Students' Union Transport.

The Students' Union offers a range of minibuses that are available for hire by society and sports clubs for their events. When booking transport for a club or society it's essential you read the following documents: bus booking procedure, vehicle safety, driving responsibilities, fine for offences and the booking process.

Before filling in the booking form please check the calendars below to see minibus availability. If no buses are available on the date you require transport please contact the central services team on 01784 276700 or helpdesk@su.rhul.ac.uk.

All drivers should be aware that there are tracking devices installed in the buses. This tracks things such as speeding, location, idling behaviour and crash detection.

To view calendars please use a tablet or desktop device.

Booking Procedure

Due to the high demand for bookings, the Students’ Union is only able to book its own Union buses for club and society events. These will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Once the Union buses have been fully booked out, clubs and societies will need to book external minibuses directly with Kendall. You will be sent an email with a link to an external booking form for this purpose by the Helpdesk.

Information Required

How long your club requires the vehicle (all Union buses must be returned by 19:30 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays)
Name of Club/Society (where relevant the team name to avoid confusion)
The destination (with postcode where possible)
Name of the authorised driver
Contact details

Deadlines for Bookings

All Union Bus bookings must be made at least one week in advance of the required date. The only exception to this is for any Wednesday fixtures where bookings need to be made by midday on the Friday before.

Please note that any bookings made outside of these time frames will need to be made with Kendall and may not be accommodated.

Cancellations

All SSHH Bus cancellations should be communicated to the SU Helpdesk on 01784 276700 or via email at least 24 hours before the booking is due to commence. We understand there will be occasions outside of your control (i.e. poor weather, cancellation by an opposing team) where you will not be able to provide us with 24 hours’ notice of cancellation. In these circumstances your club or society will only be charged the cost of two hours hire (£24). Where we are not notified of a cancellation, your club or society will be charged at the full hire cost. All Kendall bus cancellations must be communicated directly with Kendall on 01276 691972.

Union Bus Hire Charges

£12 per hour
£40 per half day
£55 per full day

Kendall Hire Charges

Hire price on enquiry
£12.50 drop off
£12.50 collection

Accidents or Damage to the Bus

You will responsible for any new damage found on the bus when it is returned to the SU and your club or society will be fined for repair accordingly. Before you start your journey you must complete the Hire Form that will be given to you along with keys. On this you must declare any accidents or damage to the bus that that occurs during your hire. Failure to do so may result in an additional charge to your club or society.

In each of the SU vehicles there is a black log book located in the central dashboard. This has to be completed and the beginning and end of the journey.

Please note that hired vehicles DO NOT have a log book.

Mileage and Fuel

For Union Bus bookings your club or society will be charged 30p per mile for the fuel used during your journey. There is no need for you to refuel the bus at the end of the journey.

If you do need to refuel in the middle of your journey, please attach a copy of the receipt to the Hire Form so that you won’t be charged twice for fuel. You will need to take a photo of the receipt to hand to the Student Activities department to authorise your expenses claim.

For Kendall Bus bookings you will need to refuel the bus to the same level indicated at the start of your journey. If you do not, Kendall will charge significant fuel fees to your club.

ALL the minibuses take diesel.

Legal Information

There are a number of legal responsibilities that are the responsibility of the driver. Please familiarise yourself with the Minibus Driving Employee/Member Responsibilities. In summary, by law you must not:

Carry any unopened alcohol on board
Smoke inside the vehicle (including hanging your head out of the window)
Carry more than the designated number of passengers (more than 8)
Use a mobile phone whilst driving

You must:

Ensure that seatbelts are used by all passengers.

As well as legal action against the driver, any club or society found to be in breach of any of the above is liable to face internal disciplinary, including pecuniary fines and bans from using transport services.

FAQS

Q1. Do I need to arrange insurance?

A. No, we will arrange this for you, however insurance is only arranged for authorised drivers. If your driver is not authorised they will not be insured and will legally be responsible for any accidents. For any Kendall bookings, Kendall will be add their buses to our insurance for the duration of the journey but this will be for authorised drivers only.

Q2. Who is responsible for fines for vehicle offences?

A. In most instances either the hirer or the driver will be directly responsible for any fines resulting from vehicle offences. Please see the Fines for Vehicle Offences for a list of offences and fines.

Q3. Who is responsible for damage to the bus?

A. The club or society will need to contribute towards the insurance excess to fix the bus.

Introduction

In addition to responsibility for the health and safety of staff, the Students’ Union Royal Holloway University of London (SURHUL) recognises that it has a duty of care to others who could be put at risk from work related driving. This policy and procedure, therefore, identifies the Students’ Union’s management arrangements for such driving activities, taking into account the requirements of current health and safety legislation and road traffic law.

It establishes the requirements for vehicles used on its roads, premises, and the public highway, and defines the standards required of persons driving on its behalf, including those with responsibility for ensuring the safety of vehicles, whether owned, hired or leased. It also details the requirements in respect of vehicles owned by members of staff and used on Students’ Union business.

This policy and procedure should not be considered a definitive guide to workplace driving and vehicle safety. Where any doubt exists as to the action to be taken, or advice or assistance is required, contact should be made with Head of People and Communications.

Driving at Work Definition

Staff are classified as driving at work if they are driving on Students’ Union business. This would include all journeys to places of work, for example to attend training and conferences. It would not include travelling between home and a person’s normal (designated) place of work. A vehicle includes any vehicle propelled by petrol, diesel, electric, gas or other power source.

