The College is committed to ensuring the safety of students and employees. To this end and with the recommendation of the College’s insurance provider, we have instituted a process that must be followed by employees and students who wish to drive College vehicles on authorized trips. All employees and students should read and comply with the College’s Vehicle Use Policy.
In order to be approved to drive, a driver must present the following to the Campus Safety main office, during normal business hours:
Please allow two business days for NYS driver applications to be processed. Allow three to four business days for out-of-state applications to be processed.
Hartwick abides by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1997 and requests authorization from each driver to obtain and periodically review the driver’s motor vehicle record. See the Campus Safety Office to complete this process. Drivers with borderline approval will be restricted by Campus Safety in their uses of College vehicles. Those drivers with poor records will not be approved to drive Hartwick vehicles.
College owned, leased, or rented vehicles are available to employees to use for business- related trips. Campus Safety must approve all applicants for College vehicle use.
The College policy to use Hartwick vehicles is:
Hartwick College provides automobile insurance coverage for approved drivers while driving College owned, leased, or rented vehicles during business-related trips. Failure to adhere to these rules could result in an uninsured loss and expense.
When operating a personally owned vehicle on College business, the owners’ automobile liability insurance is primary with respect to coverage for damages and personal injury in connection with any accidents involving the employee’s vehicle, even if the accident occurs in connection with a College-sponsored activity.
The College’s automobile insurance policy does not provide coverage for damage to the employee’s motor vehicle from any cause, either on a primary or excess basis.
When operating a personally owned vehicle on College business, employees shall obey all traffic rules and wear seal belts while the vehicle is in use.
The College has recognized a pattern of property damage accidents involving 12-passenger vans. To assist drivers in recognizing the challenges of driving these large vehicles, the College requires all newly approved drivers to participate in a van orientation session conducted by the Campus Safety Office.
Note: All orientation sessions must be scheduled through the Campus Safety Main office. These sessions are at the availability as on need basis. Contact the Campus Safety Office for more information.
Please allow at least 48 hours to process driver clearance and call at least two weeks in advance for van orientation. There are times during the academic year when van orientation cannot be scheduled due to other demands placed on the department. Campus vehicle use should be arranged directly through the department or through the Facilities Department.
When renting vehicles for College use, no additional insurance through the rental company needs to be purchased.
Students may not rent vehicles on behalf of the College.
If you have an accident while on College business, remember to report all accidents to your department supervisor, Campus Safety, and Facilities if you are using one of their vehicles.
Hartwick employees injured in an accident must file a report with Human Resources for Workers Compensation.