1. Purchase of vehicles

   The university will select specific vehicles and equipment and its method of procurement and ownership appropriate for the identified need. To ensure safe vehicle operations and minimize the risk to Ohio university and to its employees, the university may deny access to any vehicle at any time if safe and legal operation is in doubt.

2. Responsibility for vehicles

   It is the responsibility of the department to which a vehicle is assigned to coordinate with the university departments identified in this policy for the vehicle's proper acquisition, use, care, safe operation, and disposition.

   1. Transportation and parking services is responsible for acquisition of vehicles via procurement services, securing titles and licensing, performing pre-purchase inspections and annual safety inspections, receiving vehicle mishap reports, and disposition of all vehicles.

   2. Environmental health and safety is responsible for oversight of all vehicle safety programs, the mishap and crash review board, and the fifteen-passenger van training program.

   3. The Ohio university police department (OUPD) is responsible for documentation of vehicle mishaps and violations occurring within their jurisdiction.

   4. The office of risk management is responsible for ensuring appropriate insurance coverage and for processing claims.

3. Appropriate and legal use

   The planning unit head, to which the vehicle is assigned, or his or her designee, has the responsibility for ensuring that the vehicle is used for official university business. The planning unit head, or designee, must establish a system that verifies that all drivers possess a valid US driver's license and that their driving history reflects safe behavior behind the wheel. Approved drivers and passengers in university vehicles are limited to employees, students, or guests of the university who are on official business. The university is not financially responsible for traffic or parking violations incurred by persons using its vehicles and the responsibility for all penalties for said violations is assumed by the vehicle operator. The assigned department is responsible for establishing a system for knowing and documenting the driver of any particular assigned vehicle at any particular time.

4. Vehicle mishaps and crashes

   Drivers of vehicles are responsible for the proper care of the vehicle while in their possession. An automobile insurance packet, containing an insurance card and a copy of the "Ohio University Vehicle Crash Report Form" (OUVCRF) shall be in each vehicle.

   In the event of a mishap or crash the driver will check to see if there are injuries, leave the vehicle in place unless doing so presents a risk of further damage or injury, and notify the appropriate law enforcement authority and emergency medical personnel. The driver shall complete the OUVCRF before leaving the crash scene and return it to the transportation and parking services garage immediately upon return to campus. Failure to immediately return the OUVCRF may result in the department or organization being held responsible for all related expenses. OUPD is responsible for documentation of vehicle mishaps and violations occurring within their jurisdiction.

5. Driver training, selection, and evaluation

   The employing department shall check the driving history of all persons who will be operating university vehicles, going back five years prior to initial operation of a university vehicle and annually thereafter. The employing department is responsible for all aspects of these checks. If a driving record reflects repeated unsafe behavior, the employing department should not allow the driver in question to operate university vehicles. The employing department will make this determination. The crash review board is charged to reduce the incidence of vehicle collisions and abuse. All departments shall participate in this activity according to established procedures. All university vans shall have a copy of the "van driver check sheet" for review prior to operating. All operators of fifteen-passenger vans must receive van training conducted by the environmental health and safety department prior to operating a fifteen-passenger van. Effective July 1, 2012, fifteen-passenger vans are prohibited from being owned, leased, rented, or in any manner used by the university. Drivers of university vehicles shall review the "Vehicle Pre-Trip Inspection Form" before operating the vehicle. The university provides the initial training for holders of commercial drivers licenses (CDL) and the testing is provided by the state of Ohio. For other specialized-use vehicles, the university provides any specific training needed.

6. Vehicle repairs, inspections, and service

   Servicing of vehicles is provided by transportation and parking services. Annual safety inspections shall be performed on all vehicles. The transportation and parking services garage will perform the inspection and is authorized to charge departments a fee. If a vehicle is found to be unsafe and the repairs are not authorized, the manager of transportation services shall hold the vehicle and notify the department head that the vehicle is not to be operated until the vehicle is certified safe. In the event of vehicle damage, the department must turn the vehicle in to transportation and parking services so that it can be repaired or replaced.

   All vehicles are also scheduled for routine maintenance once a year. Transportation and parking services will notify each department when a specific vehicle requires servicing. The cost related to servicing of vehicles will be charged to the owning department. Transportation and parking services may remove from use any vehicle requiring maintenance or safety inspections until the department is able to pay for the work. Regional campuses may utilize local maintenance and inspection services with the approval of transportation and parking services.

7. Acquisition of vehicles

   Acquisition of any new, used, donated, or leased motor vehicle, regardless of the method obtained or source of funding or intended use, requires approval of the authorizing department's vice president or dean (in conjunction with the provost) and the director of transportation and parking services. Departments shall not commit to buying a vehicle before all established approvals are in place and a purchase order has been issued. The "Vehicle Acquisition Form" must be used for all vehicle acquisition activities.

8. Receipt, acceptance, and registration of vehicles

   Transportation and parking services is the point of contact for all university vehicle transactions. They maintain all legal documents pertaining to all vehicles. The procurement services department authorizes titling of vehicles and coordinates registration and licensing with the lessor and transportation and parking services. All vehicles owned or leased by the university must display a state license plate as assigned by transportation and parking services. The requesting department is responsible for all "costs of ownership" associated with procurement, maintenance, and insurance of a vehicle. All vehicles will be entered into the transportation and parking services database to ensure timely required safety inspections and planned preventative maintenance. Any transfer of vehicles must utilize the "State Vehicle Reassignment Form."

9. Return or disposal of vehicles

   Transportation and parking services and the moving and surplus department will facilitate the disposal or the transfer of vehicles and cancel the registration and insurance, as appropriate. Vehicles returned at the termination of leases or donation periods must be processed through transportation and parking services. The "Vehicle Disposition Form" shall be used for all vehicle disposal activities.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Director of Procurement Services

2. Associate Controller

3. Director of Property Management and Moving Services

4. Tax Compliance Manager

5. Ohio University Chief of Police

6. Associate Vice President for Facilities

7. Chief Human Resource Officer

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   The following forms are specific to this policy:

   1. The Accident Reporting Form is available from Transportation and Parking Services, or online, linked through https://www.ohio.edu/transportation-parking.

   2. The Vehicle Acquisition Form is available from Transportation and Parking Services, or online, linked through https://www.ohio.edu/transportation-parking.

   3. The State Vehicle Reassignment Form is available from Transportation and Parking Services, or online, linked through https://www.ohio.edu/transportation-parking.

   4. The Vehicle Disposition Form is available from Transportation and Parking Services, or online, linked through https://www.ohio.edu/transportation-parking.

   5. The Vehicle Pre-Trip Inspection Form is available from Transportation and Parking Services, or online, linked through https://www.ohio.edu/transportation-parking.

2. References

   The following items are relevant to this policy:

   1. Policy 19.054, "Equipment Inventory Control."

   2. Policy 47.002, "Rental of Motor Pool Vehicles."

   3. Policy 47.003, "Drivers of Commercial Motor Vehicles."

   4. Policy 55.071, "Disposition of Surplus Property."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. May 11, 2022 (Non-substantive update. Policy 55.003 was removed from the references section as it was rescinded on June 27, 2019). 

   2. February 8, 1999

   3. December 3, 1990

   4. July 1, 1988

   5. August 11, 1983

   6. August 3, 1981

   7. August 8, 1979

   8. July 1, 1977

   9. April 1, 1977

   10. May 27, 1976

   11. October 20, 1975

   12. April 28, 1974

   13. March 25, 1974

   14. May 23, 1973

   15. April 13, 1970

   16. September 1, 1969

   17. April 24, 1968