Driver Authorization Program

Travel Utilizing Fleet, Rental or Personal Vehicles Policies and Procedures


General Information

The purpose of this information is to provide procedures regarding driving requirements that must be met to be authorized to use a state/university owned, leased, rented or personally owned vehicle on university business.

It is critical that those making the determination on the need to drive remember that driving any vehicle on university business is not a right but a privilege. Vehicle use entails a wide variety of risk exposure which affect the liability, property and worker's compensation experience of the university.  We control these exposures through the use of a driver authorization program.

It is appropriate to drive when the purpose of the trip fits the mission of the university or the official business of the university is carried out as a result of the trip. Anyone driving on state business must be an active officer, employee or LTE, currently enrolled student, or specified agent. A valid relationship between UW-Parkside and the driver must be in place prior to being authorized.

Coverage for use of university-owned vehicles is restricted to our University Self-Funded Liability Program. It is a requirement that anyone driving on behalf of the university must have an approved Driver Authorization Form on file in the Safety-Risk Management Office prior to departure.

When driving a personal vehicle on university business, the vehicle owner's personal coverage is primary. The State liability protection applies on an excess basis only. The State liability and property program do not provide coverage for non-university vehicles. The vehicle owner should contact their personal insurance company to determine how coverage will be applied for business use of their vehicle.

In general, non-employee and non-agent passengers are not allowed to ride in vehicles being used on university business due to the additional liability exposure which they pose. Contact the Safety-Risk Management Office for further information.

Vehicle Use

12/15 Passenger Vans:  12/15 passenger vans are not allowed for passenger transportation at UW-Parkside; exceptions may be granted under strict adherence to rules provided by UW System Administration-Office of Safety and Loss Prevention.

Driving out of state and in other countries: Contact the Safety-Risk Management Office.

Approved Use and Non-approved Vehicle Use for University Business:

University owned, leased, rental or a personal vehicle may only be used for official university business. Examples of approved use include:

  •    
  • Conference, meeting, events which are university-related.
  • Education and professional development programs with required training off-campus.
  • Volunteer programs that are under the direct supervision of the university, the program provides substantial benefit to the university, and where an agent agreement has been approved by the Safety-Risk Management Office.
  • Student organization trips when the purpose fits the mission of the university.
  • Department business errands.


Examples of non-approved use include:

  • Individual research projects or course work primarily for the personal benefit of a student working toward a degree.   
  • Student organization trips when the purpose is not in alignment with the mission of the university.   
  • Fraternity/sorority trips not related to student participation in institutional governance.


Minimum Driving Requirements:

  • Must have a valid operator's license; new residents to Wisconsin must obtain a WI driver's license within 60 days of residence; 30 days if the person holds a CDL.
  • Must have minimum of two years licensed driving experience (not including instructional or probationary experience).
  • Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.


Driver Disqualification:

  • Three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents in the past two years.
  • An Operating While Intoxicated (OWI)/Driving Under the Influence (DUI) citation within 12 months.
  • Expired license.
  • Suspension or revocation of driver's license.
  • Possession of an occupational license only.
  • Less than two years driving experience.
  • License reinstated for less than one year.


UW-Parkside Driver Authorization Process

The UW-Parkside Driver Authorization Form must be fully completed and signed by the applicant and the Dean, Director or other authorized party making the request.

The State of Wisconsin Fleet Policies and Procedures, which are attached to the driver authorization form, are to be reviewed before driver authorization can be granted.

Please Note: By signing the Driver Authorization Form you are agreeing to inform your supervisor and the campus Safety-Risk Officer whenever any negative change in the status of your driving record may occur. Any negative change in the status of your driving record may result in the revocation of the privilege of driving on university business.

Once completed, the form must be forwarded to the Safety-Risk Management Office (Tallent Hall 188). A driving record check will be completed and the request will be approved or denied. The Driver Authorization Form should be submitted at least two weeks in advance of travel since late requests may not be processed in time of the intended departure.

