Vehicle Usage Policy

Policy Author:
Employee Engagement

Responsible Office – Department:
Employee Engagement / Campus Safety

Effective Date of Policy:

It is expected that before a Daemen University vehicle is reserved, driven, or occupied, users
make themselves aware of the following guidelines.

The Division of Student Affairs coordinates all transportation requests from faculty members,
student groups and other offices. This program is managed by the Campus Safety staff. The
University vans may be used by any organization, residence hall, or group recognized by the
University, according to the following guidelines; use of the vans is a privilege, not a right. This
privilege is subject to van availability. The Director of Campus Safety, or designee, reserves the
right to deny requests based upon anticipated need or requested purpose. Those who abuse
the privilege, as determined by the University, may be prohibited from using the vans. Any
groups denied use of the vans may appeal to the Assistant Dean for Campus Safety and
Operations, or their designee.

Special notes:
Mask Usage/ Vaccination requirements – (as of 9/2022) Mask usage is optional, masks will not
be provided by the driver or by Campus Safety. There are currently no restrictions in regards to
vaccination status.

GUIDELINES

1. Requests for use of a van must be made at least 7 days in advance using the online
   form. Last-minute requests may be denied. Vans are reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis;
   however, official use of the vans by the University has priority over the use of vans by student
   groups and organizations. The request form can be found HERE
2. Any changes or cancellations must be communicated to Campus Safety as soon as
   known; failure to do so or last-minute cancellations or changes may affect future request
   approval. To submit a change or cancellation, please contact 716-839-7233 or by email at
   campussafety@daemen.edu.
3. Drivers of a University van are required to be Daemen employees who have completed
   the “authorized driver” process through the office of Employee Engagement. Drivers must be
   free of any driving-related convictions and have no current, unsatisfied social sanctions pending
   at the University. The Assistant Dean for Campus Safety (or designee) may approve or deny, at
   his/her discretion, any requests to become an authorized driver, or to temporarily or
   permanently remove employees from the authorized driver list.
4. If a group does not have an approved driver, a driver must be requested at the time of
   the original van reservation request (at least 7 days prior to the date of the trip) However, we
   cannot guarantee that a driver will be available for your trip. If a driver is supplied, the group will
   be charged for the driver’s services (minimum charge of 3 hours), at a rate of $15.00/per hour.
   Once a driver has been scheduled for your trip, any cancellations or changes must be made at
   least 5 days before the scheduled trip or your group may be charged accordingly.

5. The vans can be used for travel in and around the vicinity of Daemen University and no
   further than a 75 mile distance from the University. The van is not allowed to leave the country
   (i.e. trips to Canada are prohibited). Trips outside the 75 mile radius must receive special
   approval.
6. Keys to the vans may be signed-out at the Campus Safety Desk in the John R. Yurtchuk Student Center. The employee making the request will receive a confirmation via email. A copy of the confirmation, along with a passenger list, must be brought to Campus Safety when signing-out the keys.
7. Only members of the Daemen community may ride in the University vans. To use the
   van, your group MUST consist of at least 4 people and cannot exceed the legal capacity of the
   van.
8. The group is responsible for ensuring that all doors are locked and all windows are
   closed whenever the van is left unattended. Do not leave anything of value in the Daemen Vans;
   we are not responsible for any lost or stolen items.
9. When arriving back to campus, the driver will return the van to the proper parking area
   and ensure the van is locked and secure. The keys must be returned to the Campus Safety
   Desk.
10. All fuel costs are the responsibility of the group using the van. Vans MUST be returned
    with a full fuel tank. The ending gas level MUST be reported to Campus Safety upon return of
    the keys. When necessary, the group using the van may be billed for additional fuel costs if the
    van is returned with low fuel. Future ability to reserve the van may be denied if the van is
    returned near empty.
11. The group must remove any debris from the van interior. The group may be charged for
    any damages and may be restricted from any further use if determined necessary.
12. A group may be denied the use of a van at the discretion of the Director of Campus
    Safety, Assistant Dean of Campus Safety and Operations or the Vice President of Strategic
    Initiatives if: the group requesting a van plans to attend a bar or other social event where the
    activity will include the consumption of alcohol, the presence of the Daemen van will reflect
    negatively on the College; and/or the van is requested for use beyond midnight, without good
    cause, or for any other reason that the above listed personnel find reasonable or necessary.
13. Drivers are responsible for following all motor vehicle regulations and laws. The driver,
    or authorizing department will be responsible for any toll, fines, fees or penalties associated with
    your trip.
14. If the distance of your trip requires 6 or more hours of driving, multiple approved drivers
    will be required. A driver can only drive 4 hours continuously, after which a driver change or a
    minimum 20 minute break (to include stepping out of the van) is required. If only one approved
    driver is available, after that 20 minute break, the driver may only drive for an additional 2 hours.
15. Riders are responsible for wearing their seatbelts at all times in the vehicles.
16. Food or beverages are allowed in the vans, however any leftover debris could result in a
    cleaning fee being assessed to the group and/or future restrictions from van use.
17. Groups using a van overnight must be accompanied by a faculty or administrative
    person employed by the University on a full-time basis.
18. Van drivers/passengers cannot drink alcohol nor use drugs which can affect driving
    performance during the entire time that they have possession of a van. Alcohol, smoking or
    vaping are NOT PERMITTED inside a Daemen vehicle.
19. Any negative incidents and/or legal infractions involving the van may result in restrictions
    in use or complete revocation of the van-use privilege.
20. In the case of an accident, follow the Accident Protocol, which can be found in the van.
    These policies may be changed or revised only at the discretion of the Director of Campus
    Safety, Assistant Dean for Campus Safety and Operations or the Vice President of Strategic
    Initiatives.