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CHAPTER 7. PERSONNEL - GENERAL

The University of Texas at Austin                   Policy Memorandum 7.601
Office of the President                             July 1, 1991

SUBJECT: GUIDELINES FOR DRIVERS OF UNIVERSITY-OWNED VEHICLES AND MAINTENANCE OF UNIVERSITY-OWNED VEHICLES

DRIVERS

A. The University of Texas System has established guidelines for drivers of University-owned vehicles and a required maintenance program for University vehicles. The basic features of these guidelines and maintenance requirements are described below.

All University employees who may be called upon to drive a University vehicle shall have a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check as required by law (Article 6687b, Section 37, V.A.C.S.) and shall be assigned a driver rating as indicated below. The records will be obtained and maintained by the Office of the Business Manager. Establishment and maintenance of driver ratings will be the responsibility of the Office of Personnel Services and Employee Relations (OPSER). An acceptable rating to drive a University vehicle shall be a 2 or above. An employee with a rating of 3 must attend a driver's training refresher class before being returned to an approved status. Any employee with a rating of 4 or 5 shall not be eligible to operate a University vehicle.

Rating (Based on last 3 years of driving experience)

1. Superior--no traffic citations or motor vehicle accidents

2. Good--no more than 1 moving traffic citation and 1 motor vehicle accident (Not at fault)

3. Marginal--no more than 2 moving traffic citations, 2 motor vehicle accidents (not at fault) or 1 at-fault motor vehicle accident

4. Probationary status--anything in excess of Marginal rating. A six-month watch is indicated and MVRs checked at six month intervals.

5. Unacceptable--any driver whose MVR shows any one of the following records is not acceptable:

a. Three or more accidents (regardless of fault) in the last three years.

b. One or more Type A violations in the last three years

c. Any combination of accidents and Type B violations which equal four or more in the last three years

d. An operator's license that has been suspended or revoked within the past three years.

Type A Violations

1. Driving while intoxicated

2. Driving under the influence of drugs

3. Negligent homicide arising out of the use of a motor vehicle

4. Operating a motor vehicle during a period of suspension or revocation of an operator's license

5. Using a motor vehicle for the commission of a felony

6. Aggravated assault with a motor vehicle

7. Operating a motor vehicle without the owner's authority

8. Permitting an unlicensed person to drive

9. Reckless driving

10. Speed contest

11. Hit and run (Bodily Injury and Physical Damage) driving

Type B Violations

All moving violations not listed as Type A violations

B. An MVR shall be obtained on all employees whose job duties would include driving a University-owned vehicle:

1. Prior to employment

2. At least every three years thereafter

3. If the employee has been involved in an accident

4. If the employee receives a moving traffic violation

C. The Office of the Business Manager shall maintain a list of all regular University drivers. Driver training for each employee is required on a periodic basis in addition to counseling/training for any University driver involved in a motor vehicle accident or who has received a moving traffic citation. Driver training will be the responsibility of The University Police Department. Driver training can include, but is not limited, to

1. Defensive Driving

2. One-day seminars on driving improvement

3. Driver training videos on specific driving skills in which the driver may be deficient

VEHICLE MAINTENANCE

A. Mileage Logs ("Daily Report of Use of Stae-Owned Motor Vehicles") will continue to be required in accordance with existing procedures. Most departments enter mileage by means of a terminal, using the *BMDRIV application.

B. A maintemance record for each vehicle indicating its repair/maintenance history, will be maintained by the automotive shop. These records should include:

1. Year, make, model, vehicle identification number, license number, University number (3 digits), and University inventory number

2. A history of maintenance provided, including:

a. Date of all fluid changes

b. Date of annual inspections

c. Mileage at the time of maintenance/repair

d. Brief description of work accomplished Effective immediately, for purposes of complying with the new guidelines, all maintenance on university vehicles is to be performed by the automotive shop or by a commercial repair shop selected by the automotive shop. This requirement does not apply to vehicles located outside of Austin, nor to vehicles in travel status outside the headquarter city, but the maintenance check list required of vehicles operated in Austin must be maintained.

C. A reminder letter will be sent to the appropriate departments notifying of impending inspections/maintenance.

D. When the vehicle is brought to the automotive shop for inspection/maintenance, a maintenance check list will be completed. A copy of this check list will be provided to the appropriate department and a copy retained by the automotive shop.