OFFICIAL POLICY
2.8.1.1
SUPPLEMENT TO THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
VEHICLE USE POLICY
10/1/2020
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.
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Policy Manager and Responsible Department or Office
Procurement/ Controllers Office/ Business Affairs
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Policy
I. 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.
II. 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.
III. 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.
IV. Authorized Drivers
A. 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 1
st 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.
B. 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:
1) Have completed additional driver safety training through EHS that is specific to
the operation of such vehicles; and
2) 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.
C. 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;
a. Photocopy of driver’s license
b. 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)
c. 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.
V. 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.
A. 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.
B. 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.
C. 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.
D. 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.
E. 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.
F. General Prohibition
Under no circumstances should passenger vans having a stated capacity of 15 or more
persons be rented.
VI. 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.
VII. Vehicle Capacity
Under no circumstances should the total number of people in a vehicle exceed the stated capacity
of the vehicle.
VIII. Effective Date
This Supplement was effective and fully implemented on January 30, 2012.
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Departments/Offices Affected by the Policy
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Procedures Related to the Policy
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Related Policies, Documents or Forms
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10/1/2020
