MAXIVAN RENTAL AND TRAININGFleet Services wants to remind everyone about a provision of the Fleet Safety Program that requires all drivers to be experienced in the types of vehicles that are leased or rented from the department. This provision states that the driver "...has reasonable experience driving the type of vehicle being used, and could reasonably be expected to operate the vehicle in a safe and prudent manner." Please refer to Part V., Chapter 19.5 of the University Operations Manual.
This has become an issue with our maxivan fleet. This type of vehicle is so different from driving a car and since the passenger capacity is greater than a car, we need to feel confident in the abilities of the operator to ensure the safety of the passengers. Because a maxivan is unique in size and handling, most people will not be able to demonstrate adequate experience (driving a maxivan or larger vehicle several times per month) that would allow us to release the vehicle without some additional training. We know many programs have counted on using these vehicles, so we have developed a training program that will meet our requirements enabling students, faculty and staff to safely operate these vehicles.
The maxivan training program consists of watching a videotape, completing a workbook and taking a familiarization drive. Additionally, Student Organization groups will need to complete the Defensive Driving Course. For your convenience, the training videos may be checked out from Fleet Services for a 24-hour period (Call 4-0564 to reserve the video and appropriate number of workbooks). After completion of the workbooks (and return of the workbooks to Fleet Services), the group will need to contact Fleet Services to schedule a familiarization drive. This drive will be conducted by cambus driver trainers and will emphasize the concepts described in the video. The familiarization drive will be conducted on an as-needed basis. To reserve a time, call Fleet Services 1week before you would like to schedule the training. This allows cambus the time to schedule enough trainers for the session. The cost of the program depends upon the number of participants. The maxivan training course is $5.00 per person with a minimum charge of $10.00 and a maximum group size of 6 persons for the driving experience.
If you have any questions regarding the policy or the van training requirements please call 384-0564.
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