V. TC Policies

• A. Mission Statement:

  The University Transportation Center is dedicated to providing the most professional, safety-conscious service possible to our many customers. As an integral part of the University and Boulder communities we are obligated to promote and protect the image and goodwill of the University of Colorado. To achieve this goal, the TC is committed to provide its drivers thorough training, a safe work place and positive environment. In addition, all drivers are expected to fully complete their training and undertake their responsibility to their passengers in a skillful and courteous manner. In this way, the TC will thrive and prosper by providing a safe, professional service for all those connected with the University to enjoy

• B. Drug and Alcohol Policy:

  Don't. Period. The use of drugs or alcohol during working hours is extremely dangerous to your passengers and yourself and is grounds for dismissal.

  • 1. As of January 1996 all holders of CDL's are subject to mandatory testing for alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and PCP. by urinalysis and for alcohol by breathalyzer. Circumstances for testing include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, return to duty, and follow up.

    2. Driving while hung-over will not be tolerated. Call in sick if you are impaired in any way.

    3. Medication or over-the-counter drugs may impair driving ability. Consult with a doctor or pharmacist and notify your supervisor if you are taking any medication.

    4. Do not drink any alcohol for at least eight hours prior to a run

    5. You will receive a special training session on drunk and drugged driving.

    6. In keeping with University policy, the TC is committed to providing a drug-free work place and environment.

    7. University Policy specifies that no alcohol may be carried or consumed in the passenger compartment of a University vehicle. This includes buses.

    8. Please refer to the Drug and Alcohol policy provided by Human Resources for further information regarding testing and possible disciplinary actions taken due to drug/alcohol related offenses.

• C. Basic Driver Requirements:

  You are expected to maintain a safe driving record. Your record will be checked periodically. You are required to report any personal traffic violations. This is required under the Commercial Driver's License program and by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

  • 1. You must pass a driving and written state exam to receive your Commercial Drivers License (CDL).

    2. You must pass a DOT physical as part of the procedure for obtaining your CDL. Your medical certification must be renewed every two years.

    3. You must have a dependable time piece (watch).

    4 You must have a home phone, preferably with an answering machine.

    5. Proper dress and personal appearance is required including:

    • a. Adequate shoes that have a closed heel and toe. Sandals, "flip-flops", bare feet, or any footwear that could contribute to injury or pedal control problems may not be worn.

      b. No "short" shorts (less than 4 inch inseam), running, lycra or cutoff shorts may be worn.

      c. Anything restricting hearing or vision can not be worn. This includes headphones and glacier glasses.

    6. TC or CU identification (name tags, etc.) may be required on conference or special runs. These will not be required on WV route. Certain runs may require more dressy attire.

• D. Special TC Policies:
  • 1. All drivers receive adequate training when hired to drive the WV route. No driver will go solo until he/she and the supervisor have agreed they are ready.

    2. All drivers will take the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving course. This is required to advance to full pay.

    3. After first full semester of driving, all drivers will receive mountain training, as well as special training specific to Flagstaff Mountain (in May or June), before doing any mountain driving.

    4. Periodically, in-service training sessions will be needed. These will include various topics such as bus maintenance and shop procedures, special driving courses, and technical information.

    5. Additional training can be requested at any time. It is your professional responsibility to tell your supervisor if you feel inadequately trained for any run.

    6. If it is determined that your driving is not up to standard, as indicated by a pattern of preventable accidents or problems on your ride checks, the supervisor will require you to take additional training. Remedial training is usually the first step in addressing driving problems.

• E. Basic Bus Rules:
  • 1. Rules that the driver must enforce:
    • a. ID policy:
      • i. On WV, all riders must have a valid Residence Halls Id or they must present a bus ticket, a temporary ID, or a guest pass (including children). Occasionally there will be problems with this; these will be discussed more fully in your training.

        ii. On all charter runs, only the assigned group members, including children, may ride; friends or relatives are not allowed.

        iii. No hitchhikers are allowed to ride.

      b. Standing loads: It is fairly common to have the bus loaded with people standing in the aisles. The driver must be able to see to both sides. Passengers are not to stand anywhere forward of the white line to the right and behind the driver's seat.

      c. Emergency door: Passengers will not use the rear emergency door except in case of an emergency;

      d. Alcohol and Smoking: Absolutely no smoking or alcohol in open or closed containers is allowed on the bus. If there is a problem, inform the passengers that the bus will not be moved until the person gets off the bus or stops his behavior.

      e. If any passenger interferes with the safe operation of the bus, proceed as described above.

      f. In extreme cases, request police assistance. They may be contacted by radio at 4000 base or via FM base.

