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Vehicle Reservations

Vehicle Services

Page address: http://www.mnsu.edu/vehicles/

helen

Helen Walters
Facilities Services, Vehicles Coordinator/Office Manager
Phone: 389-5649/Fax: 389-1092
helen.walters@mnsu.edu

Facilities Services is committed to serving the transportation needs of University employees and students for state purposes. Vehicle reservations are processed by Helen Walters and skilled student workers trained to provide the best service possible.

Our university fleet has 37 passenger fleet vehicles consisting of sedans, seven passenger minivans and a twelve passenger van. An assortment of additional vehicles are utilized for our maintenance staff and departments for state purposes. The vehicles are usually internally maintained at our full service garage by Robert Arndt (lead automotive mechanic), Mike Hirmer and Mike Mullin (automotive mechanics), they receive additional assistance with automotive detailing from student workers.

Personal Mileage Reimbursement Rates

Minnesota State University, Mankato follows the IRS standard mileage reimbursement rate for business miles. Effective, July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011: 55.5 cents per mile if state-owned vehicle is not available; 48.5 cents per mile if state owned vehicle is declined or not requested prior to departure of trip.

http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1292867185&paper=topstories

Departments should be aware of possible increased cost when using personal vehicles when personnel request mileage reimbursement through the department.

Ex. Driving a personal vehicle to the Twin Cities when a state vehicle is available: Reimbursement rate of 48.5 cents per mile x 170 (approximate round trip mileage)= $82.45 cost to the university department. VS. utilizing a state owned sedan to the cities is $42 (per day) cost to the university department. This would be a $40.45 savings to the university department for just one trip.

An additional concern is that Minnesota is a no-fault vehicle accident state.

If there would be an accident in your personal vehicle while on state business, the accident claim would follow the owner of the vehicle you were driving.

If you would be in an accident in a state owned vehicle the accident claim goes to the State of Minnesota (owner of the vehicle).

Guidelines on State Vehicles and Driving Personal Vehicles on State Business

http://www.mnscu.edu/board/procedure/5-19p3.pdf

http://www.mnscu.edu/board/procedure/519p3.html

Procedure 5.19.3 Travel Management

for Board Policy 5.19

Part 1. Authority. Board Policy 7.1, Authority, delegates to the chancellor authority to develop a system procedure on travel management.

Part 2. Scope and Responsibility. This procedure applies to all employees of the colleges, universities, the Office of the Chancellor; the Board of Trustees; and any other individuals, including students, authorized to travel or be reimbursed for allowable expenses in conducting authorized Minnesota State Colleges and Universities business. System employees, trustees, or other individuals authorized to travel, including students, are responsible for complying with this procedure and for the accurate completion of all required forms, including the Employee Expense Report. Students eligible for reimbursement shall be compensated in accordance with local student travel rates or, in the absence of local student travel rates, with the Commissioner's Plan.

For purposes of this procedure, unless otherwise specified, the term "traveler" shall refer to all employees of the colleges, universities, and Office of the Chancellor; Board of Trustees; and any other individuals, including students, authorized to travel.

Part 3. Prior Approval.

All in-state travel and the incurrence of related expenses must receive oral prior approval and all out-of-state travel requires written prior approval by an employee who has delegated authority to approve out-of-state travel. Written authorizations are retained locally for audit purposes.
Travel may be authorized travel when it can be reasonably determined that:
a. The travel is primarily for the benefit of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and is related to the effective conduct of business, including the promotion of interstate cooperation;
b. The cost of the travel and absence from work will be offset by benefits accruing to Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, including the professional advancement of an employee; and
c. The travel relates to activities which do not have as their purpose the advancement of a political party, a political candidate, or a religious denomination.
Exception. Travel that has not received prior authorization is allowed only in emergency situations.

Part 4. Spouse/Companion Travel. Travel expenses will not be reimbursed if incurred by a spouse or other individual accompanying traveler on business unless:

the spouse/companion is a state employee and there is a bona fide business purpose requiring his or her attendance; and
such expenses are provided for in collective bargaining agreements or compensation plans.

A spouse or other individual may accompany a traveler, including students, on a business trip at the traveler's expense. However, personal guests, including spouses, are not allowed to travel in a state-owned, rented, or leased vehicle.

