POLICY ON MOTOR VEHICLE USE FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Board of Regents (BOR) has a motor vehicle use policy to ensure all employees who drive State of Georgia vehicles have appropriate training and documentation to operate a vehicle.  http://www.usg.edu/hr/manual/motor_vehicle_use/

BOR employees and UGA volunteers are covered under the Georgia Tort Claims Act (O.C.G.A. 50-21-20 et. seq.).  Therefore, this policy applies to all UGA volunteers who are driving a vehicle as part of a structured program organized, controlled and directed by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia by and on behalf of the University of Georgia – Division of Student Affairs (UGA-SA).  This policy will require screening, documentation, and training based on the nature of the driving requirements associated with the UGA-SA volunteer’s assigned duties.

To establish guidelines and policy governing the use of State of Georgia Vehicles and/or rental vehicles by UGA-SA volunteers for the purpose of conducting UGA-SA business.

Given the varied nature of structured volunteer programs at UGA-SA, volunteers participating in these programs may have assignments that involve driving a motor vehicle to accomplish institution business.  In an effort to provide a safe environment and reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents which occur during the operation of UGA-SA programs, the UGA-SA has established this Motor Vehicle Use Policy which sets driving qualification standards for UGA-SA volunteer drivers and requires training and other appropriate action for volunteers who fall outside these standards.

All units within UGA-SA are covered by this policy.

Specifically, this policy applies to all UGA-SA volunteers who drive on UGA-SA business regardless of frequency of driving.

All Student Affairs Leadership Team members, unit managers and directors within areas which use volunteers to carry out driving responsibilities should be familiar with this policy.  Additionally, all volunteers within the UGA-SA units who drive on UGA-SA business should be aware of this policy.

UGA Risk Management
Vance Silcott
706-425-3083
vsilcott@uga.edu

UGA Student Affairs
Amanda Patterson
706-542-3564
amandabp@uga.edu

• Consent for a Background Investigation Process
• Georgia Liability Insurance Card
• DOAS Training Resources

These definitions apply to these terms as they are used in this policy:

State of Georgia Vehicle:  A vehicle purchased through state funds or rented or leased using state funds.  For the purposes of this policy, a State of Georgia vehicle also includes institution-owned or controlled vehicles.

Motor Vehicle Record:  A report from the agency that issues driver’s licenses, listing accidents and violations that appear on the driver’s record.

Driver’s License:  A valid license for operating a motor vehicle.

Rental Vehicle: A vehicle in which the use of the vehicle involves an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of the vehicle; which is owned by another person or company.  The owner of the vehicle may be referred to as the lessor and the party paying to use the property as the lessee or renter.

DOAS:  The Department of Administrative Services is a state agency that offers centralized state purchasing and associated training, management of the State’s fleet, risk management services, mail and courier service, and the redistribution and disposal of State personal property.

Driver:  The operator of a motor vehicle

Driver Training: At a minimum, a UGA-SA volunteer driver must watch the “Driving Do’s and Don’ts Training” video, viewable online at http://doas.ga.gov/risk-management/risk-management-education-and-training/driving-dos-and-donts-training. Additionally, depending on the specific circumstances of the volunteer driving opportunity, UGA-SA departments may require additional training.

Volunteer:  An individual who has signed a volunteer agreement to perform duties as part of a structured program organized, controlled and directed by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia by and on behalf of the University of Georgia – Division of Student Affairs (UGA-SA).  Any UGA-SA volunteer driver must be at least 18 years of age and comply with any additional requirements of the source of the State of Georgia vehicle.

Travel Day:  A day on the itinerary which contains at least 5 or more hours of motor vehicle driving time to or from a program site.

Non-Travel Day: A day on the itinerary which is spent at or around the program location during which participants perform structured activities in accordance with a pre-approved itinerary, which contains less than 5 hours of scheduled driving time on the itinerary.

It is expected that all volunteers with driving responsibilities for UGA-SA programs who wish to use State of Georgia vehicles, institution owned or controlled vehicles, or rental vehicles for UGA-SA business usage should be appropriately licensed and meet acceptable driving standards as defined within the policy. 