Out of State License Holders:  Applicants with a non-Wisconsin driver's license must annually obtain and submit a current driving record from their home state along with the Driver Authorization Form. Contact the state's Department of Transportation to request a driving record (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/webstate.htm)A state fee may apply and is the driver's responsibility to pay. For Illinois, contact the Safety-Risk Management Office for the procedure to obtain a driving record at no cost. The entire process can take 10-15 days; please allow enough time for processing prior to needing to drive.

Applicants From Other Countries: the only acceptable international driving permit is from Canada. Any driver who has an out-of-country license and is requesting approval to drive on university business must pursue a Wisconsin driver's license.

Upon receipt of the Driver Authorization Form, the applicant's motor vehicle record will be checked and compared to the driving requirements established by UW-Parkside, UW-System Administration and the State of Wisconsin.

Notification of driving status for officers, employees, LTE's will be emailed to the employee and the supervisor will be copied. Notification for students, agents, volunteers will be emailed to the supervisor.

Denied Driver Authorization

If an applicant's request to drive has been denied, the applicant's supervisor can appeal the denial by writing to the Safety-Risk Officer with information as to why it is critical to the mission of the Department that the applicant drive. The appeal will be reviewed and the supervisor will be notified of the decision.

Revocation of Driver Authorization

Driving records are checked upon initial authorization request and then monthly by the Department of Administration. If an applicant's authorization is revoked, the applicant's supervisor can appeal the revocation by writing to the Safety-Risk Officer with information as to why it is critical to the mission of the Department that the applicant drive. The appeal will be reviewed with consultation from the UW-System Administration Office of Safety and Loss Prevention and the supervisor will be notified of the decision.

Travel Utilizing Fleet, Rental or Personal Vehicles

Personal Vehicle Insurance Coverage and Limitations

Any employee driving a personal vehicle on university business needs to have an approved Driver Authorization Form on file in the Safety-Risk Management Office.

Please keep in mind that if you were to be involved in an accident, any damages to your car are covered by your own auto insurance and you are responsible for your deductible. Additionally, your personal auto liability insurance would have to provide coverage for medical expenses and other liability.  The State liability program only provides coverage for amounts in excess of the employee's auto liability insurance if the state employee was negligent and was within the scope of employment when the accident occurred.

In many cases, auto insurance policies contain "business use" exclusion clauses and do not provide coverage if you are driving your personal vehicle on work-related business. It is the responsibility of each employee to contact his or her insurance agent to determine if "business use" coverage is necessary before driving their own vehicles for business purposes.

Personal Vehicle Reimbursement Rates

You are required to have an approved Driver Authorization Form on file in the Safety-Risk Management Office to be reimbursed for mileage while driving your personal vehicle on official business.  Per UW system's Travel Regulations on the usage of privately owned vehicles, the mileage reimbursement rate for use of a personal vehicle is .51 cents per mile for round trip mileage of 100 miles or less and 35.2 cents per mile if over 100 miles.  Non availability rates are no longer available due to the closure of the campus Facilities Management fleet operation in 2012.

An additional 1¢ per mile may be reimbursed to an employee for transporting two or more passengers in addition to the driver in a privately owned vehicle, provided the passengers are also engaged in UW business. The names of employee passengers must be listed on the TER of the driver when seeking reimbursement in excess of the standard reimbursement rate.

The allowable reimbursement for the use of a privately owned vehicle or motorcycle shall not exceed the lowest cost of the most practical means of public transportation (railroad, bus or commercial airplane) between such locations. A cost comparison between driving and the most practical means of public transportation should be provided; this is usually the lowest logical airfare plus estimated ground transportation costs.

Charges for repairs, tow service, locksmith services, jump starts, lubrication, traffic citations, parking tickets, etc. are the employee's responsibility and are not reimbursable.

Rental Policies and Procedures

In lieu of using your personal vehicle you may choose to rent a vehicle.  Sometimes a rental car can be less costly than using a personal vehicle and should be used when this is the case.  The Travel Cost Calculator can be used for this determination or contact the campus Travel Administrator.

