The Ohio State University

The following is a quick informational guide for the procurement and use of University vehicles. The complete Rules and Regulations related to state fleet vehicles can be found at on our Fleet Policies and Procedures page.

Printable Version (pdf)

Vehicle Acquisition
Vehicles can be purchased, leased or donated. Acquisition of any motor vehicle requires approval of the authorizing department, Dean/Vice President or designee and the Director of Transportation & Parking Services prior to acquiring the vehicle.

• Purchased or leased vehicles - An approved Vehicle Acquisition form (for a pdf version, click here) and a requisition should be submitted to the Purchasing Department. A separate Vehicle Acquisition form must be used for each vehicle requested.
• Transfers of vehicles between departments must be submitted to Transportation & Parking Services by the appropriate Dean/Vice President or designee on an Intra Departmental Transfer Form. Transfer of vehicles acquired through the Research Foundation must have prior approval of The Ohio State University Research Foundation property administration.  For a list of vehicles available for transfer, please click here.
• Donated vehicles must have the specific circumstances of the donation agreement documented and approved by University Development.
• Vehicles provided by automobile dealerships, where the dealer retains title (Gift-in-Kind) are covered under a separate policy.

Gift-in-Kind Vehicles
Gift-vehicles donated to the University are titled in the name of The Ohio State University and are treated as any other state-owned vehicle. Provisions of the University’s Vehicle Acquisition and Use Policy apply.

Gift leased vehicles are documented by a formal lease agreement and treated as any other state leased vehicle. Provisions of the University’s Vehicle Acquisition and Use Policy apply.

Gift-in-Kind vehicles are provided for a specified period of time. The vehicle is usually assigned to a specific employee and the dealership or owner retains title. State license plates are not provided for these vehicles and University fuel options are not available. State license plates are not provided for these vehicles and University fuel options are not available. In addition the following requirements apply.

For more information on Gift-in-Kind Insurance Coverage and Driver Qualifications, please click here (pdf).

State Vehicle Use
No individual shall use any vehicle owned, loaned or leased to The Ohio State University for any purpose other than official University business. Usage of University vehicles must be documented on a mileage/use log (a log sheet can be found online or a department may develop their own). Vehicles classified as service vehicles (see below) are exempt from this requirement.

Service Vehicles are: clearly marked with an OSU logo; used on OSU property or within a defined service area 90% of the time; used (or the equipment on the vehicle is used) for maintenance or to provide service and support to field operations.

Personal use of a state vehicle is prohibited except when employees are required to travel for business on a regular basis, and it is inefficient and more costly to return to a central point and exchange a state vehicle for a personal vehicle. Personal use must be authorized in advance by the Vice President or Dean.

The University's Vehicle Rental should be used whenever possible for approved travel by automobile that originates from Columbus.

Vehicle Maintenance
Departments are responsible for making repairs as necessary to maintain the vehicle in compliance with University standards. Vehicles must be repaired and maintained by professional automotive technicians. Transportation & Parking Services will coordinate the annual inspection of all University vehicles in accordance with current inspection standards.

Transportation & Parking Services' Vehicle Maintenance

Fueling
University vehicles should be fueled at University facilities when feasible. If use of the University's fueling station is not feasible, or when the vehicle is to be used off campus or on extended trips, departments may apply for a commercial gasoline credit card. Use of the credit card is restricted to University vehicle fuel expenses and repairs. No other University credit card should be used to purchase fuel to avoid federal fuel tax charges.

Currently, the commercial gasoline credit card in use is called the “Voyager Card”. Voyager cards are accepted at most retail stations throughout the United States , and may be obtained by completing the Voyager Credit Card Application and submitting it to Transportation & Parking Services. It takes 2-3 weeks to obtain the card from the State upon receipt of the completed application.

You can help keep OSU Scarlet, Gray & Green by using alternative fuels in your vehicle. For a list of vehicles that participate in the Scarlet, Gray & Green Program, please click here (pdf).

NEW! Idling Guidelines
University employees have been asked to help minimize air pollution and maximize fuel efficiency by operating University vehicles and equipment in an environmentally and economically responsible manner.

It is known that:

• One hour of idling consumes approximately one gallon of fuel.
  
• Idling for one hour equates to approximately 33 miles of engine wear on a standard automobile.
  
