Student Driver Policy

Policy Statement

Undergraduate student driver applicants must first meet criteria detailed in the broader Dartmouth Driver Policy. It is the responsibility of each individual operating a motor vehicle on behalf of the College to become familiar with this and all related policies.

College-Sponsored Activities

Students may receive authorization to drive College-owned, rented, leased or personal vehicles in connection with College-sponsored activities and programs. However, such requests must be approved by the sponsoring department or office before applying to Transportation Services to become an Approved Driver.

College-sponsored activities and programs include all activities funded in any way through the College, including but not limited to:

• Recognized student organizations
• Athletic programs
• Academic programs
• Off-campus programs sponsored by the College

I. Trip Approval

All student travel related to College-sponsored activities and programs must be approved in advance of the trip by the faculty member, coach, administrator, dean or director responsible for the activity or program.

II. Driver Approval

Students must apply to become approved drivers, submitting a complete Student Driver Application Form to Transportation Services, signature approved by the sponsoring department or office. Applications will be processed in the order received and may take up to two weeks to complete.

In addition to general provisions to become a college approved driver found in the Dartmouth Driver Policy, student applicants also require:

• Minimum of one year of driving experience;
• Minimum of 1,500 miles driven per year (motorcycles excluded);
• Absence of College disciplinary sanctions which might reflect negatively on the ability to drive safely, such as a sanction for intoxication.

Any student awarded approved driver status later found, for any reason, did not meet policy requirements at the time, will be notified by Transportation Services that their approved driver status has been suspended. Students removed from the list will not be permitted to drive a vehicle on College-sponsored activities.

Disqualified drivers may elect to file a formal appeal with Transportation Services for an internal review by the Director of Transportation Services, who has final say over the designation of Approved Driver status.

III. Trips in Excess of a 150-mile Radius of the Campus

When traveling to College-sponsored activities which involve one-way travel in excess of 150 miles from campus, the following will apply:

• an overnight stay in the vicinity of the specified event the night before or the same night as the event;
• or name an additional approved driver not participating in the activity to share the driving responsibilities.

IV. First-Year Student Driver Approval

In addition to provisions to become a college approved student driver, first-year student applicants also require:

• An exception letter filed by the faculty member, coach, administrator, dean or director responsible for the activity or program on their behalf to Transportation Services. This is required for each program the first-year student may drive for;
• Driving only for the program requesting the exception;
• Driving only College-owned vehicles.