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University Rule 3-215A: University Motor Vehicles

  1. Purpose & Scope
    1. These rules support Policy 3-215, University Motor Vehicles with respect to acquisition, ownership, assignment, maintenance, and use of motor vehicles.
  2. Definitions
    1. Definitions are provided in the Policy
  3. Rule
    1. Ownership, Acquisition, and Disposal of Vehicles
      1. All motor vehicles owned or leased by the university shall be held under the administrative management and control of the university Fleet Services.
      2. Acquisition, maintenance, and licensing of all motor vehicles shall be performed by or at the direction of Fleet Services.
      3. Fleet Services shall determine the type of motor vehicle to be purchased and made available for departmental use. Departmental needs will be considered as well as the vehicle's record for reliability, low maintenance costs, and fuel economy. Fleet Services will ordinarily purchase only compact and sub-compact vehicles if available and capable of meeting departmental and university needs.
      4. Fleet Services shall determine when disposal of university motor vehicles should occur. Vehicles no longer needed, no longer serviceable, or scheduled for replacement, shall be transferred to the Surplus and Salvage Department for final disposition. Proceeds from the sale, less disposition costs, shall be returned to Fleet Services, except in the case of special lease plans, in which case the net proceeds shall be returned to the lessee.
      5. Departments may lease motor vehicles from Fleet Services under one of five lease plans set forth in Section K. Lease rates charged for the type of vehicle under the various lease plans shall be revised from time to time, with the approval of the vice president for administrative services or designee, to reflect the actual costs incurred by Fleet Services.
      6. Vehicle donations for resale will be coordinated with the University Surplus and Salvage department.
      7. Vehicle donations for use shall meet the following criteria:
        1. Fleet Services personnel shall inspect the vehicle to ensure it will pass state safety and emissions inspections.
        2. If repairs are required the cost of the repairs shall not exceed 60% of the current value of the vehicle.
        3. If the vehicle requires repairs that exceed 60% of the vehicle’s current value, the vehicle shall be sold and not be placed into service. Exceptions to this must be approved by Fleet Services.
      8. Utilization. If it is determined that a vehicle is not sufficiently utilized to justify the vehicle being retained, Fleet Services may transfer the vehicle to another department on campus or direct that the vehicle be transferred to Surplus and Salvage for sale.
      9. Expansion Vehicles. Requests for expansion vehicles must be forwarded to the vice president for administrative services to be evaluated and forwarded to the Legislature for approval. If the requesting department has a vehicle that is underutilized, the department may be directed to replace or transfer the underutilized vehicle instead of receiving an expansion vehicle.
    2. Vehicle Identification
      1. University motor vehicles shall be of a color selected by Fleet Services, shall bear the authorized state seal on the outside of both front doors, and must carry EX (exempt) license plates. Exceptions for these requirements may be granted for good reason by the vice president for administrative services in accordance with applicable state laws.
    3. Official Use
      1. University motor vehicles shall be used only for official university business purposes. University motor vehicles shall not be used for personal transportation or other personal purposes of persons authorized by college or department administration.
    4. Safety Issues
      1. The driver is required to obey all state and federal traffic laws pertaining to the safe operation of a vehicle. The driver is personally liable for any fines, traffic or parking violations received.
      2. Use of seat belts is required for all persons occupying the vehicle. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that all persons are properly secured before the vehicle is put in motion.
      3. Smoking is not permitted in University-owned, leased, or rented vehicles.
      4. Hazardous materials should not be transported in University owned, leased or rented vehicles unless approved by Environmental Health and Safety.
      5. Drivers are required to complete approved driver training courses as prescribed by Risk and Insurance Services.
    5. Restricted Use
      1. Operation of university motor vehicles is limited to persons who are authorized by college or department administration to use a university vehicle, and who are (1) employees of the university or registered students, (2) at least 18 years of age, and (3) possess a valid Utah operator's license, except that authorized nonresident students over 18 years of age may operate a university motor vehicle if they possess a valid operator's license from the state or country of their residence.
      2. University motor vehicles may not be driven outside the state of Utah without prior written permission from the vice president for administrative services or his or her designee.
      3. University motor vehicles shall not be used to transport groups or individuals not affiliated with the university. Programs, courses, conferences, seminars, workshops, institutes, or athletic programs will not be offered for credit or non-credit, where the primary reason for the offering is to attempt to make legitimate the use of university vehicles to provide transportation to the participants in competition with authorized carriers.
