College Vehicle - Policies and Procedures
Accident
An accident involves law enforcement, injuries, or any damage to vehicles, other property (including signage, landscaping, or buildings), or individuals.
Immediately contact Campus Safety at 315-859-4000, then notify the Transportation Coordinator.
Submit an Accident Report
Incident
An incident includes any event that occurs while operating a transportation vehicle which may affect vehicle condition or safety, but does not involve law enforcement.
Examples include minor scrapes, mechanical issues, or any situation that could lead to damage or safety concerns.
Report all incidents to the Transportation Coordinator within 2 hours. Campus Safety must also be notified if the incident is significant.
Submit an Incident Report
Damage
Use this category if you discover existing damage on a vehicle before or after your trip that was not caused during your use.
Photograph all damage and submit this form within 2 hours of discovery, before operating the vehicle.
Submit a Damage Report
Authorized drivers are responsible for conducting a walk-around inspection of the vehicle prior to departure. The following items should be inspected:
- Lights (headlights, directionals and tail lights) are functioning properly;
- No annunciator lights (check engine, etc.) appear on the vehicle’s dashboard
- Visually check the tires, make sure the tires appear to be adequately inflated and there are no fluid leaks underneath the vehicle
- Safety equipment (tire jack, spare tire, fire extinguisher) is available
- Verify the registration, insurance cards, and the Hamilton College accident report form are all present in the glove compartment
- Look for any interior and exterior damage or missing items.
- If any inspection deficiency is discovered prior to departure, notify the Student Transportation Office during business hours or Campus Safety after hours. Do not proceed with the trip until repairs or alternate accommodations can be made, if needed.
- Verify that the gas tank is full prior to departure. If the vehicle requires fuel a gas pump is available at Facilities Management. If the pump is locked contact Campus Safety and an Officer will unlock it for you.
If you encounter any damage during your pre-departure inspection submit a damage report & immediately notify the Transportation Coordinator, &/or Campus Safety.
Vehicles are to be returned to Facilities Management immediately upon conclusion of an authorized trip, following the discharge of any passengers.
All drivers are responsible for conducting a walk-around inspection of the vehicle following the completion of a trip, prior to returning the keys.
The following items should be inspected:
- Lights (headlights, directional and tail lights) are still functioning properly.
- No indicator lights (check engine, etc.) appear on the vehicle’s dashboard.
- Ensure tires remain filled & there is no liquid coming from the vehicle.
- Roll all windows up, ensure all doors are closed, fuel is refilled, all trash or debris is removed, and doors are locked - Return keys to campus safety, or the transportation department.
- Safety equipment (tire jack, spare tire, fire extinguisher) is still present (if any equipment needs to be replaced, immediately notify campus safety & the transportation department).
- Look for any interior and exterior damage or missing items. The cost of replacement or repair will be billed to the requesting group’s account if user negligence is determined.
- Check for any items left in the vehicle. Items left in vehicles should be brought to campus safety to submit to the lost and found.
- If the vehicle requires fuel, a gas pump is available at Facilities Management. If the pump is locked, contact Campus Safety and an Officer will unlock it for you.
If you encounter any damage during your inspection, THAT YOU DID NOT CAUSE submit a damage report & immediately notify the Transportation Coordinator, &/or Campus Safety.
If an incident occurs, you MUST submit an incident report.
And report the incident to BOTH Campus Safety & the Transportation coordinator as soon as possible, and no longer than 2 hours after an incident causing damage (of any kind).
12-Passenger Travel Vans
Hamilton College has specified vans available for scheduling college-related trips and can be requested by all authorized college departments and organizations. A fleet of nine 12-passenger vans are categorized into three priority groups, with three vans in each grouping: Academic, Athletic (including Varsity sports), and Student Activities (including all recognized student groups and clubs). These departments have priority over their van group up to 14 days before departure. For advance reservations (when requests are submitted before it is two weeks from the event date), valid van requests will be promptly confirmed and will utilize a van available within the correct priority grouping.
