8.2 Vehicles
DESCRIPTION
Vehicles owned by the Department of Management and Budget, State of Michigan, are leased to the university for official university business. These vehicles are permanently assigned to University Departments, or are available through Transportation Services on a rental basis by the university community.
DEFINITIONS
| Official University Business | University business is any regular activity associated with the mission of the university. It includes but is not limited to field trips, visits to other campuses and transport of university documents. |
| State-Owned Vehicles | Vehicles owned by the Department of Management and Budget, State of Michigan, and leased to the university for official university business. These vehicles are permanently assigned to University Departments, or are available through Transportation Services on a rental basis by the university community. |
| University-Owned Vehicles | Vehicles purchased or leased directly from a private dealer by a University Department for their exclusive use for University business. Purchase/lease must be approved through Transportation Services before the Purchasing Department processes a purchase order in accordance with University purchasing policies. |
POLICY
In general, vehicles operated by the university will be leased from the State of Michigan. In certain circumstances vehicles may be purchased or leased from a private dealer. All vehicle requests are to be processed through Transportation Services. Vehicles leased to or owned by the university are not to be used for personal business or commuting between home and the work place. In some instances the use of a leased or owned vehicle will include travel between the work place and home when authorized and the purpose is to further the business of the university and to make it convenient for the driver to make appointments early in the morning (ie. admission officers on recruiting assignments). This would include the authorized use and would permit the vehicle operator to go directly to a destination from home.
The permanent assignment of a university leased or owned vehicle to an employee, which includes commuting between the work place and home, must be recommended by the appropriate Vice President and approved by the President.
Smoking is prohibited in all State and University vehicles.
In the case of a permanently assigned vehicle, part of the usage of the vehicle, especially the use for travel between the workplace and home, will be considered for personal purposes. This personal usage is subject to Federal Internal Revenue Service regulations relating to the taxation of the fringe benefit derived from the personal use of a vehicle and will require the reporting of the taxable amount by the university.
All toll, parking and drivers' per diem expenses are paid by the user department. Gas, oil, and emergency repair costs are charged to the gasoline credit card, supplied with each vehicle. The vehicle license number must appear on the charge slip so that costs can be identified. All charge slips must be signed by the authorized driver and retained in the assigned vehicle.
Charges for the vehicle include gas, oil, maintenance and insurance. Please contact Transportation Services at 7-4348 for current rates.