Screening

All UGA-SA volunteers who sign up for special purpose driving (for specific UGA-SA events) must sign a volunteer agreement each fiscal year and shall be subject to annual training regardless of frequency and location of driving.  Further, all UGA-SA volunteer drivers shall be required to complete the Driver Acknowledgement Form on an annual basis and shall be subject to an annual MVR History check prior to operating State of Georgia vehicles for UGA-SA business. Special purpose driving is defined as travel required by a UGA-SA structured program; which may include travel for professional and/or leadership development, meeting attendance, workshops, conferences, retreats, community service projects, etc.  UGA-SA personnel will submit the Consent for Background Investigation form to UGA Human Resources.  UGA HR will determine driver eligibility based on the results of a review of the UGA-SA volunteer’s motor vehicle record.  Ultimate approval to be a UGA-SA volunteer driver rests solely within UGA personnel’s discretion based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the following: how long a volunteer has had a license to drive a vehicle; the skills exhibited by the volunteer during a field test; and the successful completion of the requisite driver training.

Driver Qualifications

The Driver Acknowledgement Form will be reviewed by an institutionally designated officer.  Each volunteer must initial next to each safety standard on the form to be deemed eligible to drive.

UGA-SA volunteers must have a valid license in their possession while operating a vehicle on UGA-SA business.

As mentioned above, UGA Human Resources will review a UGA-SA volunteer’s motor vehicle record to determine driver eligibility.  A UGA-SA volunteer with a driver’s license that is expired, suspended, or revoked is not permitted to drive on UGA-SA business until the license is reinstated.  ALL volunteers who drive on UGA-SA state business are REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE any license expiration, suspension, or revocation.

Any UGA-SA volunteer charged with the following offenses are not permitted to drive on UGA-SA business until disposition of the charges:

1. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
2. Driving While Intoxicated
3. Leaving the scene of an accident
4. Refusal to take a chemical test for intoxication
5. Aggressive Driving
6. Exceeding speed limit by more than 19 mph

All UGA-SA volunteers who drive on UGA-SA business are REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE receipt of the above charges by submitting a Driver Notification Form no later than the business day following the charges.

Following disposition of the charges, UGA-SA personnel will consult with UGA HR to determine the UGA-SA volunteer’s eligibility.

Itinerary/Driving Time Guidelines for Volunteer Drivers

All programs which require volunteer drivers must have a detailed itinerary.  The itinerary must be pre-approved by the program’s advisor and UGA Risk Management Services.  When the UGA employee responsible for the program is planning the itinerary, it is extremely important to consider the following guidelines governing driving time by volunteer drivers.  (PLEASE NOTE: These time restraints do not apply to UGA employees driving vehicles in accordance with their job description and responsibilities; these time restraints only apply to UGA-SA volunteer drivers.)

Driving Guidelines for Travel Days

A single UGA-SA volunteer driver and/or combination of UGA-SA volunteer drivers may NOT drive more than ten (10) total hours in one travel day.  All driving by volunteer drivers on Travel Days must occur between the hours of 6 am to 8 pm.  Any unforeseen circumstance that arises which would cause volunteer driver(s) to drive beyond this time frame MUST be discussed with and pre-approved by the UGA program advisor.  Each circumstance will be considered on a case-by-case basis and volunteer drivers MUST adhere to the directions of the UGA program advisor at all times.

Driving Guidelines for Non-Travel Days

All UGA-SA volunteer drivers must strictly adhere to the pre-approved program itinerary.  To ensure DOAS coverage, any deviations from the pre-approved itinerary caused by anticipated circumstances MUST be discussed and MUST be pre-approved by UGA-SA personnel prior to the modified activity.  Further, deviations caused by  unforeseen events which happen during the program MUST be discussed with and MUST be approved by the UGA program advisor as soon as possible after the unforeseen event causing a disruption of the itinerary.  

Forms

• UGA Volunteer Agreement
• Driver Acknowledgement Form
• UGA-SA Accident Follow-up Checklist Form
• DOAS Driver Safety Tips (to be used in conjunction with annual training)