Faculty, staff and students have a couple of options for vehicles when traveling for BSU/NTC purposes.

Forms

• Vehicle-Driver Agreement
• MinnState Fleet Safety Resources
• MinnState Guideline for Driver’s License Record Checks

Available BSU Vehicles

Vehicle Services has the following vehicles available for authorized BSU travel:

• 4 — Passenger Vans (seats 12), $0.50/ mile
• 1 — Equipment Trailers, additional $0.06/ mile If any questions, contact Laurie Watkins 218.755.3988

The minimum charge for a vehicle is $20.00 per day.

BSU vehicles offices are located in Deputy 350. In order to check the status of a BSU vehicle please call (218) 755-3988 or view the BSU/NTC Vehicle reservation calendar in Teams.

Requesting a BSU Vehicle

To request the reservation, please submit a Vehicle Service ticket through TeamDynamix.

Employees are urged to use the facility whenever feasible. Especially when transporting students.

Approved Drivers

All faculty, staff and student employees driving a fleet vehicle must complete the online Vehicle Use Agreement prior to the trip date. A Vehicle Use Agreement must be completed annually and be on file at the Vehicle Services Office.

Each student driver will only have to fill out one agreement, no matter how many different departments they work for. A master list of approved drivers will be kept at Vehicle Services.

You will not be allowed to drive a BSU vehicle if you are not approved.

Vehicle Use Agreement should be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks prior to travel.

Picking Up a BSU Vehicle

Travel packets can be picked up at Deputy 350 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. When returning from a trip after hours, a key drop box is located on the SW corner of Bangsberg Hall.

Failure to cancel requests at least 24 hours prior to a scheduled trip or failure to return vehicles at the designated time on the request will result in a $20.00 penalty charge to your account. Emergency situations (accident, breakdown, weather conditions, etc) will be taken into consideration.

Personal Vehicle

If you choose to use your personal vehicle, you can be reimbursed at the mileage rate listed below. For each trip, you will need to keep track of actual odometer readings in order to claim mileage. If you have local, BSU/NTC work-related, travel in addition to your to/from location, you will also want to keep track of those readings. Remember, trip miles (official mileage between BSU or NTC and destination) and local miles (miles driven to accomplish your objective after reaching the destination) must be separated on your expense report. Make sure to include the description of extra miles on the expense report. If there are no details, the expense report will be revised per mileage calculator (Google maps).

If you are traveling with students or other employees in your personal vehicle:

• you must provide a current certificate of insurance with coverage limits (attach to your Travel Request) and
• be approved to drive through a driver’s license check.

The driver’s license check is completed through the online Vehicle Use Agreement form. If you have any questions, contact Laurie Watkins, laurie.watkins@bemidjistate.edu

Vehicle Use Agreement should be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks prior to travel.

Mileage Rates

Effective January 1, 2024:

• State-owned vehicle not available: 67 cents per mile (all bargaining units)
• State-owned vehicle available: 60 cents per mile (all bargaining units)

When an employee does not report to his/her permanent work location during the day or makes business calls before or after reporting to his/her permanent work location, the allowable mileage shall be:

• The lesser of the mileage from the employee’s residence to the first stop or from his/her permanent work location to the first stop.
• All mileage between points visited on State business during the day.
• The lesser of the mileage from the last stop to the employee’s residence or from the last stop to his/her permanent work location.
• Attach a google map showing the mileage between destinations with completed SEMA4 Employee Expense Report for mileage reimbursement.

Rental Vehicles

Before renting a vehicle through Enterprise or National, the renter must be approved to drive. In order to do this, the renter should complete a Vehicle Use Agreement form.

The Vehicle Comparison (updated 3/23/21) provides the current rates for Enterprise vehicles:

The local rental vehicle agency is Enterprise Rental Car, (218) 759-9960. This agency is located at the Bemidji Airport. In order to rent the user must be an approved driver, an approved Travel Request must be on file with the indication of rental car along with an attached justification for the use of a rental vehicle if a BSU vehicle was not requested.

