Only authorized State University faculty, staff, and students may operate a Motor Pool vehicle. Private use of any University-owned vehicle is prohibited by State Statute (O.S 1981, 159.7 Title 47, Section 159.7).

The vehicle may be used only for State University business. No one, other than faculty, staff, and students on business or course work, may ride in State University vehicles. All University-owned vehicles shall be used strictly for official business within the scope of employment. All persons traveling in University-owned vehicles must be on official business at all times.

Domestic and non-domestic animals are NOT allowed in the vehicles with the exception of seeing-eye, hearing-ear, and service dogs as defined by ADA. (Please indicate a special vehicle requirement when making the reservation, of the need to transport one of these dogs.)

Vehicles are not to be used for towing. No objects are to be placed, mounted, or tied to the outside of any Motor Pool vehicle. Damage resulting from any of these conditions will be the responsibility of the requestor's department (or organization).

Tobacco use is strictly prohibited in all Motor Pool vehicles. The department will be charged a cleaning fee to remove tobacco odors or stains. Repeated use of tobacco in the vehicles will result in the offender being denied access to vehicles.

Oklahoma state employees are prohibited from text messaging when driving government vehicles, driving private vehicles on government business or when using electronic equipment supplied by the state while driving. The directive defines "texting" or "text messaging" as reading from or entering data into any handheld or other electronic device.

It is illegal under Federal Law 49 U.S.C. 30112 to use a 12-passenger van for transporting students under age 18.

Minibuses (15-passenger) are considered "Activity Buses". These and 12-passenger vans are not allowed to be used on a route to transport students from residence to school, or from school to residence. These do not have proper safety equipment to be classified as a school bus.

Drivers must complete Bus Orientation before qualifying to drive a 12-passenger van or 15-passenger minibus. Please schedule this training with Motor Pool.

Requirements of Operator

All drivers of Motor Pool vehicles must possess a valid U.S. driver's license with fewer than 6 points on their record. For insurance purposes, the Motor Pool office, must have on file a list of all persons who will be operating Motor Pool vehicles. This must include the driver's name, license number, state of issue, expiration date of license, and driver's date of birth.

In many situations our fleet vehicles are booked completely leaving no vehicles available for other customers, or a group is in need of a 12 passenger cargo van for an out of state trip. Whatever the reason, Motor Pool will, with the best of our abilities, rent a vehicle through Enterprise Rent-a-Car Inc. to ensure that our customer's needs are met.

Since the reservation is made through the NSU Motor Pool for our employee's official University business, remember that all Enterprise vehicles are treated and are recognized as NSU Motor Pool state vehicles just like one of our own fleet vehicles. Keep in mind that all Motor Pool rules, regulations and rates still apply.  

12 Passenger Vans

When 12 passenger vans are being reserved, keep in mind that Enterprise requires that you must be at least 25 years of age and provide a copy of your driver's license in order to drive this type of vehicle. Make sure when reserving the 12 passenger van(s) to give plenty of notice. Sometimes Enterprise must request a van from another city in order to get one here for a reservation and can take up to a week to find one that is available.

If you are planning to use this type of vehicle for a trip, please remember to load all luggage evenly throughout the vehicle and remember that these vehicles are easy to tip over when steering is over corrected while driving. A yellow form will be given to you at the time of checking out the vehicle that states that you have read and understand the risks of driving the van, which is required by Enterprise.

Weekends

Keep in mind that when reserving an Enterprise vehicle, the Enterprise Tahlequah office is closed on the weekends. Enterprise will charge for the whole weekend regardless of how many days the vehicle was actually rented due to unavailability of closing out the contracts. The Motor Pool will never send employees out in an Enterprise car on Friday unless the return time is before 5pm.

Rates/Billings

The Motor Pool charges the same rates as we would with a regular Motor Pool vehicle. All rate structures and rules apply. (See rate structures on Motor Pool website menu)

Keep in mind that when requesting an Enterprise vehicle for the weekends, that Enterprise will charge for the whole weekend regardless of how many days the vehicle was actually rented. The Motor Pool must include these charges on the billing invoice to be sure that the cost is covered.

