Policies & Procedures

I. PURPOSE

The University has a strong interest in ensuring that employees who drive Longwood owned or leased vehicles in the course of their jobs, do so responsibly, and act in accordance with established Commonwealth and Longwood procedures in reporting vehicle accidents. The University also has a strong interest in avoiding undue liability risks by curtailing driving privileges of employees whose driving conduct suggests they presently pose higher than normal risks.

II. POLICY

The Fleet Services Manager has responsibility to monitor, evaluate, and put into place procedures designed to manage risks associated with traffic accidents and moving violations. The Fleet Services Manager further has the authority to recommend suspension or revocation of privileges to drive Longwood owned or leased vehicles to the Vice President for Administration and Finance. The Vice President for Administration and Finance has the authority to suspend or revoke employee driving privileges pursuant to this policy.

III. PROCEDURE

1. Driver's Licenses:Employees must have a valid driver’s license before they may be issued a Longwood owned or leased vehicle. Proof of licensure must be presented to the Fleet Services Manager by completion of a DMV Release form to monitor operators license status. If the driver holds a license other than for the state of Virginia, they must provide a copy of their driver’s license and current copy of their driving record from the issuing state; and must be updated yearly. Any fee associated with this is the responsibility of the driver.
   1. Notice of Suspension or Revocation of State Driving Privileges: Employees whose driving privileges have been suspended or revoked by the Department of Motor Vehicles must inform the Fleet Services Manager and their Supervisor of that action within twenty four (24) hours. Vehicles may not be issued to employees whose license is suspended or revoked. If DMV provides suspension information on an employee, through the DMV Driver Alert program, the employee and their supervisor will be notified by the Fleet Services Manager.
   2. Special Vehicle Class Licenses: Certain Longwood vehicles, such as some buses and trucks, require special "class" licenses to operate. Employees without such special class licenses may not, under any circumstances, operate vehicles requiring them.
2. Employee Traffic Citations Involving Moving Violations with Longwood Vehicles: Employees who receive moving traffic citations issued by a municipal, county or state law enforcement officer while operating a Longwood owned or leased vehicle must report the citation to the Fleet Services Manager and the employee's immediate supervisor within twenty four (24) hours. If the driver holds a CDL license necessary for their employment responsibilities, they are required to report any moving violation whether in a state vehicle or personal vehicle to the Fleet Services Manager and their immediate Supervisor within twenty-four (24) hours. 
   1. Disciplinary Action: Traffic citations are issued for violations of the State Motor Vehicle Code. Driving performance causing a traffic citation to be issued is substandard and dangerous to human life and property. Under normal circumstances, a progressive disciplinary approach will be issued the employee. If more than one active disciplinary action relating to traffic citations is present in the employee's personnel file, more punitive disciplinary action may be warranted. If a disciplinary action is issued and the employee's citation is later voided in traffic court, the discipline shall be voided as well. The Vice President for Administration and Finance has the authority to evaluate individual violations and use discretion in deciding what disciplinary action is appropriate under the circumstances.
   2. Suspension of Employee Driving Privileges: The Fleet Services Manager shall make a recommendation to the Vice President of Administration and Finance to suspend privileges to drive a Longwood vehicle, if in the view of the Fleet Services Manager, the violation suggests the employee's driving habits pose an undue risk for the institution. Examples might be reckless driving or multiple offenses of driving in excess of ten (10) miles over a posted speed limit. Under normal circumstances, suspension of driving privileges may be lifted by attendance in and completion of a local, police-sponsored, remedial driving program. It is the employee’s Department Head and immediate Supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that the suspension is enforced with departmental vehicles and carts.
3. Employee Vehicle Accidents Involving Longwood Vehicles: Employees involved in vehicle accidents while operating Longwood vehicles must follow certain Commonwealth of Virginia procedures, such as calling the state police before moving the vehicle. (Note: A detailed description of the procedure is located in the glove box of each Longwood vehicle.) The Fleet Services Manager must also be notified immediately.
   1. Disciplinary Action: The Commonwealth of Virginia has an accident committee which makes determinations on all state agency vehicle accidents. Among other things, the committee determines if the accident was "avoidable." The institution receives a copy of such a report when its vehicles are involved in accidents. The Fleet Services Manager will provide a copy of this report to the involved employee's immediate supervisor as well. If a determination has been made by the committee that the accident was avoidable, the driving performance of the employee involved will be considered substandard and a disciplinary action appropriate to the circumstances will be issued by the employee's immediate supervisor.
   2. Remedial Driver's Training: Under appropriate circumstances, the Vice President for Administration and Finance has the authority to direct an employee who has been disciplined for a driving offense to attend remedial driver's training as an alternative to suspension of driving privileges. The cost will be the employee’s responsibility.
   3. Suspension or Revocation of Driving Privileges: If the accident is due to the employees negligence or fault, the employee’s driving privileges of state vehicles will be suspended for a minimum of a 30 day period. If the driver was utilizing a mini-bus when the accident occurred, they will be required to retake the University’s training course for the vehicle after the 30 day suspension has been completed in order to be cleared to drive again.
   4. An extended revocation may be issued if circumstances like serious personal injuries or major property damage result, or if the conduct was particularly reckless or if the employee involved has other driving-related disciplinary actions in an active status. If a revocation of driving privileges relating to Longwood vehicles is issued, the specific requirements for restoration of the privilege will be provided for the employee affected. Single vehicle accidents involving minimal damage or especially mitigating circumstances may not warrant suspension of driving privileges. It is the employee’s Department Head and immediate Supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that a suspension is enforced with departmental vehicles and carts.
4. Employee Driving Records: If an employee is required to drive a state vehicle for their employment, their driving points may be monitored based on the vehicle type. If the employee’s point balance and record is deemed to be a sign of high risk, the Fleet Services Manager has the authority to recommend driving suspension to the Vice President for Administration and Finance. The University has a requirement of at least a "0" point balance in order to drive the 12 and 14 passenger buses. If a driver falls below this balance, the Fleet Services Manager has the authority to suspend a driver until the points have been returned to the required balance. Any vehicle that requires a CDL with "P" endorsement shall have and maintain at least a +3 point balance in order to operate such vehicle. Any driver with a CDL license necessary for their employment responsibilities must notify the Fleet Services Manager and their immediate Supervisor if they are charged with any moving violation, in a personal or state vehicle, on the first business day after the occurrence.

Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, September 7, 2002.
Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, June 10, 2016.