Handbook of Operating Procedures
Chapter 8 - Facilities and University Services
Publication Date: August 19, 2002

8.09 Administration, Operation, and Recording of State-Owned Vehicles

University Compliance Responsibilities
Pursuant to House Bill 3125, 76th Legislature, motor vehicles that are owned or leased by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are state vehicles. The purchase, use, management and disposal of these vehicles must be in compliance with HB3125 and the Office of Vehicle Fleet Management (OVFM) plan.
1. The University Fleet Manager is empowered, with approval of the University President, to observe and enforce statewide fleet management policies and procedures at the university level and to make all University fleet management decisions, including, but not limited to the following:
2. The University's President is responsible to ensure that the fleet manager is supported in implementing and enforcing the OVFM's State Vehicle Fleet Management Plan.
University Fleet Management Responsibilities
1. It is the responsibility of the University's Fleet Manager to support the OVFM plan, including but not limited to the following state vehicle management goals.
2. The Fleet Manager is responsible for oversight of university vehicles not assigned to field employees. Field employees are those employees whose regular duties require a vehicle for ongoing daily duties. All agency vehicles, with the exception of vehicles assigned to a field employee, must be assigned to the agency motor pool and available for checkout. An agency vehicle may be assigned to an individual administrator or executive employee on a regular or everyday basis only if the President or his or her designee makes a written documented finding that the assignment is critical to the needs and mission of the agency.
Vehicle Reporting Requirements
1. The University Fleet Manager is responsible for compliance with the state vehicle data reporting system as directed by OVFM guidelines and shall be the central point of contact with the OVFM, regarding queries about the University's fleet, provide guidance on preparing waiver requests and conducting any other business with OVFM.
2. The University Fleet Manager will maintain detailed supporting documentation for all vehicle reporting requirements.
3. In the event that the University is unable to meet the reporting requirement, the Vice President for Business Affairs (VPBA) will explain why it is unable to do so to the Council on Competitive Government (CCG) and the OVFM prior to the reporting deadline.
University Vehicle Purchasing Policy
1. The determination and disposal of excess vehicles, the determination of fleet size, minimum use criteria, and the state fleet consolidation requirement applies only to vehicles purchased with appropriated funds.
2. Fleet Size
  The institution shall not increase fleet size with a few exceptions:
  1. The VPBA or his or her designee must certify in writing to OVFM any vehicles to be purchased due to legislatively mandated program changes, federal program initiatives, or need resulting from program growth or changes.
  2. Vehicles may be transferred from one institution to another, but only if there is no net increase in the receiving institution's fleet.
3. The vehicle purchasing restrictions imposed by HB3125 do not apply to the following:
  1. Law enforcement vehicles, including pursuit vehicles:
  2. Emergency vehicles;
  3. Vehicles used for safety purposes;
  4. Heavy equipment, including tractors, bulldozers and highway construction and maintenance equipment;
  5. Vehicles designed to transport 15 passengers or more*; (*if the university has purchased such vehicles in the past)
  6. Vehicles used for vehicle research purposes, such as crash tests;
  7. Non-licensed utility purpose vehicles such as "Mules," "Gators," or golf-carts and fork lifts;
  8. Wrecked vehicles; and
  9. Vehicles destroyed due to a natural disaster.
University Vehicle Replacement Policy
1. In general, most university-owned vehicles should be replaced when they reach six years (72 months) of service or 100,000 miles whichever comes first. The University's fleet manager may make this determination on a case-by-case basis, using the current OVFM guidelines.
2. All requests for purchase of a University vehicle must be submitted to the Fleet Manager and forwarded to OVFM, prior to a purchase order being made.
Donated Vehicle Guidelines
The University Fleet Manager must be notified prior to any department or academic division accepting donated vehicles. Donated vehicles may be accepted; however, these vehicles are subject to all reporting requirements of the Plan. The University may not replace donated vehicles using appropriated funds without OVFM approval.
University Fleet Refueling Policy
1. It is mandatory to use the state retail fuel contracts established by the Council on Competitive Government (CCG). To the degree possible, fuel cards should be issued for specific vehicles.
2. Unless specifically prohibited by manufacturer warranty or recommendations, all university vehicles that operate on gasoline shall use regular unleaded gasoline.
3. Vehicles capable of using alternative fuels will use them exclusively except in certain cases. Exceptions are:
4. University employees must refuel at self-service islands or central fueling facilities only.
Increase Vehicle Use, Improve Efficiency of the University Fleet and Reduce the Cost of Maintaining University Vehicles
The University Police Transportation Section shall adopt policies and procedures based on the "Fleet Management Best Practices" of the OVFM Plan. These policies should emulate and adopt the practices identified in the Plan when feasible. As a minimum, these procedures will include the following:
1. Monitoring the University Fleet for compliance with the Minimum Use Criteria;
2. Establishing field use vehicle rotation guidelines;
3. Using rental vehicles;
4. Reimbursing employees for using personal vehicles;
5. Establishing procedures for identifying excess or underutilized vehicles and disposal of excess vehicles; and
6. Using utility cart type vehicles, instead of licensed vehicles, where appropriate.
Fleet Minimum Use Criteria
1. The minimum mileage use criteria will be 2,250 miles every three months (9,000 annual miles) during the period of September 01, 2001 through August 31, 2002 and to 2,750 miles every three months (11,000 annual miles) for September 01, 2002 to August 31, 2003. OVFM will establish other suitable minimum use criteria with specific guidelines when appropriate. University vehicles failing to meet the minimum use criteria will be considered as excess, unless justification has been approved by OVFM. Excess vehicles must be sold or disposed of as indicted in the OVFM Plan, Chapter 3. Vehicles identified as excess are not eligible for replacement.
2. Exemptions
  1. Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 8,600 pounds;
  2. Vehicles purchased with non-appropriated funds; and
  3. Vehicles purchased with federal funds for specific federal projects.

