Using a Motor Pool or Rental Vehicle on University Business

A selection of university-owned vans is available for use on approved university business. In addition, rental vehicles are available through Enterprise with sufficient notice.

Any vehicle approved through the Vehicle Request process is typically picked up at, and billed through, Facilities Services. Departments arranging rentals directly through Enterprise or other rental agencies are responsible for pickup, return and payment -- drivers are still subject to requirements, so contact Facilities Services with any questions about eligibility.

To request a vehicle, submit a New Trip Request Form. To see a list of your current requests, head to the my trip requests page.

For short-notice requests, please be sure to check the vehicle schedule or the trip calendar to verify vehicle availability. 

Rates last updated July 1, 2023.

(Daily rate is applied to trips running five hours or more in any 24-hour period.)

*Most large vans' third row seats can be removed to accommodate trip requirements. Arrangements to do so must be made with facilities services at the time of the request in order to ensure proper storage and installation. Renters are prohibited from making modifications to university vehicles without prior approval from the staff mechanic. Failure to comply may result in damage charges and/or denial of future vehicle requests. 

Reservation and Billing 

Vehicle requests will be confirmed 3-4 weeks prior to departure based on vehicle availability, driver eligibility and programmatic necessity. Rental vehicles used to subsidize the university's fleet are subject to additional terms. Final vehicle assignment will be determined by facilities services.

• All vehicle requests will be honored to the best of our ability. In case of an unresolvable conflict, the following prioritization applies: academic/co-curricular; athletics (competition) and business; student life/ASWU; outdoor recreation and athletics (non-competition); clubs. Requesters will be personally notified in the event that a request cannot be honored. 
• Incomplete requests (missing passenger count, driver or destination) will not be considered for vehicle assignment until complete and approved.

Billing will be based upon the hours/days for which the vehicle has been reserved and/or signed out. Any credit for early return of a vehicle will not exceed the rate for one hour's use of that vehicle.

Late return of a vehicle will result in double charge for each hour/day or portion thereof beyond the time for which the vehicle was signed out.

Hourly vehicle rates (reservations of less than five hours) include fuel. Daily rentals (five or more hours) do not include fuel; vehicles returned with less than the departure reading will incur fuel charges.

Cancellation Policy

Requesters are asked to cancel motor pool reservations a minimum of two business days before the scheduled departure time. Reservations canceled after the deadline will incur a $15 fee (or the full amount, whichever is less). 

Reservations canceled within 24 hours of scheduled departure, or not canceled at all (no-shows), will be charged the full amount (not to exceed the cost of one day's rental). 

Frequent cancellation of scheduled vehicle rental, with or without proper notice, may result in denial of future vehicle requests. 

Travel Guidelines 

Based on current health information and budget constraints, Whitworth is authorizing travel for select purposes as follows:

• Student events that require in-person attendance, including athletic and forensic/ethics competitions.
• Admissions and advancement events that require in-person attendance.
• Essential academic conferences/seminars, with priority for faculty who are up for promotion and/or tenure and/or required to attend for certification purposes. All such travel must be approved by the provost.

As a general rule, travel for other purposes should be avoided. This recognizes the ongoing health risks of the pandemic, as well as the need to limit discretionary operating costs for budget purposes. A modest allowance is being made available for those few instances outside the above purposes where travel may be required. Requests for such events must be approved by a vice president, the provost or the president. Any travel will be guided by the CDC, state of Washington, NCAA and other agencies providing the most current information on travel protocols.

Any trip conducted on behalf of the university must comply with the Travel Policy and, when students are traveling, the Sponsored Student Trip Policy; if you have questions about these policies please contact Whitworth's Risk Management Specialist. 

Driver Requirements

1. Any person (faculty, staff, student or university volunteer) intending to operate a university vehicle must be an approved driver, meaning he/she has a valid driver's license and has completed online training as required by the university's insurance company. Verification of this compliance must be on file with the facilities services office before anyone will be allowed to drive a university vehicle. You can view the current Driver List (requires intranet access).
   • Please note: Drivers with two or more accidents or moving violations within the past three years may not be eligible for certification.
2. Passenger vans may only be operated by drivers approved by facilities services in accordance with the Campus Vehicle Policy (drive test required). Please plan at ahead if van training is required.
3. Enterprise rental vehicles may only be operated by drivers 21 years of age and older.

Operation of any vehicle for official university business must be in compliance with the Campus Vehicle Policy; if you have questions about your eligibility to drive please contact facilities services or the Risk Management Specialist.