Driver Handbook

1. Rules for Clocking In/Out and Working Hours

All rules apply to full-time permanent staff unless otherwise specified.

Local Work

• Weekday working obligation: 8 hours, 8 AM to 5 PM, for full-time employment.
• One hour for lunch is deducted if more than 5 hours are worked during daytime; lunch is taken between 11 AM and 2 PM.
• Punch-in is 30 minutes before the first trip within the capital area, and 60 minutes in Reykjanesbær (airport).
• Start time for daytime work can vary between 8 AM and 10 AM on weekdays; overtime begins after 9 hours, including one hour for lunch.

School Transportation

A school transportation day that starts according to AROD before 8 AM and ends no later than 3:30 PM is paid as 8 hours of daytime work, with no lunch break deducted and no additional work paid after cleaning. Hours are adjusted in AROD from 8 AM to 5 PM. Overtime is not paid before 8 AM.

Longer Trips

• Payment is based on the travel schedule — typically 8 hours of daytime work plus 2 hours of overtime, unless the trip is planned longer. Weekends are based on 8–10 hours of overtime.
• Drivers must always follow the AROD schedule over the client's PDF attachment. If the trip will not be completed within the AROD schedule, the driver must inform Teitur's office — this also applies if the group leader wants to start before 8 AM or stay out longer than 10 hours.

• If a trip starts and ends at a hotel outside Reykjavik, working hours run 8 AM to 7 PM with one unpaid hour for lunch — even if the trip starts at 9 AM, work time (and pay) begins at 8 AM. If the trip starts later than 8 AM, the morning should be used for preparation and cleaning.
• The trip's account manager sets the precise travel schedule in AROD. The client's PDF is for the driver's information only — all times and details in AROD are decisive.
• If a recorded AROD time changes (e.g. a trip ending at 7 PM is delayed to 8 PM), the driver must add a comment on the task explaining why. This becomes the driving report, which the account manager uses to bill the client.
• If work time exceeds 7 PM with no explanation, the time is adjusted to 8 AM–7 PM by default (employees are always paid from 8 AM even if work starts later).

Meal Reimbursement

• Check AROD before the tour — it should show if any meals are missing, or if you are expected to arrange and pay for a meal yourself.
• Meals are not reimbursed in Reykjavík. These rules apply only to meals required while travelling on tours outside the Reykjavík area.
• When travelling outside Reykjavík, your meal should be covered — by the tour leader/client, provided with the group, provided free by a supplier, or reimbursed by Teitur.
• If AROD shows no missing meal but you are not provided one and get no allowance, write a comment in AROD immediately, buy your own meal, and keep the receipt — Teitur will reimburse within the limits below.

• If the tour leader offers a meal allowance lower than these limits, accept it without arguing — record the amount received as an AROD comment and keep your receipt. Teitur will reimburse the difference, up to the maximum, and settle the matter with the client.
• Do not argue with the tour leader about meal allowances. If something is unclear, accept what is offered, document it in AROD, and inform the relevant account manager.
• If the tour leader offers or arranges a meal for you, accept it — you cannot refuse an available meal simply to receive meal money instead.
• If you choose not to eat a meal that was offered or arranged, the tour leader/client should not be charged a meal allowance instead.
• Never charge for a meal you received free of charge — including complimentary meals at locations like Geysir, Gullfoss, or any other supplier.
• Always keep receipts, even if the tour leader has already given you some money toward the meal.
• After each tour, bundle all meal receipts together and hand them to the relevant account manager as soon as possible, with the tour reference clearly written on the bundle.

2. AROD Registration (All Staff)

Log Into AROD →

Punching In and Out of Working Hours

• Punch in (Start Workday) on the AROD homepage at the beginning of the day.
• In the capital area, punch-in is based at Dalvegur 22 unless otherwise agreed.
• On longer trips, punch-in/out follow the 8+2 rule, with location per the travel schedule.

Add a comment at punch-in/out in AROD if:

• Lunch was not possible due to work.
• Overtime was worked that needs explaining, or is longer than scheduled.
• Punch-in or out was forgotten or done at a different time than scheduled.
• There were issues with punch-in or out.
• Anything else requires explanation due to working hours.

Start and End Trip in AROD

• Start Work: press the green start button when the driver picks up passengers at the starting point.
• End Work: press the red stop button when passengers have left the bus at the final destination.

