UPPS 05.05.05 - Use of Transportation Services Vehicles

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to maintaining services vehicles and ensuring the safe travel of students, faculty, staff, and guests for university functions.

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

   1. Transportation Services (including Parking Services) owns various types of vehicles: 13-passenger cutaway van, ADA-equipped utility cart, utility carts, sedans, trucks, and transit vans. Occasionally, other departments request the use of the vehicles. This policy addresses the requirements for the use of the vehicles and scheduling priorities.

   2. The 13-passenger cutaway van will be primarily used for presidential and The Texas State University System (TSUS) Board of Regents events. Any requests for use of this vehicle for any other purpose must be approved in advance by the director of Transportation Services.

2. REQUIREMENTS FOR USE OF VEHICLES

   1. Parking Services does not loan out its vehicles to other departments. Vehicles are in daily use by Parking Services.

   2. Transportation Services does not loan out its vehicles to other departments. Other departments requesting the use of the vehicles must request a Transportation Services driver.

   3. Requests for vehicles must be approved in writing by the Transportation Services Office. All applicable costs associated with the use of any of these vehicles must be reimbursed by the requesting department (see Pricing Schedule for Transportation Services Vehicles).

   4. Accounting information must be provided at the time of reservation. Transportation Services will eIDT the requesting department after the completion of the event.

   5. Transportation Services vehicles cannot be rebranded for events. The vehicles may have departmental or program-specific branding.

   6. Vehicles are provided “as is,” and while every effort will be made to provide them in clean condition and good working order, no guarantees may be made.

      1. Additional cleaning and detailing may be scheduled with sufficient advanced notice and at the expense of the requesting department.

      2. Any additional cleaning costs incurred beyond standard wear and tear will be charged to the requesting department. Transportation Services vehicles are to be used only for authorized university business.

      3. Only authorized passengers may ride in the vehicles. These include faculty, staff, students, and guests of the university attending the event the vehicles were requested for.

   7. Vehicle capacity may be limited due to external factors and at the discretion of Transportation Services.

3. SCHEDULING PRIORITIES

   1. Priority will be given to executive level or special event university transportation needs that require ADA lift-equipped vehicles. These include presidential events and events for the TSUS Board of Regents.

      All vehicle requests must be made at least 10 business days in advance to Transportation Services and prior to the dissemination of transportation information to attendees.

4. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL VEHICLE OPERATIONS

   1. Guidelines for safety operations shall include, but not be limited to:

      1. The driver shall not use any handheld device while operating a vehicle.

      2. The number of occupants shall not exceed the listed capacity, as defined by Transportation Services.

      3. All occupants shall wear seat belts and other occupant restraint devices at all times. All occupants shall be seated and secured prior to the vehicle being moved; standees are not allowed.

      4. Using the roof or exterior of the vehicle to carry loads of any kind is prohibited.

      5. No trailers may be attached to Transportation Services vehicles.

5. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR CUTAWAY VAN OPERATIONS

   1. Guidelines for safety cutaway van operations shall include, but not be limited to:

      1. All securements for ADA wheelchair passengers shall only be secured by authorized personnel prior to vehicle being moved.

      2. The wheelchair lift shall only be operated by authorized personnel.

      3. Trips exceeding 100 miles one-way must include two qualified, university-approved drivers.

      4. All operators should take frequent breaks, at least every two hours. Maximum driving time during a 24-hour period shall be eight hours per driver.

      5. Drivers and all passengers traveling in the cutaway van must refrain from excessive loading of the vehicle.

      6. All towing shall only be conducted by a professional towing company with the appropriate equipment for towing the vehicle.

6. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR UTILITY CARTS AND AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES LIFT-EQUIPPED UTILITY CART OPERATIONS

   1. Guidelines for safety utility cart and American with Disabilities (ADA) lift-equipped utility cart operations shall include, but not be limited to:

      1. All securements for ADA wheelchair passengers shall only be secured by authorized personnel prior to vehicle being moved.

      2. The wheelchair ramp shall only be operated by authorized personnel.

      3. Drivers and all passengers traveling in the utility cart must refrain from excessive loading of the vehicle.

      4. Utility carts shall only be used in an operating environment that is consistent with the design of the vehicle. The operating profile is limited to flat areas and limited inclines due to the overall dimensions of the cart.

      5. Inclement weather may restrict the use of utility carts.

7. RELATED POLICIES

   1. Related policy statements pertaining to the operation and maintenance of university vehicles include:

      1. UPPS No. 05.05.04, 15-Passenger Vans;

      2. UPPS No. 05.05.02, Driver Selection;

      3. UPPS No. 05.07.02, Parking and Transportation;

      4. UPPS No. 04.05.13, Operation of Golf Carts and Other Off- Highway Vehicles; and

      5. FSS/PPS No. 05.02, Driving Safety Policy.

8. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

   1. Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

      Position	Date
      Director of Transportation Services	January 1 E3Y
      Associate Vice President for Finance and Support Services Planning	January 1 E3Y

9. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

   This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

   Director of Transportation Services; senior reviewer of this UPPS

   Associate Vice President for Finance and Support Services Planning

   Vice President for Finance and Support Services

   President