To:        All Faculty, Staff and Administrators

From:    Sherry Barnes, Director of Transportation and Parking

Date:     August 29, 2003

Re:        New Policies Affecting 15-passenger Vans

New policies for eligibility to drive university 15-passenger vans will go into effect September 8, 2003. To help maintain the continued safe use of these popular vans for university travel needs, several additions have been made to University Policy 47.001, Use of University Vehicles. Ohio University will be requiring the following additional conditions to operate a 15-passenger van while traveling for university business. Please note that some latitude will be given for the duration of fall quarter for ONLY the driver-training portion and the motor vehicle record checks. However, no exceptions to those policies will be granted after January 1, 2004. Further information on training dates and times will be forwarded.

New Policies for Operation of 15-passenger Vans for University Business:

1. All 15-passenger van drivers will be required to have successfully completed driver training through the appropriate van driver trainer course offered. (Training dates and times will be forwarded. No exception to this policy will be made after January 1, 2004).
2. Drivers of 15-passenger vans will be required to submit a copy of their motor vehicle driving record for a two-year period at the time of receiving training. Any individual that has received 10 or more points (according to Ohio University point values) over a two-year period will not be eligible to drive 15-passenger vans for a minimum of 12 months. At the end of the 12 month period, eligibility for driving a 15-passenger van will be contingent upon reinstatement of a valid state driver’s license, total points per the University’s MVR point system, and completion of an 8-hour defensive driving course. (No exception to this policy after January 1, 2004).
3. Seatbelts must be worn by all occupants in the van at all times.
4. The number of passengers will be limited to no more than ten when traveling off campus.
5. No driver should operate the vehicle for more than eight hours in a 24-hour period. The only exception would be individuals that possess a commercial driver’s license and they will be limited to no more than ten hours of driving with eight hours of non-driving.
6. No items are to be placed on the roof of 15-passenger vans unless previously approved by Transportation Services.
7. No cellular phone usage is permitted by the driver while operating a 15-passenger van. If the driver must use a cell phone, he/she must pull off the road safely and use the four-way flasher lights while stopped.
8. Travel between the hours of midnight and 6:00 am is discouraged. If you must travel in a 15-passenger van during these times, a navigator in the front passenger seat must be assigned who has successfully completed the van driver training. The navigator must remain awake while on duty. The driver and the navigator teams should be replaced after three hours of driving.
9. The hauling of trailers or external cargo is prohibited unless it is essential to the fulfillment of the academic mission, in which case, specific training tailored to hauling trailers must be completed. When possible, small compact trailers of 4’x8’ or smaller should be used (canoe trailers are an exception).
10. No eating while operating a 15-passenger van.
11. Any internal cargo that is placed in the van (luggage, equipment, etc.) is not to be loaded above the top of the seat level.