• 2. Rules that the driver must follow:
  • a. You must report all accidents, even minor ones. See the accident reporting section for further details;

    b. You must report all moving traffic violations, even personal ones. Failure to report tickets may be grounds for disciplinary action;

    c. At the end of your route or trip you must return to the TC immediately by the most direct route unless you have specific permission otherwise.

    d. When you leave the bus, you must secure it. If anything is stolen because you did not lock the bus, you will pay for the missing items; you may leave the bus running provided the doors are locked.

    e. Stereos may be played as long as the volume is kept low enough to hear the Motorola radio. Please be considerate in choosing the volume and content of your music. Remember, the passengers are a captive audience.

• F. Scheduling:
  • 1. Seniority:

    Seniority is determined by the date a person is hired as a trainee to obtain their CDL. It is a factor which the Operations Manager may use to resolve conflicts in Williams Village run preferences and partial cancellation of runs. It is not a factor which a driver may use to book into runs to the detriment of less senior drivers with equal interest and availability. Other factors influencing run assignment will be availability, driver experience and interest, and on the job training requirements. The final decision on all runs lies with the Operation's Manager.

• G. Pay Procedures:
  • 1. Pay Period:

    Pay checks are administered Bi-weekly through the TC. Your driving hours are recorded from your signed trip tickets. You must sign these documents to get paid.

    2. Training Pay:

    Basic training before you drive solo is minimum wage. Base pay for a new driver after they obtain their CDL is presently $6.30/hour, during the first semester of employment. This is a probationary period until you have completed all additional training such as mountain driving.

    3. Regular Pay:

    According to completion of training and length of service, drivers are eligible for ranges of pay. A new driver who has completed all training may be paid up to $7.32/ hour during their first year of service, as measured from date of hire. One year after first evaluation, a driver is eligible for up to $7.68/hour; at two years, up to $8.06/hour; at three years, up to $8.46; at four years up to $8.88/hour; and at five years or more, up to $9.32/hour, which is the current (Dec. `93) cap on the hourly wage. Where a driver lands in each pay range depends on the quality of their work as assessed through observation, ride-checks, and work record. The pay ranges themselves may change according to what the State does in relation to the yearly salary survey. If wages for the job class increase, student wages may increase by the same percentage, usually effective July 1. These increases depend on availability of funds in the Bus Operation.

    4. Shift Differential:

    If one half or more of any run falls after 4pm, your hourly wage will be base pay plus 5 percent. This includes Williams Village and any conference driving.

    5. There is a two-hour minimum pay for any charter run.

    6. Canceled Runs:

    If a conference or field trip run is canceled upon arrival at the pick-up or immediately before scheduled departure (20 minutes prior to the run), you will be paid for two hours work. If cancellations occur before the limits mentioned above, we will attempt to contact you. If contacted you will not receive the two-hour minimum.

    7. Breaks and Straight Time: (rev 12-14-94)

    Unless you get a scheduled 20 minute paid break, you will be paid only for time you are actually driving. If you relieve a driver for one hour, you will be paid for one hour. If you relieve a driver for 40 minutes, you will be paid for 40 minutes. The driver relieved will not be paid for the time they are off the bus, unless it is a scheduled 20 minute break. Straight time between regular WV shifts is not paid. Double or triple shift scheduling requiring special breaks will not be done.

    On non-WV runs, time between runs will be paid straight if there is one hour or less off duty between true end time and true start time. If you are on the same bus for successive runs, straight time will be figured for deadhead only; the end and start times will not include the pre- and post-trips that you don't do. For most runs in Boulder, 10 minutes deadhead will be allowed, depending on the destination. The Dispatcher will enter start/end times on the trip ticket to reflect this, but Drivers have the primary responsibility for accurately reporting their times and documenting any extensions, e.g. fueling time. Any time differences, + or -, over 10 minutes must be documented. Dispatch will carefully monitor reported times. If there are questions on the times, we will immediately discuss it with you.