The State of Wisconsin has contracts with Enterprise, Hertz, and National for discounted rates. Employees who rent vehicles must use the contract vendors for business trips that involve only incidental personal use of the vehicle and where the driver and all passengers are on UW business. The Big 10 also has a contract with National that may be used for personal trips and should be used for business trips that include more than incidental personal mileage and/or where there is an accompanying non-employee (spouse, family, etc.) who is not traveling on UW business. Refer to Appendix C for a listing of the contract vendors, rate plans, and insurance coverage. When a contract vendor cannot provide the needed service, documentation to support using a non-contract vendor must be attached to the payment mechanism.

The contract vendors include free collision and liability insurance for most rentals. If it is necessary to rent from a non-contract vendor, or if the contract vendor does not provide insurance for that location, collision and liability insurance must be purchased. Employees should verify that the State/UW's contract ID number is referenced on the rental agreement to assure contract coverage. All other types of insurance are not reimbursable. Questions involving additional insurances should be directed to the Safety-Risk Management Office or the Travel Administrator.

Other equipment and services (including roadside assistance protection, GPS, and vendor refueling) are not contracted for and will not be paid or reimbursed unless there is an exception.

Employees must provide UW identification to receive State Rental contract rates. Student drivers must present the State of Wisconsin tax exemption and contract letter to the rental vendor as approval to rent a vehicle under the State contract.

When the reimbursement is presented for payment with paperwork or audit at the procurement card level, driver authorization will be checked. If you are found to not be an authorized driver, you will be denied payment of these expenses. If you placed the charge on the university procurement card, you will be asked to reimburse the state for the non-allowed expense.

Other Considerations For Rental Vehicles

Liability protection when using our contract vendors is automatic for local and domestic rentals as long as the driver is listed on our Approved Driver Database and the vehicle is being used exclusively on university business. Please reference the Rental Vehicle Contract Decision Flow Chart for additional considerations when using a rental vehicle.

Common mistakes rental drivers make include:

  • Allowing someone not listed on the contract to drive.
  • Failure to purchase insurance when using a non-contract vendor. (Please Note: A non-contract vendor can be used when a contract vendor is not available.)        
    • Failure to check if insurance coverage is available when using the P-Card.
    • Failure to notify the P-Card provider within 20 days of an accident.
    •    

The state purchasing card or the U.S. Bank travel card must be used for payment of car rental costs. The original rental agreement and receipts for gas purchases must be submitted for reimbursement with usage of the U.S. Bank travel card.

Departments are responsible for ensuring drivers are authorized by referencing the Approved Driver Database or by contacting the Safety-Risk Management Office.

Vehicle Accident/Damage Reporting

Campus Vehicle - Call the police having jurisdiction to file a report. Check the glove box for a vehicle accident kit and follow the instructions. Notify the Safety-Risk Management Office as soon as possible for further information. Complete the Vehicle Accident/Incident Report Form.  Submit the form to the Safety-Risk Management Office.

Rental Vehicle - Call the police having jurisdiction to file a report. Notify the rental company. The rental company will manage any claim. Notify the Safety-Risk Management Office as soon as possible. Complete the Vehicle Accident/Incident Report Form which is attached to the rental contract. Submit a copy of the form to the Safety-Risk Management Office.

Personal vehicle - Call the police having jurisdiction to file a report. Contact your personal insurance agent. Notify the Safety-Risk Management Office as soon as possible. Reminder: vehicle owner's insurance is primary in the event of an accident/incident.

Other Information

Authorization Term: Authorized drivers from the State of Wisconsin will have their driving records checked monthly. Authorization ends when the driver fails to meet the minimum driving standards, when the Safety-Risk Management Office is notified to inactivate, or when employment is terminated.

Student Authorizations: Expire annually on June 30th. After June 30th, a new Driver Authorization Form will need to be submitted to the Safety-Risk Management Office for review to determine eligibility.

Agents/Volunteers: Are authorized for their term of service and may be authorized for a maximum of one year. After expiration of term, a new Driver Authorization Form will need to be submitted to the Safety-Risk Management Office for review to determine eligibility.

Definitions

  • "Employee" - Officer, Staff, Faculty, LTE, Project personnel.
  • "Student Driver" - University of Wisconsin currently enrolled students, including student employees.
  • "Volunteer/Agent Driver" - An individual other than a student or employee who is officially registered as a university volunteer in the Safety-Risk Management Office.
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