Driving for the college is considered a privilege. As a representative of Palomar College, there are responsibilities and safety standards that accompany that privilege. Faculty, Staff, and Volunteers are expected to exercise responsible judgment regarding their conduct.
Faculty, Staff and Volunteers traveling on college business are expected to adhere to applicable college policies and procedures as well as traffic laws. The primary goal is to provide safe transportation for college drivers and passengers. The privilege of driving a college-provided fleet vehicle on college business is granted to employees and volunteers who have and maintain acceptable driving records and follow the provisions found in the Fleet Vehicle Policy Guide.
- All drivers must possess a valid California’s driver’s license. All drivers must be pre-qualified and appear on the list of authorized Palomar College drivers before being allowed to drive the fleet vehicles.
- All drivers must be no less than 18 years of age (due to legal liability, and Federal labor laws – where applicable).
- Be advised that all individuals operating Palomar College vehicles are subject to a Department of Motor Vehicle check. At no time will any driver operate a Palomar College fleet vehicle with a driver’s license that is suspended, revoked, expired, or in violation of any restrictions.
- All drivers must have no more than two driving violations or one traffic accident in the past three-year period or other offenses that would cause the college or insurance provider to question whether the driver should be operating a college fleet vehicle.
- Motor vehicle record checks are conducted for Faculty, Staff and Volunteers annually by being entered in the DMV Employee Pull Notice Program.
To pre-qualify as a Faculty & Staff driver:
- Complete a Request for Authorization to Drive College Vehicle Form available on the Facilities Department website.
- All forms require filling out all information required on the forms, as well as original signatures from the department chairperson/director and dean or vice-president (no signature stamps allowed).
- Any items not complete will result in returning your form for proper information/authorization.
- Submit the form to the Facilities Office at least 7 days prior to the date that the individual needs to drive. The processing of the form cannot be guaranteed by the requested date if this time guideline is not met.
- If you require approval sooner than later, the employee, student or volunteer must go to their local DMV Office and obtain a Drivers Information Record (DIR) at a cost of $5.00 which is reimbursed to the individual by their department. Submit the DIR to the Facilities Office immediately.
- The Facilities Office will evaluate the individual’s DIR based on the California Law/California Vehicle Code. DIR records are reviewed and are kept confidential.
- The Facilities Office will notify the individual’s department of their eligibility/denial.
- Once a driver is approved, his/her name is added to the approved drivers list.
To pre-qualify as a Student driver:
EFFECTIVE TUESDAY, 1/18/2011, students are no longer allowed to drive Palomar College fleet vehicles nor are they allowed to drive vehicles rented through an outside agency. For liabilities concerns, these students are not covered by insurance and therefore not eligible drivers.
To pre-qualify as a Volunteer driver:
- Obtain approval from the Department Chairperson/Director of the department that is requesting you to drive a fleet vehicle.
- Obtain Volunteer Packet from the Human Resource Services website or stop by their office (Building A, Room 1). The following forms must be completed entirely:
- Request/Recommendation for Volunteer Service (Volunteer must indicate on this form that he/she is requesting approval to drive a college vehicle per Department Chairperson/Director’s request)
- Volunteer Acknowledgment and Notice of Education Code
- Attachment to Application (Conviction Self-Disclosure form)
- Workers’ Compensation Packet
- TB Test Requirement Information/Form
- Two-Step TB Skin Test Information
- Volunteer Register Form
- Effective July 1, 2009, fingerprinting is now required for all volunteers. There are no exceptions to this policy.
- The volunteer must turn in his/her volunteer packet along with the completed Request/Recommendation for Volunteer Service form to Human Resource Services in order to receive the Request for Live Scan (fingerprint) form.
- Volunteer’s department will pay the Live Scan fees.
- A new Request/Recommendation for Volunteer Service form must be completed each fiscal year.
- The Volunteer Register Form must be completed and submitted each month to Human Resource Services.
- Once Human Resource Services notifies your department that your Live Scan (fingerprint) results have been received and that your information has been completed and the Volunteer has been approved, only at that time can the following tasks be processed:
- Complete a Request for Authorization to Drive College Vehicle Form available on the Facilities Department website.
- All forms require filling out all information required on the forms, as well as original signatures from the department chairperson/director and dean or vice-president (no signature stamps allowed).
- Any items not complete will result in returning your form for proper information/authorization.
- Submit the form to the Facilities Office at least fourteen days prior to the date that the individual needs to drive. The processing of the form cannot be guaranteed by the requested date if this time guideline is not met.
- If you require approval sooner than later, the employee, student or volunteer must go to their local DMV Office and obtain a Drivers Information Record (DIR) at a cost of $5.00 which is reimbursed to the individual by their department. Submit the DIR to the Facilities Office immediately.
- The Facilities Office will evaluate the individual’s DIR based on the California Law/California Vehicle Code. DIR records are reviewed and are kept confidential.
- The Facilities Office will notify the individual’s department of their eligibility/denial.
- Once a driver is approved, his/her name is added to the approved drivers list.