    Straight time on two hour minimums will be figured from the two hour end time on the trip ticket. It will not include pre-trip time on the next run if you are on the same bus. Overlapping runs will be paid by multiple 2 hour minimums if appropriate, or 2 hours plus actual time if one of the runs is greater than 2 hours.

• H. Motorola Radios:
  • 1. These are long-range, two-way radios formally licensed by the State of Colorado and constantly monitored by the State Patrol. They are to be used only for bus business immediately relevant to your place behind the wheel.

    2. You need to do a radio check as part of your pre-trip. This is to ensure that the radio is in proper working order.

    3. Radios are to be on at all times. We must be able to contact you. Personal radio volume must not override the Motorola's. Do not turn radios down and forget to turn back up. Check periodically to ensure radio is on and volume is set.

    4. The call letters are WNNA-491. You only need to announce them once every hour of radio use.

    5. Always identify yourself by the proper bus number when starting a transmission.

    6. Always shut off the radio when done doing a run, otherwise the bus battery will go dead.

    7. After hours, the Facilities Management Service desk monitors the radio and can be contacted at FM base. The police, 4000 base, can also access our frequency.

• I. Customer Relations:

  Customer relations is the key to our success; the better we do in this area, the more business we will get. Always operate your bus in a safe and professional manner.

  • 1. Your passengers' safety is your first concern.

    2. Promote good relations with your passengers; drive smoothly and confidently.

    3. Always ensure that your bus and personal appearance are clean and neat.

    4. Always know where you are going and how to get there. The TC will provide you with the necessary maps and parking information before your run. Still, it is your responsibility to get this information and make sure it is correct.

• J. Driver Evaluations
  • 1. To get your full pay rate and any subsequent pay raises, the transportation supervisors will formally evaluate you on several aspects of your job including:
    • a. A ride check. This is a formal check where a supervisor will ride with you on a bus and rate your performance in several areas such as the pre-check, driving ability, customer relations etc. Ride checks will be done on regular runs. You will be notified in advance;

      b. The supervisor will annually review your personal driving record. Tickets received while on the job will be your responsibility; this includes parking tickets unless there are extenuating circumstances.

      c. Your accident history while on the job will be reviewed.

      d. A running record is maintained of driving performance, including tardiness, forgetfulness, incomplete paperwork, etc. The record is reviewed each time you are due for a raise.

      e. Lastly, any customer complaints, or compliments you have had will be kept on a permanent file and reviewed with you at evaluation time.

      f. Records will be cleared after each evaluation.

• K. Disciplinary Action
  • 1. Under most circumstances, a discussion between the driver and the supervisor will resolve the problem; this is always the first step. If needed, special counseling can be arranged. Suspension during counseling may occur.

    2. In more difficult situations, such as a preventable accident involving serious property damage, suspension and/or remedial training at training pay rate may be necessary.

    3. Termination will usually only occur when a problem repeats itself, such as a driver continually missing runs without calling in, or a driver developing a pattern of preventable accidents. Termination can occur even after counseling, or additional training.

    4. Under most circumstances, a late driver who has not called in will forfeit the run. A no-show without prior notification can result in suspension for a week.

    5. Suspension is automatic if you lose your license.

    6. For disciplinary action regarding the Drug and Alcohol Policy please refer to the guide provided by Human Resources. Disciplinary guidelines for other offenses are as follows:

    Offense Possible Action

    Preventable Accident.....................

    • remedial training
      probation
      suspension
      termination

    Missed Runs...................................

    • 1 month probation
      2 weeks suspension
      termination

    Complaints......................................

    • driver counseled
      probation
      suspension
      termination
      

    Late for Runs..................................

    • 2 weeks probation
      removed from run
      1 week suspension
      termination

    Bus not Secured.............................

    • driver informed
      record on file
      affects pay raise

    Paperwork Incomplete...................

    • driver informed
      record on file
      affects pay raise

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Last updated on 7/10/96.