Make shared company-car handovers straightforward

A shared company car needs a handover process as well as a booking calendar. “Returned” should mean more than the keys being somewhere in the office. Set a small number of agreed checks so that the next person can understand the vehicle's location, readiness and any unresolved issue before setting off.

Define what a booking includes

Record the vehicle, driver, departure and expected return. Include time for collection and preparation rather than booking only the period of driving. Decide who may confirm a booking, how clashes are resolved and when a change must be communicated.

Keep one authoritative calendar or list. Avoid accepting a verbal change that leaves the shared record unchanged. If a journey runs late, the process should identify whom to notify before another employee discovers the car is missing. Access to bookings should be limited to those who need it.

Use a brief collection check

Give drivers a clear place to find keys, authorised-use information, relevant documents and the breakdown contact. The person responsible for the fleet should confirm licence and permission requirements through the company's established process. A booking entry alone does not establish permission to drive.

Ask drivers to report visible damage, warnings or a condition that makes the vehicle unsuitable. They should not be expected to diagnose faults. If safety or roadworthiness is uncertain, the vehicle must be assessed through the appropriate responsible person before use.

Make the return useful to the next person

• Where is the vehicle parked and where are the keys?
• What fuel or charging state has been left?
• Is equipment present and the load area ready for the next job?
• Has any damage or fault been reported to the named contact?

Agree the normal return standard in advance, including refuelling or charging responsibilities and expenses. Do not let each driver invent a different interpretation of “ready”. If an exception is unavoidable, record it visibly for the next authorised user.

TCS describes a vehicle log as a way to document pool-car use. Use an appropriate record for your organisation, collecting necessary journey information without turning the handover into unnecessary employee surveillance.

Give problems an owner

A report should move to a person who can act, with a visible status for whether the vehicle remains bookable. Keep repair arrangements and any temporary restriction in the same workflow. Review recurring problems, such as missing cables or late returns, and adjust the process rather than adding a long checklist for every journey. A reliable handover is short, specific and consistently followed.

Sources: TCS: TCS-Bordbuch – Ein nützliches Hilfsmittel.