What Is an Employee Transport Contract and Why Should You Have One?

Although the pace of technological, financial and cultural development in Istanbul, one of the world's largest metropolises, brings employment to more people every day, millions of people travelling from home to work every morning and from work to home every evening is turning traffic — one of Istanbulites' biggest problems — into something intractable. The traffic problem, which even the public transport system cannot absorb, grows steadily worse as the number of vehicles on the road increases every year.

The employee shuttle service Volt Lines offers to corporate clients first raises employee motivation and the employer's productivity, and second brings fast, constructive steps towards solving Istanbul's traffic problem. Among the most important reasons why more and more corporate clients choose Volt Lines are the improvement in employees' quality of life, the ability for employers to obtain an employee shuttle service on an affordable pricing policy, and the fact that the entire service is delivered under lawful and safe conditions. And the first of the steps taken in this process is putting an "Employee Transport Contract" in place.

Under the employee shuttle vehicle regulations, an employee transport contract must be concluded between companies wishing to obtain a shuttle service for their staff and the firms that will provide it. The employee transport contract — a legal obligation alongside the shuttle transport authorisation certificate — allows employees, as much as employers, to feel secure. That is because the contract contains a great many clauses, ranging from the maintenance of the shuttle vehicles to the hygiene of the headrest covers, and from the air conditioning and heating systems to the obligations of the drivers.

To ensure the employee shuttle service runs without problems and that the employees using the shuttle morning and evening are protected, an "Employee Transport Contract" must always be concluded between the company buying the service and the company providing it.

Some of the important conditions the parties must meet under an employee transport contract are as follows:

• All shuttle vehicles that will provide the employee shuttle service must meet the conditions and level of comfort required by the Highway Traffic Act and its Regulations.
• Periodic maintenance of the shuttle vehicles must be carried out in accordance with highway legislation and regulations.
• All shuttle vehicles must carry traffic insurance and every vehicle must undergo periodic roadworthiness inspection. Each vehicle must hold an urban operating permit.
• The number of seats in the shuttle vehicles must match the number of staff who will use the shuttle, and standing passengers must never be carried. Every seat must have a seatbelt, and staff must keep their seatbelt fastened throughout the journey.
• Shuttle vehicles must have air conditioning and heating, and the air conditioning or heating must be running throughout the journey as the weather requires.
• Shuttle vehicles must begin service already refuelled.
• Shuttle vehicles must be clean, comfortable and fit for human health.
• Vehicles must carry a fire extinguisher, a tow rope, a warning triangle and a first aid kit.
• All maintenance, repair and running costs of the shuttle vehicles, together with driver, staff, fuel, insurance and tax expenses and bridge and toll road charges, are borne by the company providing the employee shuttle service. 
• Other than where unavoidable, shuttle vehicles must not deviate from the route and must run through to the last stop on the route.
• Shuttle vehicles must be at the location specified by the employer at the times specified by the employer.
• All shuttle drivers must hold a driving licence and a training certificate and must comply fully with traffic laws and rules. Shuttle drivers must hold the documents issued and required by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
• Smoking inside the vehicle is never permitted.
• Other than in natural disasters and exceptional circumstances, the shuttle service must not be interrupted under any conditions, and if a vehicle breaks down the employee transportation shuttle service must be provided with another vehicle.
• In matters and situations not covered by the employee transport contract, the "Regulation on Employee Shuttle Services of Public Institutions and Organisations and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Shuttle Vehicles Directive" shall apply.

As the clauses above make clear, an "Employee Transport Contract" should always be put in place in order to protect the rights and ensure the safety of both employer and staff. While some conditions of the contract may vary depending on the employer and the company providing the employee shuttle service, the legal conditions must be met absolutely and without exception. It is also of great importance that matters of vehicle maintenance and safety, which bear directly on staff safety, are always handled with care and without delay.

Volt Lines protects the employer's interests through an affordable pricing policy and a commitment to flawless service, while the care it takes over its vehicles, the rigorous policy it applies in selecting shuttle drivers and the diligence it shows in meeting legal requirements all work to make the partnership entirely successful for both parties. If you are an employer who cares about the happiness and safety of your staff, you can get in touch with us for detailed information about our services; and if you are an employee who would like a better quality of life, you can comfortably recommend us to your employer.

To read how Volt Lines has digitalised the employee shuttle experience, take a look at the page we have prepared:

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