If the requesting organization does not fall within one of the priority groupings, or if all vans are already reserved within the appropriate priority grouping, then the request will remain on hold until it is within 14 days of the event date. Once within 14 days of the departure date, any available van can be reserved regardless of priority grouping, using a first-requested, first-served policy. Note that the request date is the date that all required information was fully and accurately submitted as a Van Reservation Request in the 25Live system. Groups are encouraged to request vans as far in advance as possible to avoid any conflicts with reservations.
Since the creation of the Student Transportation office, this department has been absorbing the cost of paying student vehicle operators when a bona fide college organization does not have a certified vehicle driver for their off-campus event. Due to increased costs, our budget can no longer support this expense. Therefore, please be advised of our updated policy, effective July 1, 2024. If your group does not have a certified driver and requests assistance with locating an available Student Transportation employee, we will do our best to find a driver for your event. However, it is not guaranteed. The cost of compensating the driver will be charged to your submitted budget account. This will be in addition to the cost of mileage.
If your vehicle reservation is required for less than four hours and Student Transportation has made arrangements for one of their employees to drive, the charge will be the current minimum wage times four hours. If you require a Student Transportation employed driver for more than four hours, the charge will be the current minimum wage times eight hours. The combined wages/mileage fee will be billed to your budget account.
Creating a Vehicle Request in 25Live Pro
- Confirmed van reservations will not be “bumped” or pulled, except in the event of mechanical difficulties that make the van unavailable, or in the event of emergency and/or weather-related events that make the trip inadvisable. Please remember that the vans may be scheduled for multiple trips on the same day, and groups are to avoid any foreseeable delays in departure or return times. Groups must also immediately notify the Student Transportation Office if they wish to cancel a reservation.
- All van requests should be coordinated by individual departments/organizations and submitted online in the 25Live event calendar by the responsible person(s) within each department. The Student Transportation Office is responsible for processing all submitted van requests. The requestor is responsible for providing accurate information regarding the event dates, the account to be charged, the authorized driver, and other information as required. Any request, and the information contained within, must be approved by the faculty member or administrator responsible for the activity. If the travel will be beyond a 25-mile radius from the college, the requesting organization or group should consider filling out a trip plan for adequate planning.
- College-owned vans are for College use only and provide support for academic, student activity, and intercollegiate programs. Faculty and administrative use of vans is authorized while on College business. A charge of $0.67 per mile will be made by the Student Transportation Office to the authorized departmental or organizational account as submitted with the van request. Any gas purchased is not reimbursed by the Student Transportation Office.
- Faculty and staff, who hold valid driver’s licenses, may drive College-owned vans for College purposes. An undergraduate must be designated as an authorized driver; the authorization process includes the completion of driver safety training, the completion of a driving evaluation, and a motor vehicle records check to ensure that the license holder has had no moving violations for the prior three years. Requests for student driver authorization (PDF) can be directed to the Student Transportation Office. Faculty and staff spouses may be authorized to drive College-owned vans for College purposes. A copy of the spouse’s driver’s license should be submitted to the Student Transportation Office at least 48 hours prior to the trip. A motor vehicle license check will be conducted to confirm that the license is valid and that the driver has a safe driving record (no moving violations for past three years). The Student Transportation Office is required to notify the College’s auto insurance carrier when a non-employee/non-student driver has been authorized to drive a College-owned van.
- Van requests will be reviewed while considering the general policies for van use. These policies have been developed to enhance the safety of each trip, and are to be enforced by the organization, faculty, administrator and/or student driver requesting and operating the van. Specific information regarding vehicle check-out/in procedures, trip planning, vehicle emergency actions and accident reporting procedures is listed below.
5-Passenger and 7-Passenger Vehicles
- A fleet of five smaller vehicles are also available for reservation for college-related trips and can be requested by all authorized college departments and organizations. These vehicles consist of one 5-passenger SUV and four 7-passenger mini-vans. Academics will have priority over vehicles up to 7 days before departure.
- These vehicles are now available in 25Live for reservation requests. The same guidelines for reserving the 12-passenger vans will also be in effect for the 5 and 7-passenger vehicles.
- The primary purpose for these vehicles are for short duration trips where a 12-passenger van is not needed to accommodate the size of the group and where a smaller vehicle will be more feasible. One department or organization will not be allowed to reserve multiple smaller vehicles for the same trip, a 12-passenger travel van should be requested if this is the case.