Once received by the Travel Office, if the renter is approved, the approved dates with the name of the employee renting will be provided to Enterprise or National. It is up to the employee traveling to call and make arrangements with Enterprise or National. Employees may only rent a standard size vehicle, larger vehicles require prior additional approval. A BSU ID and valid driver’s license will be required at the car rental office.

Rental vehicles from Enterprise are billed directly to BSU, gas needs to be paid personally by the employee & reimbursed via Employee Expense Report upon return. Tolls can be reimbursed, but any citations or other fees cannot.

If you choose to rent from National, please note that you will have to pay personally & seek reimbursement.

Rental Vehicles Originating Out-of-State

The university requires a written justification statement of the use of a rental car vs. public transportation along with the approval of the Travel Request form prior to travel. Although the alternatives to a rental car are not as convenient or as attractively advertised, we would urge you to use good judgment and discretion prior to approving or using a rental car. If you are approved to rent out of state, Enterprise is the preferred vendor. Please contact the travel office for more details on renting out of state.

Local Rentals

The Business Office will submit an approval authorization to the appropriate rental agency that includes the faculty or staff member renting the car, with the dates of approved business travel, once an approved Travel Request is on file. Travel Request must include an attached justification for the use of a rental vehicle if a BSU vehicle was not requested. This justification can include cost savings details, no vehicles available, etc. Please indicate rental vehicle on the Travel and Vehicle Request form. We do want to stress that the rental agency will be looking for these authorizations from the Business Office.

Non-BSU/NTC employees or family members are not allowed to ride in rental cars paid for with BSU/NTC funds. (See Travel Management procedure 5:19:3 quoted at the end of this section).

An employee will not be reimbursed for any of the following expenses: LDW— which is loss/collision damage waiver, PAI-personal accident insurance or PEI/PEP-personal affects property protection. This is considered a personal expense.

Accidents

In the event of an accident, no Renter shall be asked for any monies at the time of the accident. All Renters will cooperate with the Contract Vendor by completing accident reports and giving any information to the proper authorities. Please also notify the travel office if you were in an accident with a BSU rental vehicle.

Authorized Drivers

Only authorized persons are permitted to ride in state vehicles.

Authorized drivers are:

• State employees
• Contractor’s employees or independent contractors, if authorization to drive a state vehicle is specifically mentioned
• Students who have been given permission by college or university administration
• An individual assisting an employee with a disability, if approved by the employee’s supervisor
• An individual assisting a student with a disability, if approved by college or university administration

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.
Authorized persons include:

• State employees
• Other persons participating in related state programs
• Volunteers as provided in System Procedure 4.0.1
• An individual assisting an employee with a disability, if approved by the employee’s supervisor
• An individual assisting a student with a disability, if approved by the college of university administration

Procedure 5.19.3 Travel Management

State-owned, rented or leased vehicles are to be used for official state business only. A driver shall have a valid state driver’s license, complete a Vehicle Use Agreement Consent to Obtain Driving Record form and observe all ordinances and laws pertaining to the operation of motor vehicles, System Guideline 5.19.3.1 Driver’s License Record Check and Consent Form — Vehicle Use Agreement and Consent to Obtain Driving Record(s).

Authorized Drivers

• State employees
• Contractor’s employees or independent contractors, if authorization to drive a state vehicle is specifically mentioned.
• Students who have been given permission by college or university administration.
• An individual assisting an employee with a disability, if approved by the employee’s supervisor.
• An individual assisting a student with a disability, if approved by college or university administration

Only authorized persons are permitted to ride in state vehicles.

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.
Authorized persons include:

• State employees
• Other persons participating in related state programs
• Volunteers as provided in System Procedure 4.0.1
• An individual assisting an employee with a disability, if approved by the employee’s supervisor
• An individual assisting a student with a disability, if approved by the college of university administration