Vehicle Policies

Graduate students can use the University motor pool vehicles for official university business. All students must have a valid driver’s license to drive any University vehicles. Before you can use a University vehicle, a copy of your driver’s license must be on file in the Motor Pool office and you must have a signed “University Student Vehicle Driver Information and Agreement Form” on file with Motor Pool. Motor Pool will actually conduct a driver’s background check. If you have an out of state driver’s license, a copy of your license must be sent with the form and Motor Pool charges a fee for out-of-state driver’s license checks. You must provide a request form for an IDO to Motor Pool. See Katherine Goodine for the appropriate Motor Pool form.

1. UNIVERSITY MOTOR POOL VEHICLES

Check with your advisor to get an account number for vehicle use. Call the Motor Pool office (581.2645) to reserve a vehicle. Complete the Vehicle Requisition Form that can be downloaded from the Motor Pool Website. Have Katherine Goodine sign for the department and be sure you include the account number.  You can pick-up the keys and credit cards from the Motor Pool office at the time you need the vehicle. If you need the car during off-hours (e.g., before 7:00 a.m., after 3:00 p.m., on weekends, etc.), the keys will be with Public Safety. After using the vehicle, indicate the ending mileage, sign the slip, and return the keys to the Motor Pool office or to the drop-box at the Motor Pool. You do not need to fill the gas tank when you return the motor pool vehicle. Policies and regulations for the use of motor pool vehicles are described in “Vehicle-Use Policy and Regulations for University Motor-Pool Vehicles.”

2. DEPARTMENT MOTOR POOL VEHICLES

Some faculty members have vehicles in the Department Motor Pool.  These vehicles are still University owned and the policies and regulations for the use of motor pool vehicles are described in “Vehicle-Use Policy and Regulations for University Motor-Pool Vehicles.”   There is a vehicle log in each vehicle and every day and every mile must be logged.  The log should be turned it at the end of every month with all gas receipts to Katherine Goodine.  The Department also has some Vehicle Use Guidelines that all drivers must sign and return to Katherine.  Guidance for Vehicles Use (pdf).

3. USGS VEHICLES

If you are working on a project supported by the USGS, you may be given access to one or more of the USGS vehicle. All drivers must have a copy of their driver’s license and the signed “University Student Vehicle Driver Information and Agreement Form” on file with Motor Pool, all drivers must read and sign the “USGS Vehicle Use Guidelines”, and all drivers must receive Driver Safety training on DOI Learn and prove that they did. All drivers and passengers must have a signed “USGS Volunteer Agreement” on file. Work with Katherine Goodine on meeting the requirements.  You must fill the gas tank when you return the vehicle and indicate the correct information on the gas receipt per the USGS Vehicle Use Guidelines.

4.  RENTING FROM OUTSIDE AGENCY

if you need to rent a vehicle from an outside vendor to conduct University business, you must rent through Enterprise or use a University Credit Card to pay for the rental in order to automatically be covered by liability insurance.  If you do not have a University Credit Card, Enterprise Rental Car accepts University of Maine Purchase Orders – work with Katherine to pay for a rental.

If you cannot rent from Enterprise or use a University Credit Card, you must contact Risk Management to discuss your options for liability insurance.  See Rena for details.