New Regulation Provides for Vehicle Safety

In a community college district comprised of ten colleges, numerous centers and other facilities, motor vehicle usage is a frequent occurrence.

As the District grows, no doubt the need for its employees to transport themselves, other employees and students, grows as well. The safety of students and employees, then, is always of paramount importance.

This past summer, the Chancellor approved the enactment of an administrative regulation concerning the operation of any rented, borrowed or leased vehicle used for college or district purposes.

The regulation allows only an employee of the District to drive a college or district vehicle. A student of any of the colleges or centers may drive such a vehicle "only in the event of an emergency as determined at the time of the emergency by a responsible college or district employee."

Authorized drivers of college or district vehicles are not limited under the rule to only full-time employees. Provided a person is employed by the Maricopa District-even on a part-time or even temporary basis-he or she may drive a vehicle.

The regulation introduces two major changes. The first requires that a driver "has been the subject of an authorized motor vehicle record review conducted on behalf of the college."

This change will include a motor vehicle record review of the driver. If that driver's record discloses a significant history of citations, convictions, or similar incidents, use of a college or district vehicle will likely be denied.

While a driver's record is obviously significant before he or she secures the keys to a car, an accumulation of violations in the future could be important as well.

Accordingly, the regulation requires that an employee driver notify college or district officials of "any conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, moving traffic violations, license suspension, or license revocation that occurs regardless of whether or not the driver was operating a college or district owned, rented or borrowed vehicle."

Failure to provide such information "may result in disciplinary action and the loss of authority to operate a vehicle in the performance of employment responsibilities."

The other major change comes in the implementation of a driver-training program. Each college will soon require that every driver complete a driver-training program.

The training will take the form of an on-line tutorial that an employee can complete on his or her desktop at work.

Finally, the regulation offers employees an escape from the telephone while they are behind the wheel. Under the new regulation, the driver of "a college or District-owned, -rented or -borrowed motor vehicle shall not use a cellular telephone or similar communication device while operating the vehicle."

Published in the Fall 2003 Edition of In Brief