      4. Affiliated university groups may be transported in university motor vehicles where costs are included in the tuition and fees for a specific program. When registered, enrolled, or affiliated students, including those enrolled in continuing education, are transported in university vehicles, no charge will be imposed upon said students for that transportation service. If transportation costs are incurred, they will be deemed to have been incorporated and paid as part of that student's tuition and fees, which includes all materials, instruction, services, and facilities, when those tuition and fees are assessed and collected at the time the student enrolls in the specific course. The "tuition and fees" shall relate to a specific program of instruction which is normally offered and a description of the course and amount of the tuition and fees to be assessed are published in the university's catalog or regular class listings.
      5. University motor vehicles may be used for the transportation of students, employees, and guests involved in official university business or engaged in university sponsored activities provided no fare is charged to the transported individual.
      6. University departments will not advertise, solicit, or release announcements off campus which solicits participation in transportation provided by the university.
      7. University departments shall not provide routine non-programmatic transportation (e.g. to or from an airport, to or from hotels) for students, visitors, or guests in university vehicles where (1) the transportation is for-hire or the specific costs of the transportation are ultimately borne directly or indirectly by the traveler and not the university; and (2) there is no significant educational, administrative, business, or similar activity occurring during the travel time which would be adversely affected in a substantial way if an authorized carrier rather than a campus vehicle and driver were used; and (3) the university or travelers can arrange appropriate transportation with an authorized carrier on a timely and cost-effective basis.
      8. University motor vehicles shall be returned to the university campus promptly after each official use. Employees, students, and others authorized to use university motor vehicles shall not be allowed to have a university vehicle at their place of residence before or after official use unless prior written permission of the cognizant vice president or his or her designee is obtained. Such permission shall be granted only if the university's best interests are served, i.e. early morning departure is planned and additional vehicle mileage will not result.
      9. In some cases, it may be in the university's best interest to assign a university motor vehicle to an employee and allow the employee, on a continuing basis, to keep the vehicle at his/her place of residence when not in use. If this arrangement is sought, the department head, or next higher authority, shall submit a letter to the cognizant vice president setting forth the reasons and the savings that will result. If endorsed by the cognizant vice president, the request, accompanied by the cognizant vice president's endorsement and comments, shall be forwarded to the vice president for administrative services. If the vice president for administrative services approves the request, he/she will provide the employee, the cognizant vice president, the cognizant department, Fleet Services, and director of finance a letter authorizing the arrangement. Such authorization and approval shall clearly set forth the period of time the authorization is in effect and shall be reviewed annually. Such authorization may be renewed, following the same Procedure set forth above. All IRS guidelines shall be followed when reporting imputed income from take home vehicles. It is the responsibility of the department’s payroll reporter to input the appropriate information for imputed income for IRS purposes.
      10. When take home use is authorized, de minimis use incidental to the University business assignment or travel to and from work is acceptable. Ordinary domestic usage in place of a private vehicle is not allowed. 
      11. University vehicles and equipment are prohibited from idling for periods longer than 60 seconds except under the following conditions:
        1. Idling is necessary to power auxiliary equipment such as lifts, hoists, computers or safety lighting. Auxiliary equipment does not include the vehicle’s air conditioner, heater, or defrost for wintertime vehicle warm up.
        2. Idling is necessary for testing, maintenance, repair or diagnostic purposes.
        3. Idling is necessary to maintain factory installed emissions equipment on diesel equipment.
        4. Vehicle is stopped at a traffic control signal, in heavy traffic at a train or railroad crossing or traveling through a construction zone.
        5. Situations where turning off the motor could jeopardize the health and safety of the driver, patient, or passenger.
        6. Police vehicles engaged in official business.
    6. Extraordinary Wear and Tear
      1. If it is determined by Fleet Services upon the basis of prior experience or other relevant factors that a department's use of motor vehicles will result in unusual or extraordinary wear and tear, the normal lease rates may be increased to offset the resulting additional costs.
      2. If unusual wear and tear, not offset by special lease rates, is evident at the time of disposition of a vehicle, the using department may be charged for the difference in value of the vehicle in its condition and the expected value if the vehicle had not been subjected to such unusual wear and tear.
    7. Insurance
      1. Motor vehicles, while in use for official university business, will be insured for both liability and physical damage with commercial insurers and/or self-insurance program managed by the state or the university, in accordance with state law and consistent with prudent risk management. Additional and unique insurance provisions apply to the use of university buses and their drivers.
      2. The cost of motor vehicle physical damage insurance will be included in the lease rate charged for vehicles leased under the short-term lease plan (see Section K.3 in this rule). Physical damage insurance coverage for motor vehicles leased will be included under full lease plan (see Section K.1 in this rule) and the capital lease plan (see Section K.2 in this rule) will be determined by the university risk manager based on the value of the motor vehicle, the departmental loss experience, vehicle usage, and other factors normally considered in setting insurance rates. The cost of such insurance will be billed to the leasing department annually by the university risk manager.
