Travel

Facilities Services maintains a small fleet of vehicles available for low cost rental to faculty, staff, and student organizations for College business trips and College sponsored activities. Rentals are $10 per day, plus 22 cents per mile. Faculty and staff must make arrangements through their department budget administrator. Students and student organizations must make arrangements through their Commons office, or the office of the Center for Campus Activities & Leadership (443-3103).

A complete listing of travel policies and procedures is available in at CCAL. 

• Download a copy of the Student Travel Policy
• Download a copy of the Trip Departure Form  

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Types of Trips

There are three types of student trips –

Trip
These are defined as student organization or Commons trips to or from a location with an intact set of students. Trips must complete all forms and paperwork as detailed below.

Example: Commons trip to Boston to see a baseball game; Debate Team trip to Dartmouth for a competition.

Shuttle
These are defined as student organization or Commons arranged vehicles to pick-up and/or drop off individuals from a specific location to another location or multiple locations. Shuttles must complete the top section of the Trip Departure Form and submit it when picking up your keys. The hosting department or student organziation must maintain a master list of potential participants.

Example: Airport shuttles

Car rides
Students using vehicles for local transportation for volunteer activities must submit the following information to the Alliance for Civic Engagement at the beginning of each term. Students are responsible for making changes if necessary.

Personal Vehicles: Name of student volunteer; volunteer group; name of occupants of vehicle (if any); driver’s date of birth; Driver’s license number and State; Midd ID number; campus phone number; Make, Model, and Year of personal vehicle; License plate number; Owner’s name; Insurance Company; agent.

College Vehicle Rental: Name of student volunteer; volunteer group; name of occupants of vehicle (if any); driver’s date of birth; Driver’s license number and State; Midd ID number; campus phone number

Trips Departure Forms must be completed for a specific destination with the Alliance for Civic Engagement. This form may be kept by the student and used for multiple trips throughout the academic term. It is not necessary to complete a new form for each trip.

If a College rental vehicle is used, the student must show their Middlebury College Diver's License and Trip Departure Form at the Vehicle Rental Office or Heating Plant in order to pick up the vehicle.

Example: Community Friends

License Requirements

You must have a valid Middlebury College drivers license in order to drive a College owned or leased vehicle. Classes are held throughout the year.

Valid U.S. driver’s license ● 3 years driving experience ● Driving background check

Defensive driving test (all vehicles) ● Road test (15-passenger van)

You may reserve a College owned or leased vehicle through your Commons Coordinator or CCAL. Student organizations must contact the CCAL office. The minimum notice for reserving a vehicle is two (2) weeks prior to the event. Confirm funding for vehicle use by completing a Finance Committee Request Form and submitting it for review at the Committee’s weekly meeting.

In order to pick up your vehicle you must submit a completed Trip Departure Form when picking up your keys.  These forms are available at CCAL or online. One form must be completed for each vehicle being used. All drivers must be present to show their College licenses.

When you return to campus it is important to complete your Trip Ticket with the ending mileage.

Please make sure that all windows of the car are closed, trash is removed and that the vehicle is locked.

Students who receive authorization to operate a College owned, rented or leased vehicle must drive responsibly and safely.  All motor vehicles regulations, College policies, and state laws must be followed. The driver is responsible for passengers.  Make sure everyone uses seat belts anytime the vehicle is in motion. This is also a state law requirement.

Student travel involving student organizations, athletics teams, and Commons that utilize College-owned vehicles, rental vehicles arranged by the College, or personal vehicles may take place within a radius of 300 miles from Middlebury College.

Student groups wishing to travel beyond the 300 mile radius must utilize public or private mass transportation such as a hired motor coach, Amtrak, or airline. Trips which fall within close proximity of the 300 mile radius may request an exemption from either the Director of the Center for Campus Activities and Leadership, Director of Athletics, or a Head of Commons.

Trips utilizing College-owned vehicles, rental vehicles arranged by the College, or personal vehicles which exceed this radius will not be funded by the College or the Student Activities Fee. Failure to abide by this policy may result in College discipline, fines, and/or loss of driving privileges.

Student organizations seeking an exception to the rule limiting the use of College-rented or owned vehicles to trips within 300 miles from Middlebury should submit their request to CCAL at least 2 weeks before the trip is to take place. Requests for exceptions should include the name of the student organization, the name of the contact person for the group, the destination and purpose of the trip, a justification for an exception, and the names of all drivers. All requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

In some circumstances trips that are significantly over 300 miles may be approved for an exception. Should such a trip be approved, the following conditions must be met:

1. Only a single College or rental vehicle may be used - five passenger car, seven, eleven or fifteen passenger van. Multiple vehicles going to the same destination are not permitted.
   
2. There must be multiple drivers for the trip. Drivers must have successfully completed the Middlebury College driver's license program and have a valid Middlebury College license.
   
3. Rest stops with driver changes must occur every three hours. Each driver may only drive once per day.
   
4. A trip can go no more than twelve hours per day (example: twelve hours of driving requires four drivers)
   
5. After twelve hours of driving an overnight stop of at least eight hours must be scheduled.
   
6. Itineraries for multiple day trips complete with the names of drivers and the location of planned overnight stops must be submitted with the request.

NOTE: Trips involving vehicles owned by student organizations (eg. Middlebury Mountain Club van) must submit the name of the contact person for the trip, the destination and purpose of the trip, a justification for an exception, and the names of all drivers to the group's adviser at least two weeks before the trip.