Part 5. Maximum Use of Financial Resources. Travel costs should take into consideration any financial decisions made such as:

Traveler leaving a day early if a lower airfare is available and the airfare offsets costs of additional hotel or food.
Traveler staying over a weekend at the traveler?s own expense to obtain lower airfare. Additional expenses may be paid related to the reduced airfare providing the expenses do not exceed the amount saved on the lower airfare.
Other unusual situations which increase or decrease the trip costs.
Travel is being paid for by an outside organization and is in compliance with ethics requirements in accordance with Minnesota Statutes section 43A.38, Code of Ethics for Employees in the Executive Branch, and Minnesota Statutes section 10A.071, Certain Gifts by Lobbyists and Principals Prohibited. If a traveler is reimbursed by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for this travel and is also reimbursed for the same travel expense by an outside organization, the traveler must endorse the outside reimbursement check over to the college, university, or Office of the Chancellor. A traveler may be reimbursed by an outside organization for travel or meals expenses, not to exceed actual expenses incurred, which are not reimbursed by the state and which have been approved in advance by the appointing authority as part of the work assignment.
Traveler elects to drive a personal vehicle rather than travel by commercial airliner. Reimbursement for personal vehicle use in lieu of airfare is at the lower reimbursement rate and shall not exceed the lowest round-trip coach airfare.

Forms and Resources

Winter Weather Advisory
Tips for Van Drivers (PDF)
Fleet Safety Standards for Towing Trailers (PDF)
Minnesota State Vehicle Accident Report: vehicles/minnesota_motor_vehicle_accident_report.pdf (Accident Report for state owned or leased vehicles and equipment) Please print out, complete, sign and submit the report to Helen Walters, Facilities Services, WC358. Questions? Call Helen at 389-5649.

State of Minnesota Supplemental Vehicle Rental Contract.

Minnesota State University, Mankato has the opportunity to offer state owned vehicles for state travel needs by administration, faculty and staff who are on University business. Circumstances may arise when state vehicles are not available or are not authorized for usage, see policies and procedures section.

Out of State long distance trips (greater than 1,000 miles round trip) will be requested to utilize the Enterprise Rent-A-Car contract. Additional details on long distance driving of state vehicles are available from Facilities Services.

Beginning July 1, 2011, Enterprise Rent-A-Car will accept the Minnesota State University, Mankato department assigned Wells Fargo Credit Card for University approved travel with a Enterprise rental and for the purchase of fuel for the Enterprise vehicle for faculty, staff and administration. There are two contracts listed below that are able to be utilized for University approved travel. The following link offers general information on Enterprise Rent-A-Car procedures: vehicles/enterpriseprocedures033111word.pdf

The State of Minnesota has an opportunity to utilize a state contract with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, contract release number V-33(5). This supplemental contract must be used by state agencies (faculty, staff and administration for a vehicle rental that is "initiated" in the State of Minnesota or other locations as listed on the contract release.

vehicles/v-33_5.pdf This is the Materials Management Division contract for Vehicle Rental for “local service” – short and long term rentals.

vehicles/v-38_5.pdf This is the Materials Management Division contract for the national service for vehicle rental that initiate outside of the State of Minnesota - short term rentals only.

Due to the high liability exposure for the services on the contract, state agenices are required to use the contract unless an exception is granted by the AMS (Acquisition Management Specialist) listed on the state contract.

When using this State of Minnesota contract, MnSCU and CPV members must comply with the contract terms and conditions and may not deviate from the specifications, terms and conditions as outlined.

Purchasers should thoroughly review the contract release - only the goods and services that are identified in the contract may be purchased through the contract. You may also contact, Helen Walters, Facilities Services, WC358, 389-5649 for contract verifcation.

15 passenger vans are not permitted to be rented.
Do not use a personal 15 passenger van or camper to transport other employees or students on MnSCU business.

Not Utilizing Your State Vehicle after a reservation - Cancel It!

24 hour cancellation of a state vehicle is requested. Vehicles that are reserved but not used, nor cancelled, may be charged up to the full rate for requested rental dates. 9/11/06

E85 Stations in Mankato

There are locations in Mankato where you may fill the state vehicles with E85 fuel. Holiday Station, 1901 Adams St. and the Kwik Trip on Hwy 169. For statewide E85 fuel station locations click here.