• Idling contributes to poor air quality that may result in cost mandated controls.

In support of the OSU Scarlet, Gray & Green initiative, operators of University vehicles are being asked to:

• Not allow University vehicles and equipment to idle for any length of time unless idling the vehicle is necessary to accomplish work related tasks.
  
• Obey posted speed limits. Excessive speed reduces fuel economy, increases air pollution, creates hazardous driving conditions, and is unlawful.
  
• Plan and map out trips to minimize distances traveled.

For a full list of Idling Guidelines click here.

Driver License Requirements
Drivers must be associated with the University, be at least 18 years old, possess a valid US or Canadian driver's license and be approved by the department to drive University vehicles.

The Drivers Registration form should be completed prior to any operation of a state vehicle.

NEW! 15-Passenger Van Policy
Discontinuing the use of 15-passenger vans is necessary in light of the University’s concern for the safety and well being of its students, faculty, and staff. A phased approach through January 2013 will be used to implement this policy.

Effective March 1, 2007:

• 15-passenger vans cannot be purchased, leased (including renewal of current leases), rented or accepted as Gift vehicles
  
• 15-passenger or 12-passenger vans can no longer be used for towing; roof loading is prohibited
  
• 15-passenger vans cannot be used to transport more than 12 passengers
  
• Specifications for loading cargo must be followed
  
• Vans must be retrofitted with a stabilizer (when possible)
  
• Tire pressure must be checked before each trip

Click here for the complete 15-passenger van driver qualifications and training policy.

Accident Reporting
The University is self-insured, and in case of any accident - departments are responsible for the first $10,000 (per incident).

An accident is defined as any incident that causes damage to persons or property. An accident report must be filed with local authorities for any accident involving a vehicle that is owned, leased, donated or otherwise managed by the University if the accident results in personal injury to either party or results in property damage that equals or exceeds $400. Departments are required to report all accidents (even those not reported to local authorities) to Transportation & Parking Services within 48 hours after the occurrence.

Vehicle Reassignment or Disposal
Vehicles can be reassigned to another budget unit or disposed of completely. To reassign a vehicle, the Vehicle Reassignment Form should be completed and sent to Transportation & Parking within one week of transfer so that records can be updated.

To dispose of a state vehicle, a department should complete the State Vehicle Disposal form and bring it to Transportation & Parking Services when the vehicle is dropped off. On the second Wednesday of each month, Transportation & Parking Services will display vehicles that are being disposed of by one department and are eligible for intra-departmental transfer.

If there is no interest from another OSU entity, the vehicle will be auctioned off and the proceeds returned to the department. (Please note that there is a $50.00 charge from T&P for titling work and a commission that goes to the auction house for their services.)

Helpful Links
All forms listed on this page can be found on our forms page. They are in pdf format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 to open. You may download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.

Record Keeping
Transportation & Parking Services maintains all legal documents pertaining to the titling, registration, and transfer of all University owned vehicles. T&P is the designated reporting agency for the University to the State of Ohio Department of Administrative Services and is charged with providing regular reports to the State related to OSU fleet status, so it is important that all data related to mileage, fueling, repairs and use or a change in fleet status is provided to T&P at the time of the vehicle's annual safety inspection.

Transportation & Parking Services is also responsible for monitoring and ensuring that the mechanical, safety, and appearance conditions of each vehicle meets the University's standards and confirm that the using department is maintaining the vehicle according to the prescribed service schedule. If vehicle maintenance is provided by T&P's Vehicle Repair, no further record transfer is necessary. If vehicle maintenance is provided by any other agency (University or private) – it is necessary for all maintenance records to be copied and sent to T&P for inclusion into the database on a regular basis.

By having a centralized data bank, information can be provided to departments regarding the use and costs of state vehicles on a regular or as-needed basis. Standard reports such as cost per mile analysis, total annual cost of operation for a particular vehicle or the departmental fleet can be easily run upon request. Information regarding maintenance forecasting, useful life of a vehicle and budget estimations for annual repair and maintenance is also available.

Please contact John Marlow at 247-7808 or Marlow.25@osu.edu with any questions related to the record keeping process or with requests for information.

If you have questions, concerns or need additional information, please refer to our Contact page or you can e-mail tpinfo@osu.edu.