    8. Traffic Violations
      1. Drivers of university vehicles shall be personally responsible for fines, forfeitures of bail, or other penalties based upon parking and traffic violations and citations or other infractions or violations of law involving the use of university motor vehicles.
      2. The privilege of driving university motor vehicles may be suspended or permanently revoked by the vice president for administrative services for repeated traffic citations, at-fault accidents, or for the unauthorized use of university vehicles.
        1. The vice president for administrative services may revoke or suspend driving privileges. Prior to ordering any such suspension or revocation, the vice president for administrative services will give notice of his proposed action to the employee, and will provide an opportunity for an informal hearing.
        2. The Drivers Eligibility Board may revoke or suspend driving privileges as outlined in Utah Administrative Rule R-271.
    9. Reporting of Motor Vehicle Accidents
      1. All motor vehicle accidents must be promptly reported to (1) the office of university police if the accident occurred on campus, (2) the cognizant law enforcement agency (police or highway patrol) if the accident occurred off campus, (3) the university risk manager, (4) Fleet Services. (Refer to Policy 5-310 for specific information on accident reporting.) All damage from accidents shall be repaired within 90 days of the incident occurring except for cases as approved by Risk and Insurance Services or Fleet Services.
    10. Reporting of Mechanical or Safety Defects
      1. Vehicles with mechanical or safety defects should be promptly reported to Fleet Services. Upon receipt of such report, Fleet Services shall inspect the vehicle and take appropriate action to bring the vehicle into compliance with current university safety standards and/or the standards for efficient mechanical operation. A copy of the inspection report and report of corrective action taken shall be filed in Fleet Services Office and, upon request, will be made available to the driver and to cognizant line management officers of the university.
    11. Motor Vehicle Lease Plans
      1. Full Lease Plan. Vehicles will be leased for a five-year period. The lease amount will include amortization of the vehicle cost less estimated residual value, standard maintenance, inspection and repair costs. The cost of gas and repairs caused by abuse or neglect shall be borne by the lessee. The lesee will be billed a pro rata portion of the total lease cost each month. Lease terms can be shorter than the 5 year period of time with the approval of the vice president of administrative services or their designee.
      2. Capital Vehicle Plan. This special lease plan is designed for vehicles, which are to be acquired with funds transferred by a department to Fleet Services for the purpose of acquiring a vehicle. These vehicles include vehicles purchased with federal grants, vehicles donated to the University or leased from outside agencies. The vehicles shall be inspected every 6 months or 5,000 miles. If maintenance work is performed outside of Fleet Services, the department shall provide the maintenance information to Fleet Services within 3 days. Vehicles that are donated shall comply with the vehicle donation section of this rule, III. A. 7.
      3. Daily Lease Plan. This plan provides vehicles on an individual trip basis (daily, weekly, or monthly). The type of vehicle in the ‘trip fleet’ will be determined by the Fleet Services Manager. Reservations for vehicles shall be made by contacting Fleet Services. Each user must furnish appropriate departmental authorization before a vehicle will be furnished. Charges for use of these ‘trip’ vehicles will be based on a combination of daily and mileage charges.
    12. Motor Vehicle Records
      1. Fleet Services shall maintain records on each university motor vehicle which shall include but not be limited to:
      1. Dates of annual emission/safety inspections.
      2. Dates of semi-annual maintenance inspection.
      3. Dates and description of repairs made.
      4. License number issued.
      5. Odometer reading at the end of each six-month period.
  4. Policies, Procedures, Guidelines, Forms and other related resources
    1. Policies
      1. 3-215, University Motor Vehicles, Date 09/14/2010
      2. 5-310, Accident and Liability Reporting and Prevention, Date 06/08/1977
    2. Procedure [reserved]
    3. Guidelines [reserved]
    4. Forms [reserved]
    5. Other related resource materials [reserved]
  5. References
    1. Policy 5-310, Accident Reporting Procedure
    2. Utah State Board of Regents Policy R556 Transportation in Campus Vehicles
    3. Utah Administrative Rule, R-27, Fleet Operations
    4. Utah Code Annotated 1953, Section 41-7-1.5 Vehicle Identification
    5. Utah Code Annotated 1953, Section 41-1-44.1 Vehicle Registration
    6. Utah Code Annotated 1953, Section 41-1-49.7 Vehicle Registration
    7. Utah Division of Air Quality: Choose Clean Air Program: Idle Free Utah
    8. Utah Indoor Clean Air Act Statute and Rule, UC 26-38-3(1)
  6. Contacts:
    1. Fleet Services Manager
  7. History:
    1. Originated 2010

Rule: R3-215A
Date: Sept. 14, 2010
Last Updated: 6/15/23