Field Trip, Team Travel, & Educational Travel

Because field trips and team travel involve the transportation of large numbers of individuals, the University and the personnel who supervise such trips take on special responsibilities.

When a commercial carrier is employed, many of those responsibilities are assumed by the carrier, but they remain with the University if the travel takes place in vehicles owned or leased/rented by the University, or in vehicles owned or leased/rented by the participants themselves.

If a faculty or staff member is a passenger in a vehicle, he or she is "in charge" and responsible for the safe conduct of the trip. The faculty or staff member is expected to exercise his/her authority as a University official to ensure that the vehicle is operated in a safe and lawful manner.

The faculty or staff member is also responsible for ensuring that vehicles are not occupied beyond their capacity. Overcrowding may be construed as an unsafe condition and should always be avoided. The driver of the vehicle is responsible for ensuring compliance of the safety belt policy.

For any trip, a roster must be completed and turned into the office issuing the van prior to departure.

No driver shall operate a University vehicle for more than ten hours in a 24-hour period.