Defensive Driving

Programs

Clearance to operate university motor vehicles must be obtained prior to operating the vehicle.

See HOP policy 05-519.

The University of Texas System Police Department at SFA maintains the list of current authorized drivers for the university. An employee must be present on the list before driving a vehicle owned or leased by the university. It is the individual driver's and their department's responsibility to verify the employee is currently authorized to drive a state vehicle in accordance with UTS 157.

Requirements for authorized drivers

The UTS-SFA police department ensures any approval given to operate a university-owned vehicle meets all requirements of an authorized driver. Authorization to drive a university-owned vehicle for official university business shall be limited to university employees. A defensive driving course training for each authorized driver must be taken at least every three years.

Authorized drivers and persons seeking a position that requires authorization to operate a university-owned vehicle for official university business will be evaluated on the most recent 36 month history reflected on their Motor Vehicle Registration, and points will be assigned according to UTS 157's appendix B. If the total points equal four or more for the immediately preceding 36 months, the person shall not be authorized to operate a university-owned vehicle for official university business. 

To become an approved driver, you must email the following forms to Morgan.Stockberger@sfasu.edu. 

  1. Application for approved drivers certification 
  2. Texas DPS driving record - do not send the form in the mail or request a driving record online.
  3. A copy of the front of your driver's license
  4. Your email address in the body of the email
  5. Copy the department head and/or supervisor in the email

The employee's driving record will be checked every quarter. 

Out of state driver's license

If an employee currently lives or previously lived outside Texas or recently moved to Texas, the employee should obtain the MVR check from the appropriate state prior to operating a university vehicle. 

Van driver safety (15 or fewer passengers)

Drivers of 15 or fewer passenger vans must also pass online and behind-the-wheel training before the activity or event at least every three years for regular employee travel and yearly under HOP policy 04-125. 

To sign up for van training, contact campus police at Morgan.Stockberger@sfasu.edu. Once assigned to the van training, you will receive an email and will have two weeks to complete the online training and behind-the-wheel training.

Every department will designate a van instructor who will conduct the behind-the-wheel training. This instructor must be van certified, and their van certification must be currently active. 

Once the online van and behind-the-wheel training are complete, email the certificate to Morgan.Stockberger@sfasu.edu. You will receive an email confirming you are van-certified and eligible to drive vans.

The UTS-SFA police department will add an employee to the list of authorized drivers only when:

  • the university fleet manager has received an acceptable driving record
  • the campus police have received:
    • a defensive driving course certificate
    • notification from Human Resources that the Driver Safety Training is complete [DD2]
    • and, if applicable, certification of completed training for the use of 12 passenger vans.

Employees who do not complete the required defensive driving course every three years or the required driving training for the use of 15 or fewer passenger vans every three years may be removed from the authorized driver's list without notice.