Hamilton students and employees are prohibited from operating any Hamilton vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.
This includes drivers where their ability to drive might be impaired by any medication they may be using.
- The consumption of alcoholic beverages or the use of controlled substances by passengers in a Hamilton vehicle is prohibited. It is the responsibility of the senior official present (i.e. team captain, athletic staff member, academic officer, professor, etc.) and/or the driver to enforce this policy.
- The presence of open containers of alcoholic beverages in Hamilton vehicles is in violation of the law and is strictly prohibited.
- Evidence of a violation will result in loss of the privilege to operate a Hamilton vehicle.
As a driver of a Hamilton College travel van, you are responsible for obeying college policies relating to the vehicle and its use as well as the laws of the jurisdictions in which you are driving. Any citations, fines, or tickets received as a result of a failure to obey the law will be your personal responsibility to pay.
- As the driver, you are responsible for the safety of the passengers in your vehicle. All passengers and the driver must wear a seat belt. Do not overload the vehicle. Ensure that the number of people in the vehicle does not exceed the number of seat belts available.
- Hamilton travel vans may only be used for the purpose assigned. Detours for the purpose of conducting personal business, for the driver or passengers, is prohibited.
- If the trip is cancelled for any reason, you must notify the Student Transportation Office immediately so that the vehicle can be reassigned to another waiting group. The vehicle is not to be used for any other purpose or by any other group.
- The driver is the official Hamilton College representative in the vehicle unless accompanied by a faculty or staff member in charge of the group. The driver is responsible for the conduct of all passengers and any damage that they may cause, unless the driver identifies the individual(s) who caused the damage. If any passengers refuse to comply with directions regarding the enforcement of these instructions or engage in distracting conduct affecting the safe operation of the vehicle while moving, the driver must refuse to move the vehicle until they desist. If necessary, the appropriate authorities should be requested to provide assistance. Passengers who participate in conduct that causes abnormal wear or damage to the vehicle will be subject to disciplinary action. Any damage resulting from such behavior must be reported by the driver.
- Drivers shall drive to and from their approved destination via the most direct and safe route under prevailing weather conditions.
- Faculty members or administrators who authorize student travel are responsible for the safety and welfare of the students on the trip scheduled—whether they accompany the students or not.
- Because driver fatigue is a major cause of automobile accidents, the following general rules apply to all trips:
- Individual drivers shall limit their driving time to a maximum of 6 hours per day.
- Groups shall not travel more than 14 hours per day, regardless of the number of drivers available for the trip or in the vehicle.
- Trips shall not depart from any location nor should driving take place between the hours 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Assigned drivers may not authorize or permit anyone else to operate the vehicle except other authorized assigned drivers. If you are the assigned driver and for any reason cannot drive for the event you were assigned to you must contact the person who scheduled the event. The person who scheduled the event in turn will notify Student Transportation so the change is noted on the reservation prior to the trip. If an alternate driver is required for a trip, arrangements should be made in advance and noted on the reservation.
- All cargo must be secured properly to prevent damage to seats, upholstery, glass, etc. Seats are to not to be removed by the driver or passengers. If the planned trip requires less seats, request this as part of the vehicle request, and Facilities Management will remove them prior to departure. No cargo shall be secured to the outside of any 12-passenger van. Any problems in accommodating unusual cargo must be referred to the Student Transportation Office who can assist you in finding a resolution.
- Bumper stickers and signs are not permitted. It is the driver’s responsibility to report these items if found anywhere in/on the vehicle.
- Failure to comply with these instructions or failure to exercise good judgment will result in temporary suspension or permanent revocation of your Hamilton driving privileges.
- If a vehicle is not returned at the proper time and another department incurs additional charges, your department will be charged.
- The travel vans are fitted with a GPS unit that is monitored by Hamilton College. The purpose of the GPS unit is to assist with the following.
- determining the exact location of the travel van in order to efficiently assist travelers in need of help.
- assist in the reconstruction of accident details.
- calculation of the mileage driven for cost recovery purposes.
- monitor vehicle speed.
Please note that information obtained from the GPS device may be used to enforce the rules outlined in this document. If a student driver is determined to be in violation of any safe driving expectations, policies or procedures, their driving privileges will be suspended pending an investigation.
