9.63 Motor Vehicle Usage
The university maintains a fleet of vehicles which are available to
faculty and staff under short or long-term rental agreement. Transportation
Services is charged with the responsibility of providing safe and economical
transportation.
1. Vehicle Management
The Fleet Manager maintains detailed records on all vehicles and makes
recommendations on all vehicle purchases to the appropriate division head.
Information on all licensed vehicles is reported annually to the Board
of Regents. Vehicle data are also maintained for inventory and insurance
purposes.
Transportation Services is responsible for determining which vehicles
are safe and available for use, which vehicles require maintenance, and
which vehicles should be retained from service. Transportation Services
schedules and/or performs all maintenance work for university-owned vehicles.
If off-campus repair work is necessary, it is requested by Transportation
Services.
2. Official Use
University vehicles are for official business only and are to be used
by authorized faculty and staff. All drivers must have a valid and current
operators license. University vehicles are not to be used for personal
errands, nor shall they transport other than authorized passengers and
equipment. Non-employee passengers may be transported only when their
presence relates to the primary purpose of the trip.
University vehicles are generally not to be driven by students unless
accompanied by an authorized faculty or staff member (see Section 7).
A university vehicle may be driven to a private residence and parked
overnight under certain circumstances (e.g., if the driver is to depart
early in the morning). It must be parked off the street and secured. Arrangements
to this affect must be made as part of the reservation.
3. Vehicle Availability
A. Daily Reservation
Employees may request a "temporary" vehicle assignment from
the Motor Pool. The initial reservation request may be made by telephone,
but an approved Absence Request from authorizing use of a university
vehicle must be completed. Vehicles are limited in number and are assigned
on a first-come, first-served basis. The Motor Pool cannot guarantee
the vehicle type requested will be available. Departments are charged
a mileage rate based on the type of vehicle.
To encourage efficient use of a limited number of vehicles, a daily
minimum charge is assessed for each vehicle reserved from the Motor
Pool. Departments may be assessed a minimum daily charge for failure
to cancel a reservation for a vehicle in a timely manner or for failure
to return a vehicle as the employee's responsibility. The Fleet Manager
will assess a half-day minimum when vehicles are available.
B. Lease (University Vehicles)
Vehicles may be leased/assigned to a department on an annual basis.
Leases for the academic year, summer or other short-term options may
be arranged at the discretion of the Fleet Manager. Transportation Services
is responsible for vehicle assignment, scheduled maintenance, repairs,
and retirement of vehicles from use. Generally, only those vehicles
with 80,000 miles or more will be available for departmental lease.
Transportation Services will examine these vehicles for safe use,
but these vehicles will not be recommended for long distance highway
driving. Lease arrangements are subject to vehicle availability and
division head approval. The lease cost is billed monthly and includes
gas, oil, liability insurance and maintenance expenses for a specified
minimum number of miles. All additional miles are billed at the mileage
rate established for the type of vehicle.
C. Purchase
A department may purchase a new vehicle if approved by the division
head and within Board of Regents imposed limitations.
Used vehicles may be purchased only from the university's Motor Pool
subject to availability. Vehicle prices are determined by the Fleet
Manager using present market value information.
The purchase price and all operating costs (including gas, oil, maintenance,
repairs, and insurance) are the responsibility of the department. Maintenance
scheduling for these vehicles is the responsibility of Transportation
Services.
D. Lease From Local Vendors
Under certain circumstances, departments may find it necessary or
economical to lease a vehicle from a local vendor. The department is
responsible for notifying Transportation Services when a vendor lease
is initiated. The department is responsible for the costs of any damages
which are not specifically covered under the contract with the vendor.
E. Privately-owned Vehicles
Employees may receive mileage reimbursement at the currently approved
rate when driving a privately-owned vehicle on university business.
An approved Absence Request form must be completed to receive reimbursement.
4. Types of Vehicles
Transportation Services provides primarily passenger type vehicles.
These include sedans, mini vans, and 15-passenger vans and buses. Larger
vehicles or specialty units are limited in numbers. There is a heavy demand
during the school year for passenger vans. Requesting departments will
generally be limited to two vehicles per trip. During the summer months
or slow periods, additional units may be available. If a department needs
to transport more than thirty passengers, rental of a university bus or
a vehicle from a private vendor may be necessary and more economical.
A purchase order from Purchasing is required if a private vendor is used.
5. Rental Costs (see table at end of this section)
Transportation Services reviews and makes adjustments in mileage rates,
daily minimums, lease rates, and vehicles sales prices in response to
changing costs for gas, oil, maintenance, insurance, and vehicle replacements.
Rental rates are usually established at the beginning of each fiscal year.
The dispatcher can confirm the rates to be charged.
6. Insurance Coverage
The university has liability and property damage insurance on its vehicles
through the Board of Regents Self-Insurance Plan and the State of Iowa.
No comprehensive collision insurance is carried on university vehicles.
Repairs to university vehicles that cannot be collected from a third party
must be borne by Transportation Services. The department responsible for
authorizing the use of a vehicle may be charged up to $250.00 for damage
through abuse, neglect, or accidents which are reasonably avoidable. In
cases of gross negligence, or where the driver is clearly at fault, Transportation
Services may recommend further assessment of part or all of the cost of
repairing the vehicle.
7. Student and Non-Employee Drivers
It is the university's desire to limit the exposure of both the student
and non-employee to injury and the university to liability where university
vehicles are in use. Vehicles owned by the university are for official
business only and are for use by authorizing faculty and staff. Only under
special circumstances is a student or non-employee authorized to drive
a university vehicle.
A. Class or team trips
A student or non-employee may drive a university vehicle if an authorized
faculty or staff member is in the vehicle. This is primarily intended
to prevent driver fatigue on long trips. It is recommended that drivers
rotate every two hours. It is sometimes necessary, due to logistics
and/or the limited number of faculty or staff members, that a student
or passenger be allowed to drive unaccompanied. The frequency and duration
of these times will be held to a minimum.
B. Students or non-employees involved in special programs benefiting
the university
As a general rule, university vehicles are not assigned to students
or non-employees. A program that involves students or non-employees
who are performing a specific assignment, e.g., recruitment of prospective
students, student government responsibilities, tour guides, etc., may
be authorized to drive by the department requesting or responsible for
the vehicle.
C. Student employees
For purposes of this policy, students on the university payroll are
classified as casual hourly employees. Driving should be limited to
situations where it is a required duty.
All students or non-employees who may be allowed to drive university
vehicles must possess a valid and current operators license. The department
or university employee assigned to the vehicle is responsible for verifying
the possession of a current license.
8. Driving Privileges
The university has a vital interest in the safe driving of its employees.
It is in the best interest of employees and the university to take corrective
action whenever it appears that a problem may exist with an individual
driver or group of drivers while using university vehicles. On the basis
of a record of past abuse, Transportation Services has the right to refuse
issuance of a vehicle to any individual.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA MOTOR VEHICLE RATE SCHEDULE
Effective July 1, 1995
Annual | 
