilst taking care not to let your speed creep up.

• When driving downhill, choose third and fourth gear to prevent skidding.

• Drivers using a manual car should start in second gear rather than first to minimise risk of wheels spinning.

• Brake gently to avoid locking the wheels – gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving.

• Ice forms first on bridges, overpasses and shady areas. When driving over patches of ice, decelerate slowly and hold the car steady.

• Slow considerably BEFORE going into a bend. Don’t take sharp turns at more than 3-4mph.

If you do...

...Get Stuck

• Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.

• Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.

• Use a light touch on the accelerator, to ease your car out.

• Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.

• Pour sand, cat litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.

...Become Stranded

• Do not leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, how far it is to possible help and are certain you will improve the situation.

• If you are sure the car’s exhaust pipe is not blocked, you can run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes every hour or so depending upon the amount of fuel in the tank.

• Protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia with warm clothing.

• Keep at least one window open slightly. Heavy snow and ice can seal a car shut.

Skid Control

The thought of their vehicle sliding out of control has to be one of the most frightening for many drivers.

Skidding occurs when the force or forces acting on a vehicle are greater than the ability of the tyres to keep a grip on the road surface. In simple terms it means that the vehicle will go where nature and momentum wants it to go, and not where the driver wants it to go. The vehicle is out of control, and you are at risk.

There are three categories that significantly influence the chances of a vehicle skidding:

The Road

A clean, dry, sharp, sound abrasive surface will always give the best grip, so anything that reduces that status will increase the risk of skidding. Road surfaces wear away and become polished over time, typically where you need most grip (hills, corners, where traffic constantly stops and starts).

Any additional contamination of that surface will also increase the risk of skidding. Water, wet leaves, mud, dust, gravel, ice, snow, even a constant build-up of sap below certain types of tree can contaminate a surface. Always look for any indication of surface contamination and adapt your driving to suit the road conditions by changing position, slow down before driving on it and drive to create only gentle soft motions in the vehicle.

The Vehicle

The only contact that a vehicle has with the road surface is the tyres. The condition of your tyres is vital to keep you protected.

The all-purpose tyres that most of us use are the best compromise for all-round performance. Always follow carefully the vehicle manufacturer’s advice on tyre choice and tyre pressure. The recommended tyre pressure is selected to keep the tyre footprint correctly on the road.

If the vehicle does skid

• Every skid is a reminder that you could have driven better and should do things differently next time.

• To control the skid, remove the cause of the skid. If the skid started following harsh braking or acceleration, release the brake pedal.

• Look where you need to go and instinctively you will steer in that direction.

As your tyres wear down, the depth of the tread makes a significant difference to skidding resistance. Below 1.6mm depth of tread (legal limit) the tyre will only have a sound grip on a perfectly dry, sound, abrasive surface. As you approach the legal minimum tread depth your tyres will struggle to clear surface water.

Electronic aids on vehicles such as anti-lock braking systems, traction control, electronic stability programmes can only give you the best performance that your tyre choice and road conditions allow.

The Driver

Preventing a skid is your ultimate aim. You are the greatest contributory factor by far. Too much acceleration (A), too much braking (B), too much cornering force (C) in conjunction with the available grip on the road will make the vehicle slide.

It is vital for you to keep the level of ABC forces low to keep control. Drive smoothly and gently with no sudden changes in speed or direction will minimise the risk of skidding:

• Look well ahead so that you can slow down very, very gently

• Slow down well before corners so that there is no need for harsh sideways movement on the corner.

• Accelerate away very gradually as though you have the most precious cargo on board.

Vehicle Maintenance

It’s not that long ago that all vehicles were serviced every 5,000 to 6,000 miles or less. The routine checking of vehicles was a way of life. Modern vehicles are now much more reliable and generally there is little significant change from one routine service to the next.

With major service intervals as much as every two years on some vehicles, items such as brake wear, tyre damage and under-body components can go unnoticed for long periods.

Hitting a pothole on our winter-damaged roads can cause suspension and steering geometry misalignment, resulting in out of line wheels and rapidly-accelerated tyre wear patterns that might be identified and corrected during servicing.

It’s not unknown for some makes of cars to show normal wear to the inner edge of the rear tyres first of all, where an unsuspecting driver might not easily see that wear pattern developing.

Tyre pressures won’t remain stable for up to two years. It needs regular checks.

Automatic oil level checking might not reveal a developing oil leak until it is too late.

Items such as windscreen washer fluid will need more careful checks especially in winter months and will need topping up with the correct strength of additive to prevent freezing up in cold weather.

A light bulb can fail at any time but two or more lights out might attract attention from enforcement authorities, costing you much more than the price of a bulb.

Whilst it is great to have the security of a main dealer technician looking over your car regularly to identify any problems, it is just as important for you to get into the habit of looking during the interim period so that you can identify and remedy any developing problems between servicing inspections.

Top Tips

• By looking under the car as you approach, you may spot fluids leaking onto the roadway giving you early warning of a possible problem (in humid summer conditions the climate control system will deposit moisture that is removed from internal air under the car. This is normal).

• Look at the wheels and around them. Check they are all inflated before you move into traffic.

• Check the tyre tread is adequate.

• Look for any obstructions that you might collide with as you turn out (low kerbs, walls, barriers etc.)

• Look at bodywork, especially the corners for signs of damage whilst you were parked. Look at how and why it happened so you can learn how to not get caught out again in that way.

• If your windows are frozen over gently free the wiper blades from the screen before you clear it.

