Longwood
University
Chief Administration
and Finance Officer:
Human Resources
201 High Street, Lancaster 335, Farmville, VA 23909
Phone: 434.395.2074
Fax: 434.395.2666
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Longwood
University |
Policy 5213
EMPLOYEE DRIVING PRIVILEGES
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 Campus Transportation Officer has responsibility to monitor, evaluate,
and put into place
procedures designed to manage risks associated with traffic
accidents and moving violations.
The Campus Transportation Officer further has
the authority to recommend suspension or
revocation of privileges to drive
Longwood owned or leased vehicles to the Chief
Administration and Finance Officer (CAFO). The President has the authority to suspend or
revoke employee driving
privileges pursuant to this policy.
III. PROCEDURE
A. Driver's Licenses:
Employees must be presently licensed to drive a vehicle in the
Commonwealth
of Virginia before they may be issued a Longwood owned or leased
vehicle.
Proof of licensure must be presented to the Campus Transportation Officer.
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 Campus Transportation Officer of that action
within
twenty four (24) hours. Vehicles may not be issued to employees
whose license
is
suspended or revoked.
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.
B. 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 Longwood Transportation Officer and the employee's 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 CAFO 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 Campus Transportation
Officer
shall make a recommendation to suspend privileges to drive a Longwood vehicle,
if in
the view of the Campus Transportation Officer, the violation suggests the
employee's
driving habits pose an undue risk for the institution. Examples might be reckless driving
or 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.
C. 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 Campus Transportation Officer 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 Transportation
Officer 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 CAFO 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.
3. Suspension or Revocation of Driving Privileges: The Campus
Transportation
Officer shall make a recommendation as to whether or not to suspend or revoke
privileges to drive a Longwood vehicle if the accident is determined to be
avoidable.
If a suspension of driving privileges is issued by the CAFO, the suspension will be
lifted only after the employee
completes
a local, remedial,
police-sponsored driving
course. A 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.
Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, September 7, 2002.