Government Vehicles - Daily Use Rental Vehicle

General Vehicle Rental Information, Fees, Late Pick Ups and Cancellation

What am I allowed to transport?
Passengers and materials can be transported.  Animals cannot be transported in rental vehicles.

What kinds of vehicles can I rent?
Sedans, pickup trucks, 6 or 7-passenger minivans, and 15-passenger vans are readily available

How much does it cost to rent a vehicle?
Daily rates (excluding fuel and toll-road charges) are approximately: Sedan-$70; Pickup truck-$112; Minivan-$125; 15-passenger van- $167

What happens if I am late picking up my vehicle?
The Fleet Support Team will allow others to rent your vehicle if you have not picked it up within an hour of your scheduled pick up time. As a courtesy to our customers, we call prior to renting your scheduled vehicle to someone else. Requesting organizations are charged for vehicles that are reserved but not picked up.

What happens if I cancel my rental vehicle on the day I am scheduled to pick up the vehicle?
Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance of your trip.  Requesting organizations are charged for vehicles that are reserved but not picked up.

Vehicle Rental Ordering, Pick Up and Cancellation

How do I request a rental vehicle?
To request a vehicle reservation, please email the following details to [email protected] 

1. Name(s) of Driver(s)
2. CAN#-
3. Type of Vehicle Required (sedan, pickup truck, minivan, or 15-passenger van)-
4. Trip Destination-
5. Date & Time vehicle will be picked up by the customer at the Motor Pool-
6. Date & Estimated Time vehicle will be returned to the Motor Pool-
7. Will a Fleet Visa Credit Card be required for off campus refueling? (vehicle will be issued with a full tank of fuel)-  Yes  /  NO
8. EZ Pass Required? (is travel over toll-roads anticipated?)-  Yes  /  NO

What happens with my request once it is received?
An email reply will be generated providing a vehicle reservation confirmation number.  We will also include an electronic NIH Form 1382-2 Trip Ticket with instructions, a map to find our location, and a summary of our policies and current procedures?

What do I need to make sure of before I return the vehicle?
Please make sure that the vehicle is as clean as it was when you picked it up. You do not need to refill the gas tank prior to returning the vehicle. It will be charged to your CAN #.

Multiple day rentals and after hours return

What do I need to do if I am returning my rental vehicle after hours?
Please park the vehicle in an OLAO/FMS/GOV parking spot or parallel in front of our garage bays, trying not to obstruct driving lanes or fuel station traffic.  Do a final check of the vehicle to ensure no personal items are left behind and then place the keys in the Motor Pool Key-Drop box located on our building’s front door.

What happens if I am planning a multiple day rental and need to fuel the vehicle?
If your multi-day use of the vehicle will be local and allow refueling on campus, you will be provided instructions on how to use the vehicle’s “Pro-Kee” fuel key to dispense fuel at our Fuel Station.  For refueling off campus at a commercial gas station, we can provide a Visa Fleet Credit Card if requested.  Otherwise a government travel card or other method would need to be arranged by the customer and IC to pay for refueling while away from campus. 

Return to Top

Vehicle Operations Policies and Procedures

Are there policies and procedures regulating the use of rented government vehicles?
Yes. Use of a daily rental vehicle falls under the same policy and procedure guidelines for use of any government motor vehicle.  These policies and procedures are included in the Manual Issuance: Official Use of Government Motor Vehicles. This manual issuance outlines policy including who can operate a government and under what conditions, what vehicle operators are required to possess when operating a government vehicle, things that are prohibited when operating a government vehicle and operator responsibilities during vehicle operation. This manual issuance also outlines the procedures for obtaining a vehicle, returning a vehicle, obtaining fuel for vehicles, obtaining repair service for government vehicles, the Preventive Maintenance Inspection (PMI) Program, and security procedures for vehicles.

Are there other policies and procedures that I should know about when operating a rented vehicle?
Yes.  These policies and procedures and included in their rental agreement that is located in the glove compartment of the vehicle.  Please follow the instructions on the back of the rental agreement. 

Rental Vehicles Defects, breakdowns

What should I do if I believe something is wrong with my vehicle?
During business hours please call the main Fleet Management phone number 301-496-4511 and relay your concerns to our on-duty staff.  We’ll try to troubleshoot the issue over the phone or come up with arrangements to swap out the vehicle.

What happens if the vehicle breaks down?
During business hours please call the main Fleet Management phone number 301-496-4511 and describe the situation and your location to our on-duty staff.  For after-hours situations like running out of gas, locking keys in the car, or getting a flat tire and needing the spare put on, consult the vehicle’s owner’s manual for the roadside assistance toll-free number and contact the vehicle manufacturer’s roadside assistance program to see if the vehicle is still covered—you will need to have the vehicle’s VIN number handy when calling.  Another potential alternative would be using a private auto club such as AAA if the Motor Pool customer happens to be a member of a private auto club.  If a tow truck is required, Milestone Towing (301-330-1614) can be contacted to retrieve the vehicle and transport it back to NIH or to our contracted maintenance facility Rockville Auto.  If the customer is using a commercial rental vehicle instead of a government-owned HHS-tagged vehicle, contact the rental company’s 1-800 number for roadside assistance.

Rental Vehicle Violations, Accidents and Insurance

What if I get a ticket while I am using the rental vehicle?
The employee who is operating the vehicle is responsible for parking violations and any other moving violations.

For traffic camera speeding violations the vehicle’s license plate will be identified back to the registered IC/customer and Fleet Management will pay the fine on behalf of the IC and then bill-back the IC’s CAN for reimbursement.

What happens if I am in an accident in my rental vehicle? 
Immediately assess the scene for injuries and contact 911 for emergencies or 311 for non-injury accidents.  Don’t admit any fault when speaking with the other person involved, just trade contact and insurance information.  Annotate the other person’s insurance policy information on the SF91 accident form located in an envelope in the vehicle’s glove compartment or center console.  As far as information to provide to the other driver, The government is self-insured and the contact # for claims against NIH is 301-496-2387.  Obtain any witness statements using the SF94 or plain bond paper.  The driver should contact the IC’s supervisor to report the accident and relay the situation to the on-duty Fleet Management staff at 301-496-4511 so a damage assessment can be done and a tow-truck can be requested if needed.  The driver should also take pictures of the accident scene and pictures of the vehicle damages.  The driver should also make sure to get an Incident # from the Police and annotate this on the SF91.  The government is self-insured and the contact # for claims against NIH is 301-496-2387

Is my rental vehicle insured? Are my employees insured?
The Government is self-insured and government employees are covered under workers compensation. If, when operating your rental vehicle for official government use, you are involved in an accident and the Government is found to be at fault, then your institute is responsible for having the vehicle repaired/replaced and for any other damages incurred. If the Government is not at fault then the Government will ask for damages from the other party's insurance company.

Feedback and Contact Information

How can I provide feedback on the services that I received from the Fleet Support Team? You may email your comments to [email protected] .

For any Motor Pool questions or to submit your vehicle rental request please email [email protected]