Add a comment for Start/End Trip in AROD if any of the following apply:

• The AROD schedule changes.
• The driver did not receive a meal with the group.
• Weather delays.
• The group leader takes a long time with the group, so schedules are not met.
• Traffic delays.
• The Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel was used.
• Anything that may affect what is billed to the client.
• If the group leader pays for extra time or other costs in cash.
• Anything else worth noting about the trip.

3. Overtime and Call-Outs

• Overtime is paid for trips before 8 AM, unless it is school transportation (see section 1) or normal preparation for a longer trip starting 8:00–8:15 AM outside the city. Overtime is paid after 5 PM.
• At least 4 hours are paid for call-outs.
• Transfer outside daytime hours — 4 hours.
• Regular Northern Lights trip from Reykjavik, unrelated to daytime hours — 4 hours.
• Call-out for a JET2 Northern Lights trip, unrelated to daytime hours — 5 hours.
• If 2 hours or more pass between tasks, you must punch out and punch in again when the next task begins.

4. Key Box

• Keys are picked up and returned to the designated key box in front of the fleet manager's office.
• Returning keys is mandatory — they must always be in the key box after the trip.
• The driver who last took a key from the cabinet is responsible for making sure it ends up back in the box.

5. Cleaning

Local Driving

For local and longer drives ending in Reykjavik, vehicles must be cleaned at the end of the day/trip so the next driver receives a clean car in the morning.

Out-of-Town Driving

• Drivers on longer trips ending outside the city should clean either in the morning or evening, per the travel schedule. If the trip ends 7 PM or later and the next day's schedule starts 9 AM or later, clean the following morning instead.
• All additional cleaning time must be approved and explained in AROD. Typically 1 hour is allotted for cleaning and car handling.
• Cleaning on holidays must be approved by a supervisor.

School Transportation

Vehicles used only for school transportation must be kept tidy daily and thoroughly cleaned once a week, or as needed.

6. Lunch Time

• Lunch is an unpaid hour taken between 11 AM and 2 PM.
• If an employee cannot take lunch at the designated time, a comment must be made in AROD, and an hour is added instead (separate agreements apply for school transportation and travel services).
• Lunch is not deducted if less than 5 hours of daytime work is done.
• A distinction must be made between not having time for lunch, versus not being provided a meal and having to buy it yourself.
• If you didn't have time for lunch, comment in AROD at punch-in. If you had to buy your own meal on a trip that should be reimbursed, comment within the trip — the account manager needs this to bill the client.

7. Sick Leave

• Drivers: inform Gunnar / Sigurður Svavar.
• Travel Services: inform Ásta.
• Workshop: inform Fannar.
• Office: inform Teitur / Sigurður Val.
• Employees must record their absence in Teams.
• If an employee is running late, they should inform as soon as possible.

8. Vacation

• Shorter vacations must be requested at least a week in advance.
• Summer vacations should be requested from your immediate supervisor, who organizes all vacations for that department. Summer vacation requests must be registered by May 1st. Not all requests can be guaranteed, but every effort is made to accommodate them.

9. Employee Uniform

• Employees should wear company-branded shirts or polos.
• Branded jackets and coats are provided.
• Ties / tie clips are provided as needed.
• Employees are expected to wear neat pants and shoes.

10. Interaction with Passengers

We are a service company, and employees must behave courteously towards customers and their guests. Passengers should be greeted with a sign in the arrival hall of Keflavik Airport, and efforts should be made to have a visible sign and greet passengers at hotels and ships.

11. Consumption of Food Onboard a Bus

Dry goods, candy, light sandwiches, and similar light snacks are permitted onboard. Signs prohibiting food onboard are not allowed.

12. Restrooms

13. Alcohol / Drugs

14. Licenses and Criminal Records

• The employee is responsible for always holding full rights to drive company vehicles. The company, together with the relevant trade union, assists with retraining courses.
• All employees must have a clean criminal record and submit a special criminal record certificate — official confirmation that the individual has never been convicted under Article 10 of the Penal Code (sexual and violent offenses).

15. Casual Staff (Contractors)

• Punch in via AROD 30 minutes before the trip's departure.
• Same-day temporary workers punch in and out between tasks that are not directly sequential.

Weather & Safety

Wind speed guidelines for large vehicles