Authorization to Operate a UTSA (State-Owned) Motor Vehicle
Motor vehicles that are owned by The University of Texas at San Antonio are State vehicles. These vehicles must be operated in accordance with the established rules and regulations of the State of Texas and the UT System. The UTSA Police Department and Transportation Office is responsible for monitoring UTSA drivers' records, informing new drivers of appropriate regulations, and maintaining a current list of all personnel who are authorized to drive UTSA vehicles. It is most important that a current authorized drivers list be kept up-to-date in case of accidents for verification purposes of coverage with the liability insurance carrier. This list will be updated annually so individuals who are no longer employed will not continue to have their name on the current list.

Staff and faculty may be authorized to drive a UTSA vehicle for official business. With prior coordination, and if individual field trip approval has been obtained, student employees may be authorized to drive UTSA vehicles while on field trips.

The following procedures apply to all departments and offices that have UTSA vehicles assigned to them. Consequently, the departments/offices are responsible for the proper operation of these vehicles.
1. Prior to employing a person as a department driver of a University-owned vehicle for official business, each component department shall request from the Texas Department of Public Safety a list of convictions for traffic violations contained in the department records on the potential employee and a verification that the person possesses a valid driver license issued by the State in which the person permanently resides. Incumbent authorized drivers will have their Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) checked by their respective component institution:
  1. At least every twelve months after initially authorized;
  2. Promptly after the employee has been involved in an automobile accident while driving on official University business; and
  3. Promptly after the employee receives a moving traffic citation while on official University business.
2. Authorized drivers and applicants seeking a position that requires authorization to operate a University-owned vehicle for official University business will be evaluated by the UTSA Police Department Parking and Transportation Office on the most recent three-year history reflected on their MVR and points will be assigned accordingly. If the total points equal four or more for the immediately preceding 36 months, the person shall not be authorized to operate a University-owned vehicle for official University business. If a component institution is unable to obtain a three-year driving history, the component institution's Chief Business Officer (CBO) may use his or her discretion to authorize the employee to operate a University-owned vehicle for official University business.
3. Once a year, the UTSA Police Department Parking and Transportation Office will contact each of the departments/offices to coordinate a current listing of the authorized drivers via MVR checks. All drivers of UTSA vehicles and their supervisors must be familiar with Section XI of this policy, "Recording Use of State-Owned Motor Vehicles," which pertains to mandatory recording procedures to be followed when any person uses a State-owned vehicle.
Recording Use of State-Owned Motor Vehicles
The Texas Penal Code prescribes mandatory recording procedures to be followed when any person uses a State-owned vehicle. The Monthly Vehicle Use Report Book, must be kept in UTSA vehicles at all times. The Institute of Texan Cultures' (ITC) Monthly Vehicle Use Report Book is kept in the Vehicle Reservation Office of the ITC Physical Plant. All Monthly Vehicle Use Report Books must be completed as detailed in the instructions printed on the book's cover.

The following additional reporting instructions applicable to University vehicles are necessary for the University's full compliance with the State Law:
1. Fully completed Monthly Vehicle Use Report sheets for the previous month will be forwarded to the UTSA Police Department Parking and Transportation Office the first work day of the month.
2. When a State-owned vehicle is being operated away from the campus and the Monthly Vehicle Use Report sheets are not available, it is the using unit's responsibility to notify the UTSA Police Department Parking and Transportation Office. Also, fully completed reports should be provided immediately upon return of the vehicle to the campus.
3. Incomplete/inaccurate Monthly Vehicle Use Reports will be returned to the University official responsible for the used vehicle for corrective action and prompt resubmission.
4. Additionally, responsible University officials will be advised when the Monthly Vehicle Use Reports are not submitted in a timely manner to permit University compliance with the State Law. Special attention is called to the "Excerpts From Texas Penal Code," printed inside the Monthly Vehicle Use Report Book cover, where particular use instructions are given and fines for noncompliance specified.
5. Each department can purchase the Vehicle Report Books from the Texas Building and Procurement - Central Supply Store Catalog. When doing so, the following information must be included:
  Commodity Code: 695-18-00913-4-50 Description: Book, Vehicle Use Report - State Automobile, 12 Months Price per Book: $1.65 Price per Case: $82.50
  
  This information is also available on their website address: http://www.tbpc.state.tx.us/centstore/
6. For information concerning personnel who are authorized to operate State-owned vehicles, please refer to Section X of this policy, "Authorization to Operate a UTSA (State-Owned) Motor Vehicle."

Editorial Amendment Issued December 2003