Students, organizations and others connected with The University of Alabama interested in using University vehicles instead of their own can access vans and other vehicles through the Fleet Services of the University’s Driver Safety and Vehicle Management Program.
Those looking to operate a University vehicle can do so after qualifying for driver requirements, filling out the Application for Use of a State Owned Automobile and paying a rental charge. Fleet Services provides options of a sedan, a seven passenger mini-van, a 12 passenger van or a cargo van.
Driver requirements include a minimum age of 21, no less than three years of driving experience, a valid driver’s license, signed authorization allowing the University to access the driver’s Motor Vehicle Record and completion of an online training program.
Once the paperwork is filed and the driver is cleared, Fleet Services provides the vehicle to be rented. The daily rates for renting sedans, seven passenger vans and 12 passenger vans are $49, $59 and $79 respectively.
Bob Pugh, director of Risk Management, said the vans are typically new, and they’re well maintained.
“They have the current equipment in the way of traction control, stability control, airbags; they’re more crash-worthy than the older vans,” Pugh said. “We know the history of the vans – we know if the van has had the oil changed, the brakes checked, the tires checked, air pressure, headlights, windshield wipers – all the little things so when you go to pick it up to take it on a trip, it’s ready to go.”
Organizations such as various sports clubs like women’s rugby and even the equestrian club use the well-serviced vans to their advantage. Coordinator of Sports Clubs, Wyant Boreson, explained the process of paperwork students have to undertake.
“The [students] turn in the request form, they’ll give it to me, I’ll fill out the necessary accounting information and I’ll send that to Fleet Services,” Boreson said. “We make sure the students fill out the MVR form as well with their information, and I’ll send that to Risk Management, and then the student is notified of the required online training course. It really just helps the time process, and if there’s missing information, I act as the contact for Risk Management.”
In addition to efficient time management and coordination, Fleet Services aims to provide excellent customer service, Barbara Grimes, office associate at the Community Service Center, said.
“We’ll sometimes go and pick up the vans at 6 in the morning before Fleet Services is even open, keep them for a week, and return them with no problems,” Grimes said. “They work very well with us on our reservations, even if we have to make a last-minute change, the director will try to work with us in solving the problems.”
Along with the vans Fleet Services provides, the University’s Driver Safety and Vehicle Management Program rents out other vehicles including cars, golf and utility carts, garbage trucks and even bucket trucks.
For more information about the Fleet Services, visit fleet.ua.edu.
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