The operator of the vehicle has, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Safe operation and security of the vehicle until it has been returned to the Motor Pool.
• Strict adhere to all traffic and parking laws. A practice of road courtesy at all times. YOU are responsible for all traffic and parking violations. Any citations received by the Motor Pool office shall be forwarded to the department (or organization) that reserved the vehicle.
• Safety belts are to be worn by all occupants of the vehicle at all times the vehicle is in motion. The driver is responsible for ensuring that all occupants comply with this requirement!
• Do not abuse this vehicle! Vehicle damage resulting from abuse is subject to payment by the driver's department (or organization).
• Drivers are required to report any and all mechanical defects upon return of the vehicle.
• Damage to University Vehicles

  The department reserving the vehicle from the Motor Pool is responsible for any physical damage by drivers and passengers to the vehicle beyond normal wear and deterioration. Vehicles are serviced on a regular basis, but drivers should be aware of any problems with the engine or operation of the vehicle and report them to the Motor Pool. Drivers must take reasonable and proper care of Motor Pool vehicles while in their possession. Damage to vehicles which is deemed to be from operator negligence may be charged to the department responsible for the lease of the vehicle. It is important to note and report any vehicle damage while in their possession to the Motor Pool. Vehicles excessively dirty which require beyond normal cleaning before they can be re-leased for use are assessed a cleaning charge from $25 to $50+ each vehicle.

Reservations must be cancelled at least 24 hours in advance or a cancellation fee will be assessed to the requestor's account. Cancellations must be made via the Motor Pool web site or by phone. The Motor Pool staff may cancel vehicles not picked up within 4 hours of the scheduled reservation time.

Keys can be picked up at the Motor Pool office during operating hours or through a safe assigned for after hours.

Returning vehicles late without notifying the Motor Pool staff may result in revocation of Motor Pool privileges. Contact the Motor Pool office if risk of returning the vehicle on time is imminent.

Each driver is encouraged to inspect the vehicle for damages upon return to the Motor Pool Department and discuss any damages with a Motor Pool employee.

In case of vehicle damage to a Motor Pool vehicle resulting from the driver's gross negligence, competitive bids are used to assess the cost of repair. The user department will be charged the full amount of the total repair of the charges to repair the vehicle.

The returned vehicle should be free of trash or excessive debris. The department (or organization) which reserved the vehicle shall be charged a $20 clean up fee if a vehicle's interior is judged to be excessively dirty.

Please make sure vehicle is locked and all lights are turned off. Return keys to the drop box or the office.

Vehicles which develop mechanical problems while in the local area should be returned for replacement. In the event that it would be impractical to operate the vehicle, Motor Pool should be contacted for assistance. While Motor Pool strives to maintain its fleet of vehicles in the best possible condition, breakdowns do occur. Motor Pool will make every effort to assist the customer during any breakdown situation to minimize loss time and inconvenience. However, Motor Pool shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the travelers other than the actual cost to repair the vehicle. This specifically includes room and board.

If a Motor Pool vehicle has a mechanical breakdown while on the road, please contact (918) 444-2419  or (918) 931-1229 asap.

In the event of a vehicular accident, the driver will stop at once, give reasonable first aid to those injured, and will call the police. All information related to the accident and all drivers involved will be written down at the scene. All accidents, no matter how minor, will be reported as soon as possible to the Motor Pool office. An Accident Report must be completed. Accident Report forms are available at the Motor Pool office.

• When conditions and/or regulations permit, move to the shoulder or side of the roadway to prevent further damage or hazards. If conditions or regulations do not permit moving the vehicle, contact the local authorities immediately.
• You must contact the local authorities and complete an accident report. Advise authorities if medical assistance is needed.
• Obtain the names and addresses of witnesses.
• Report accident to Motor Pool office as soon as possible. You may leave a voicemail after normal business hours.

All State University Motor Pool vehicles are insured under a State University insurance policy. This insurance covers damage to motor pool vehicles, liability for damage to other vehicles and property, and bodily injury to others from official use of a motor pool vehicle.

The driver is personally responsible for all costs or damages for personal, illegal, or unauthorized use of State University Motor Pool vehicles. Motor Pool vehicles are self-insured for actual physical damage and collision damage and also carry liability coverage. It is advisable for the person picking up a vehicle to inspect the vehicle for body damage.

1. Any damage should be noted on the reservation and/or lease agreement prior to leaving Motor Pool.
2. The department renting a vehicle from Motor Pool is responsible for paying for repairs caused by abuse or neglect of the vehicle.
3. Off-Road use is prohibited. Motor Pool rental vehicles are not designed, equipped or authorized for off-road use and must be driven on designated roads, streets and highways only.
4. The renting department may be responsible for payment of ALL damage repair expenses when there is evidence the vehicle has been driven off-road and/or used in a way not consistent with its design.
5. In the event of vehicle damage caused by an accident or collision, repairs will be made by Motor Pool and the renting department will be billed for all repairs up to $2,500.00 per incident.
6. Repairs will include markups and fees applied by Motor Pool.