It is a privilege, not a right, to drive a vehicle for the College. Before anyone is allowed to drive a College vehicle, they must become an “Approved Fleet Driver”. Supervisors and Fleet Safety Representatives are responsible to ensure department vehicles are driven only by Approved Fleet Drivers. In order to be an Approved Fleet Driver, individuals must be approved by the Fleet Safety Administrator based on the criteria outlined below. By requesting Approved Fleet Driver Status, each driver agrees to abide by the Wellesley College Vehicle Use Policy.
Qualification Requirements for Approved Fleet Drivers
In order to become an Approved Fleet Driver, participants must meet the following criteria:
- Drivers must have a valid license issued from the US or US territories.
- Drivers must be at least 18 years old.
- Drivers must have at least one year of driving experience.
- Drivers must be a student or employee of Wellesley College or a Wellesley authorized volunteer.
- Drivers must be Authorized (i.e., driving records must be verified; students must take required training).
- Drivers will not be Authorized if they have:
- Any Type A violations in past 3 years (These include: DUI / Reckless Driving / Negligent Homicide / Operating w/o a license / Hit & Run / Leaving the Scene / Use of vehicle in commission of a felony / Speed Contest / School Bus – not stopping) OR
- More than two accidents or Type B violations (e.g. speeding, running a light or stop sign) or a combination of more than two accidents and Type B violations in the past 3 years
Approved Fleet Driver status does not immediately qualify any driver to drive a specialty fleet vehicle.
The College reserves the right to deny Approved Fleet Driver status to any driver that, in the opinion of the Fleet Safety Administrator and/or the driver’s supervisor, should not drive a College Vehicle for any reason including Technical Violations. In general, such restrictions will not be enacted unless the driver has had one or more accidents with a College vehicle.
The College reserves the right to extend Approved Fleet Driver status to employee drivers with a combination of two or more accidents and/or Type B violations who drive as a condition of employment if certain approved driver safety training[1] is taken by the driver and no further accidents or violations are incurred in the approval period.
Process for Driver’s Motor Vehicle Record Review
Employees (Faculty and Staff: Full-Time and Part-Time)
All employees who wish to drive a College Vehicle must apply for a background check at the Human Resources Office (Green Hall, Room 141). If an employee drives as a condition of employment, a background check on driving history is required. Employees will be required to sign a form indicating their agreement to the College performing a motor vehicle record review. The motor vehicle record will be made available to the authorized Human Resources administrator who will review it to determine if the College’s minimum qualification requirements are met.
All employees who wish or need to drive a Fleet vehhicle, must take the College's online Driver Safety Training provided through United Educators. Register to take the training on the Registration Portal. Once you have registered, you will need to go to the United Educators' Training site.
If there is any question as to whether or not the minimum qualifications are met, the Human Resources Administrator may request that the Fleet Safety Administrator review the records and advise. If the Human Resources Administrator and the Fleet Safety Administrator determine that the minimum qualifications are not met, the employee will be advised of the findings and will be given the opportunity to appeal the findings. The employee may secure their own copy of their MVR at their own expense and meet with the Human Resources Administrator and the Fleet Safety Administrator to explain the discrepancies between the information provided by the College’s records and the employee’s records.
Students, Seasonal Employees, and Volunteers
All students or volunteers who wish or need to drive on College business (including student employment, athletics, career services/community service, or any other purpose) may email the Program Director for Community Engagement to obtain a link to submit a request to have their driver qualification checked.
All student or volunteer driver approval is managed through the Career Education Office. Allow up to five (5) working days for the MVR check to be processed.
All students must take the College’s online Driver Safety Training provided through United Educators. Register to take the training on the Registration Portal. Once you have registered, you will need to go to the United Educators' Training site. Click Here for more detailed instructions.
If there is any question as to whether or not the minimum qualifications are met, the Career Education Administrator or Financial Services Administrator may request that the Fleet Safety Administrator review the records and advise. If the Career Education Administrator and the Fleet Services Administrator determine that the minimum qualifications are not met, the student or volunteer will be advised of the findings and will be given the opportunity to appeal the findings. The student or volunteer may secure their own copy of their MVR at their own expense and meet with the Career Education Administrator and the Fleet Safety Administrator to explain the discrepancies between the information provided by the College’s records and the employee’s records.
Motor Vehicle Record Evaluation Criteria
A Motor Vehicle Record, or MVR, details an individual’s past driving history based on violations and accidents over a predetermined period. The information found on MVRs can be divided into four categories: Type A Violations, Type B Violations, Technical Violations, and Accidents. For the purposes of these Guidelines, driver convictions and violations, and moving violations and accidents are defined below.
Type A Violations include but are not limited to:
- Driving under the influence
- Driving while impaired
- Reckless driving
- Careless/Reckless driving
- Failure to report an accident
- Making a false accident report
- Vehicular homicide/ manslaughter
- Attempting to elude a police officer
- Driving while license is suspended
- Not stopping for a school bus when required by law
Type B Violations are any moving violations that are not Type A Violations. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Speeding
- Running a stop sign/red light
- Improper turn
- Passing across a double yellow line
- Failure to yield
- Following too close
Technical Violations include but are not limited to:
- Failure to wear a seat belt
- Failure to display proof of registration
- Failure to have driver’s license on person when stopped
- Improper display of license plates
- Motor vehicle equipment violations
- Load or size violations
Accidents include:
- Any at-fault accident with a College Vehicle whether it appears on the driver's MVR or not
- Any at-fault accident that is listed on the driver’s MVR
MVR Review Frequency
All Approved Fleet Drivers are required to meet the above defined minimum requirements. Since driving eligibility is based on a driver’s experience, eligibility may be reviewed on a predetermined basis. At a minimum, MVRs will be reviewed for each Approved Fleet Driver at the following intervals:
- Upon hire or placement in a driving position – No College employees or student workers may drive a College Vehicle on College business until their driving record has been approved.
- Drivers who do not drive as a condition of employment but wish or need to use a College Vehicle, including driving College employees or students in a personal vehicle. These drivers may apply (as described above) for Approved Fleet Driver status. The MVR review occurs as part of the approval process.
- After an accident happens or motorist observation report is received – Drivers may be required to re-apply for Approved Fleet Driver status following an accident or after a report of policy violations has been received.
- Students, seasonal employees and volunteers are required to pass an MVR review annually.
- Employees are required to pass an MVR review every five years or when their driver’s license expires, whichever comes first.