2.8.1.1 Vehicle Use Policy Supplement

Policy Statement

This supplement to the vehicle use policy applied to all college vehicles, rental, state fleet and privately owned vehicles driven by students for official activity.

Policy Manager and Responsible Department or Office

Procurement/ Controllers Office/ Business Affairs

Departments/Offices Affected by the Policy

This policy affects all departments and offices of the College of Charleston. 

Policy 

Purpose

This document is a supplement to the Vehicle Use Policy for Conducting The Official Business of The College of Charleston.1 The purpose of this supplement is to detail the standards and requirements of the College for student drivers of a College Vehicle, Rental Vehicle, State Fleet Vehicle, or Privately Owned Vehicle while conducting an official activity of the College.

Scope

The Vehicle Use Policy for Conducting The Official Business of The College of Charleston and this Supplement apply to all College Vehicles, Rental Vehicles, State Fleet Vehicles and Privately Owned Vehicles when driven by a student to conduct an official activity of the College.

Official Use

Students who have been deemed Authorized Drivers by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (hereafter, “EHS”) are permitted to drive College of Charleston vehicles for conducting official activities of the College, including curricular activities that are course or research related and co-curricular activities that are related to recognized student organizations and athletic teams.

Students who are traveling in conjunction with an official activity of the College must obtain an approved Travel Authorization form from the appropriate College authority in advance of travel. Expenses associated with vehicle use will not be paid for or reimbursed without an approved Travel Authorization form.

Authorized Drivers

Passenger Vehicles

Students who are driving a vehicle for an official activity of the College must be designated as “Authorized Drivers”. Authorization to drive is valid for the current school year through August 1st and must be renewed each year. To be deemed an “Authorized Driver” a student must:

  1. Be at least 18 years of age;
  2. Have a current valid driver’s license issued by South Carolina, or any other State (including the District of Columbia);
    1 This supplement is provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.0 of the Campus Wide Policy Making Procedures.
  3. Provide a current, certified copy of one’s Driving Record from the Department of Motor Vehicles that does not give rise to a reasonable cause to believe that the driver may be a danger to self or others when operating a motor vehicle;
  4. Complete Driver Safety Training through EHS; and
  5. Ensure that satisfactory insurance coverage exists to cover the driver and passengers.
Special Conditions for Certain Vehicles
College Vehicles, or vehicles rented, leased or borrowed for official activities, that are vans and that have a stated capacity of 10-12 passengers or more may be operated only by students who:
  • Have completed additional driver safety training through EHS that is specific to the operation of such vehicles; and
  • Sign a statement that the driver is aware of the risks associated with operating such a vehicle and will observe all relevant laws, rules, and regulations and instructions received from or through the College regarding the operation of such a vehicle.

Procedures

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will authorize all drivers. In order to be deemed an “Authorized Driver” a student must follow these procedures:

  1. Complete an Authorized Driver form and submit it with the following to EHS:
    • Complete Driver Safety Training;
    • Photocopy of driver’s license
    • Official, certified copy of current driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles (an “Unofficial” online copy may be submitted with this form; however, an “Official” copy must be sent to EHS once it is received in the mail)
    • Copy of Automobile Insurance Card that clearly states policy number and agent if driving Personal Vehicle
  2. Ascertain that satisfactory insurance coverage exists to cover the driver and passengers. Contact Business and Auxiliary Services at 843.953.4821 if you have any questions regarding insurance; and
  3. Receive approval as an Authorized Driver from EHS.

Rental Vehicles

Vehicles may be rented by students to conduct official activities of the College, provided that the drivers of the vehicles have been deemed Authorized Drivers by EHS.

  • Contract Car Rental Companies
    At the current time the College has a contract with Enterprise-Rent-A-Car for rentals that take place in the State of South Carolina. This contract requires Enterprise to rent vehicles to students who are at least 18 years old, and the contract contains both negotiated rental rates and various insurance coverages. Enterprise-Rent-A-Car is the mandatory source for the rental of passenger vehicles within the State, and should be used for all rental vehicles unless an appropriate vehicle is unavailable. The vehicle rental fee should be paid directly by the College through a Travel Authorization.
  • Rented Vehicles (from other than Contract Car Rental Companies)
    If an appropriate vehicle is not available through the College’s contract car rental company, students may contract with other car rental companies.
    1. Vehicles rented through other companies will be covered by the College’s Auto
      Insurance Policy if the rental fees are paid directly by the College through a Travel Authorization.
    2. Vehicles that are rented through other companies and are not paid directly by the College through a Travel Authorization will not be covered by the College’s Auto Insurance Policy. If the vehicle rental fee is not paid directly by the College, the student is to purchase a Collision Damage Waiver and a Liability Damage Waiver through the rental car company.
  • Vehicles Rented Outside the State of South Carolina:
    In all situations of an out-of-state rental the Student is to purchase both Collision Damage and Liability Damage Waivers.
  • Vehicles Rented through the State Interagency Fleet at the Citadel:
    Students may rent vehicles owned by the State Interagency Fleet and available through The Citadel. Rental arrangements can be made by contacting the Citadel’s Physical Plant Motor Pool Dispatcher at 843.953.6851. The College will be billed for the rental fees by the State Fleet Department, and payment should be made via an Interagency IDT through the Controller’s Office. Vehicles rented through the State Interagency Fleet are covered by the State Fleet’s Auto Insurance Policy.
  • Procedures for Payment by a Travel Authorization
    1. Receive a Travel Authorization (hereafter, “TA”) from the appropriate College authority;
    2. Provide the TA number to the Rental Car Company that will be renting the vehicle to the student.
  • General Prohibition
    Under no circumstances should passenger vans having a stated capacity of 15 or more persons be rented.

Personal Vehicles

Students may drive their Personal Vehicles to conduct official activities of the College. If a student is seeking reimbursement for travel expenses s/he must be deemed an Authorized Driver by EHS prior to the activity.
The following information about insurance is relevant to the operation of Personal Vehicles:

  1. Personal Vehicles will not be covered by the College’s Auto Insurance Policy.
  2. Personal injuries or property losses sustained by others and arising out of the operation of a Personal Vehicle for an official activity of the College are covered by the auto insurance of the owner of the Personal Vehicle.
  3. When a student is using a Personal Vehicle for an official activity of the College, that student is certifying that s/he has, at least, the minimum amount of insurance on that vehicle as may be required by law.
  4. A copy of the student’s automobile insurance card must be submitted to EHS with the Driver Authorization form.

Vehicle Capacity

Under no circumstances should the total number of people in a vehicle exceed the stated capacity of the vehicle.

Effective Date

This Supplement was effective and fully implemented on January 30, 2012

Related Policies, Documents or Forms

2.8.1.1 Vehicle Use Policy Supplement PDF

Revision Log

Issue Date: 2/3/16 

Last Review Date: 10/1/2020

Next Review Date: 10/3/2025

Web Publication Date: 1/12/2026