On a weekly basis:

• Look under the bonnet for developing leaks.

• Check your oil, coolant and washer levels.

• Check that all the lights including indicators are working.

The “MyVehicle” App by Jaama How-to Guide

1 The “MyVehicle” App by Jaama

As you may already be aware, this app is a simple to use tool which gives you quick access to important contact information, reminders for upcoming scheduled maintenance events, and functionality to report accidents, carry out your vehicle checks and report any defects.

The app is compatible with most phone and tablet devices and is available to download from the KCC catalogue. There have been some compatibility issues with some of the older devices that Kent County Council are running; if you have any difficulties you may need to speak to you line manager for advice. The app can also be downloaded to any personal phone or tablet, for those who do not have a work device, or would otherwise prefer to use their own device.

This section of the guide will give step-by-step guidance on all areas of the app, which we hope will be useful. However, if there are any queries, concerns or issues just give us a call or email vms@csltd.org.uk. If reporting an error message/issue, screenshots are very useful when investigating with Jaama support, so please send these over with your email!

2 Getting Logged In

For new users of the app, you will need to be given access to the app prior to use. When you start in your role, your line manager should make us aware and confirm your details so you can be set up in our system. Once we have you set up, you will be sent an invitation to the MyVehicle app, which will come to you by email. The invitation expires after 24 hours, but do not worry if you have not got to it in time; just send an email to vms@csltd.org.uk and we can resend the invitation to you.

The email received will look like, or be very similar to the below, and will confirm your username (always your email address), and the invite code (highlighted in the red box):

When this invitation arrives, go into the app on your device. For the first login, you need to select the “Received invite Code?” option towards the bottom of the login screen (highlighted in the red box below).

This will then take you to another screen where you can enter both your username and invite code to set up your password.

Once this has been done, you should be able to login from the homescreen (if you wish, you can select the “Remember Me” box on your first login so you do not have to keep logging in each time). If you are unable to activate your login, please give us a call or email vms@csltd.org.uk

Need help during the working day?

Give us a call on 01622 942791, or email vms@csltd.org.uk

(Office hours Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm)

3 The Home Screen

From the home screen you can access all the tools available in the app. Just click to access:

• Event reminders (servicing/MOT dates)

• Vehicle checks area

• Update distance to enter your current mileage

• Contact numbers for assistance

In the top left-hand corner (indicated in the red box in the image below), you can access the menu to reset your password and add (additional) vehicles to your view to carry out your daily vehicle checks.

4 Events

The app will show the latest information held in our system for your vehicle’s MOT and service due dates. Please note, if you have arranged for your vehicle to have a service independently of us, please make us aware when it has been completed so we can ensure this record is updated in our system and remains accurate.

5 Vehicle Checks

This is the area you will come to each day to do your vehicle checks and report any adhoc defects identified.

Perform Checklist

If you select “Perform Checklist” you will arrive at a screen which has 2 check list options:

• KCC Check Sheet

• KCC Check List – Monthly

The KCC Check Sheet is the checklist you will need to complete each day you are out in your vehicle. This checklist includes a list of quick visual checks for you to work through.

As the name suggests, the KCC Check Sheet – Monthly is one for you to complete once per month; this checklist includes things that would be impractical and time consuming to do each day, such as tyre pressures and fluid levels.

For either checklist, you just need to work through the list of checks and mark in the “ x ” or “ 3 ” box, to confirm whether the item is functioning and safe.

If the item you’ve checked is not safe, a box will pop up underneath for you to give additional information about the defect/issue to be resolved (as shown in the red box below). If reporting an issue/defect, please also include photos where relevant as this helps us decide on the actions to take; select the camera icon that appears to take a photo to upload.

When you get to the end of the checklist, just click “submit checks”, and that report will be sent into our system. The system updates from the app every 5 minutes, so as long as you are connected to the internet when you complete your check, we will receive any defects shortly after (if you are not connected to the internet, the app will store the checklist and deliver it when you are next connected).

On receipt of your defect report we will work out the next steps and be in touch with you to get the vehicle booked in for repair.

6 Defect Reporting

As you are already picking up and reporting any defects during your daily checklist, this tool would really just be for any new defects identified during the course of your working day.

This tool works much the same as the checklist; complete the requested information and provide as much detail as possible, as well as photos if relevant and easily accessible/visible for you to take.

If you identified a defect but have already rectified it (for example, replacing a bulb), you can still report this to us for our records; just check in the box at the bottom which says “rectified”, before submitting the defect to us.

7 Update Distance

This is an area of the app you may not need to use as you are completing your checklist, which already requires an updated mileage each day.

If you’d like to, or need to use it, it’s a very straightforward tool to use – simply ensure the date and time recorded is accurate, then enter the mileage reading and click “update distance”.

8 Contact Numbers

Within office hours (Monday – Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm), the only number you need is ours, 01622 942791, however if you need a reminder of this number – this is where you’ll find it!

This is also where you can find the emergency out of hours contacts for your lease/breakdown providers. Click on the relevant area to find the number you need.

The “Call” button you’ll find when you click into any of the 4 areas available, will dial straight through to our number.

9 Incidents and Accidents

This area in the contact numbers section also enables you to make an initial report of an accident.

Click “Report an accident” (highlighted in the red box below), to open up a new screen where you can report the incident to us.

The information required is brief and minimal – include details of what happened and the date it took place and include photos if possible.

This will be sent through to us and will set into motion the next steps to get the insurance claim set up and repairs carried out.