Department-Owned Non-Passenger Vehicles and Equipment

Purpose

This policy governs the purchase, use, and maintenance of non-passenger vehicles and equipment at the University of Illinois.

Scope

The University’s threefold mission of teaching, research, and service to the people of Illinois requires that certain non-passenger vehicles and equipment (as defined below) be available for use by faculty, staff, and other authorized personnel.

Authority

This policy is implemented under the authority of the Office of the Executive Director of Facilities & Services.

Policy

Departments on the Urbana campus are required to coordinate the purchase of non-passenger vehicles and equipment with the Transportation and Automotive Services unit of Facilities & Services. Departments are required to follow established procedures for the purchase, use, and maintenance of non-passenger vehicles and equipment.

Definitions

Second Division Vehicles
Vehicles designed to carry more than 10 persons, those designed and/or used for living quarters, and those designed for pulling and/or carrying freight or cargo, including trucks, trailers, sport utility vehicles, buses, scooter-vans, or any other such vehicle used for hauling materials.

Processes/Procedures/Guidelines

Appropriate Use of University Vehicles

University vehicles can be used only for official University business, regardless of ownership. Drivers of University vehicles must be able to prove they are licensed to drive in the State of Illinois. Department-owned University vehicles may be used only by personnel authorized by the unit head/dean.

While University passenger vehicles are owned by the Car Pool and maintained by the University Garage, campus units may purchase non-passenger vehicles using their own departmental funds. These units are then responsible for the care and maintenance of those vehicles. Department-owned vehicles, like all other University vehicles, are property of the State of Illinois.

Purchasing Department-owned Vehicles

Units that purchase departmental vehicles using their own funds must follow all State of Illinois Compiled Statutes Procurement Code, the State of Illinois Administrative Code, and University Purchasing Division policies, procedures, and rules pertaining to bid limits, the competitive bid process, price negotiation, and contracts processing.

In all cases, the Director of Transportation and Automotive Services must receive a copy of each vehicle Purchase Order. The Campus Garage accepts initial delivery of all vehicles and assigns each a unique Fleet Number. Garage personnel also

  1. establish a master file for the vehicle;
  2. ensure the vehicle is properly titled and licensed with University plates;
  3. establish an annual service schedule for the vehicle if requested;
  4. assign University PAS tag; and,
  5. obtain any other vehicle identification required by the State of Illinois.

Annual Vehicle Maintenance Requirements for Department-owned Vehicles

All expenses for upkeep and operation of department-owned vehicles, including accident repair costs, are the responsibility of the unit/department. The State of Illinois requires that all state-owned (University-owned) vehicles receive routine service at least once a year, regardless of mileage driven or hours utilized. The Department of Central Management Services (DCMS) states that such service is required, “in order to maintain the vehicles in road worthy, safe operating condition, and appropriate cosmetic condition.” Department-owned vehicles may be serviced by the Campus Garage or an outside vendor (Purchasing Division rules apply).

When an outside vendor performs any type of service or repair to a department-owned University vehicle, copies of the receipts for the service or repair must be sent to the Campus Garage, including receipts for annual routine maintenance. All receipts are added to the vehicle’s master file at the Garage, and provide auditable evidence of compliance with State of Illinois requirements.

Safety Inspection of Vehicles in the Second Division

Second Division Vehicles are defined as those designed to carry more than 10 persons, those designed and/or used for living quarters, and those designed for pulling and/or carrying freight or cargo. The State of Illinois by law places the responsibility for safety inspections of Second Division Vehicles on the driver of the vehicle: “No person shall operate a second division vehicle … unless there is affixed … a certificate of safety then in effect.”

For purposes of implementation on the Urbana campus, it is the responsibility of the dean, director, or head of each unit (or the designee of such unit) to have each of the Second Division Vehicles checked for safety every six months.

All motor Vehicles of the Second Division must be submitted to a safety inspection and must be granted a certificate of safety prior to being driven on Illinois highways.

All vehicles to be inspected must, after following the required purchasing procedures, be taken to the nearest State Safety Inspection Center. If repairs are needed for the vehicle to pass the inspection, Campus Garage personnel can make those repairs.

All Vehicles of the Second Division that have passed an inspection will have a sticker affixed to the windshield indicating when the next inspection is due. The police will ticket Vehicles of the Second Division with an invalid sticker.

Contact

Questions or requests for exceptions to this policy should be directed to the Director of Transportation and Automotive Services, (217) 333-7583.