Policy Aims and Objectives

Compliance with the requirements of this Policy and Procedure will ensure:

The Students’ Union meets its statutory obligations in respect of health and safety legislation and road traffic law, including national driving-related legislation (e.g. mobile communication devices, drugs and alcohol)
The safety of staff whilst driving on Students’ Union business
That the safety of others (including other road users, students, members of the public) is not compromised by those persons driving on Students’ Union business
That all staff are appropriately qualified, insured, and where necessary trained to drive the class of vehicle being used for Students Union business
That all vehicles used on Students’ Union business are suitable and road worthy.
That drivers are medically fit and capable to drive
The use of privately owned vehicles for business purposes is limited to circumstances where a suitable alternative (e.g. public transport, hire of vehicle) is either not available or not practical for the planned journey.

Employer Responsibilities

Under its duty of care to staff, students and the public, and in adherence to relevant Health and Safety legislation and Road Traffic legislation, the Students’ Union, through its heads of departments, will ensure that the following conditions are met:

All new staff must be made aware of the health and safety issues (including driving and vehicle safety) applicable to their work and working environment.

All risks associated with driving activities must be assessed. Risk assessments may only be undertaken by those who have received training provided by staff in the College Health and Safety Office.

All drivers are to complete the vehicle log books which can be found in the Students’ Union vehicles. This does not apply to Students’ Union hired vehicles. A vehicle hire or shift form must be completed and returned to the receptionist and administrator along with keys. All vehicle checks must be completed prior to starting your journey (see 7. Vehicle Safety Checks).

Before any person is permitted to drive either an SU leased vehicle, a ‘driver declaration’ form must be completed and sent to the receptionist and administrator. This approval process will ensure that:

Approval is valid while employed or a member of the Students’ Union. Any changes to licences in respect of endorsements must be notified immediately to the receptionist and administrator.

Any member of staff or student wishing to use a Students’ Union minibus must have passed a specific minibus test. Details can be provided by the receptionist and administrator.

Any member of SSHH Bus staff will also be trained in first aid and lone working.

Students’ Union owned or leased vehicles will be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. Records of such maintenance shall be retained by the manager responsible for the vehicle for its full operational life. Termly vehicle checks will be conducted by an independent garage.

All drivers are required to complete a vehicle check list prior to starting their journey. The check list is on the vehicle hire form. All concerns should be listed and returned to the receptionist and administrator.

Induction
Risk Assessment
Vehicle Hire and Shift Form
Approved Driver Status
- The driver holds and maintains a current UK driving licence (or equivalent)
- The driver’s licence is valid for the class of vehicle to be used.
- The training needs and competency of the driver have been appropriately assessed.
- The driver (or designated person) has been advised of the requirement to carry out vehicle safety checks and maintain an up to date record of vehicle usage and condition in the vehicle logbook.
- The driver is aware of their responsibilities.
Testing and Training
Vehicle Maintenance
Vehicle Safety Checks

Employee/Member Responsibilities

All staff (permanent and student) and members (drivers) must comply with the requirements of this policy and procedure, including:

Where vehicles are provided with seat belts, it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure it is used and that they are also used by all passengers. Drivers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their passenger(s). They must drive at all times in a manner that will not cause unnecessary risk and draw to the attention of passengers the need to behave in a manner that will not cause distractions to the driver. In the event that any passenger is not prepared to comply with such requirements, the driver is authorised to refuse transport to that person.

In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 2006 and the Students’ Union Smoke Free Policy, smoking is prohibited in, or on, any Students’ Union hired or leased vehicles.

Drivers must comply with the national driving drug and alcohol legislation. Any person who contravenes this requirement whilst driving for Students’ Union may be subject to a disciplinary procedures.

When driving on College roads, drivers must adhere to the speed limit (currently 15mph) or, if lower for a specific vehicle, the speed limit for that vehicle.

When driving on the public highway, speed limits, as displayed, must be adhered to at all times. The only exception to this being any vehicle which, in order to conform with relevant regulations, has its speed restricted to a lower rate.

Drivers are personally responsible for any fines (including parking fines and fines for non-payment of congestion charges) incurred by them, whether within or outside the United Kingdom. This applies to driving vehicles owned by the Students’ Union, owned by the driver and used on Students’ Union business, or hired or leased on behalf of the Students’ Union. The Students’ Union accepts no responsibility for any other penalties incurred by the driver during the course of driving duties undertaken within, or outside the UK.

Any accident involving a Students’ Union owned, hired or leased vehicle, or a vehicle owned by a member of staff being used on Students’ Union business which results in vehicle damage and/or injury to persons must be reported to the receptionist and administrator immediately. In the event of injury to a person, the police must be advised immediately. An Accident Report Form must be completed.

In recognition that hands-free mobile communication systems distract drivers and can lead to lapses in concentration and compromise control of the vehicle, the use of these systems is also prohibited while driving. It is, however, recommended that a mobile phone is taken on all SSHH Bus Shifts.

Seat Belts and Passenger Safety
Smoking
Alcohol and Drugs
Speed Limits/Restrictions
Fines Incurred while Driving
Accident Reporting
Mobile Phones or Other Hand-held Communication Devices

Vehicles Owned by Members of Staff

In addition to the above, the following requirements will apply to privately owned vehicles used on Student’ Union business, including those for which the reimbursement of expenses is claimed:

Drivers must possess and maintain a valid current driving licence
Drivers must ensure that their vehicle is roadworthy and appropriately insured for business purposes including, where necessary, suitable cover for the carrying of passengers
Vehicles are appropriately maintained to meet the requirements of the Road Traffic Act and other legislation governing the roadworthiness of vehicles for use on the public highway
Basic safety checks on their vehicle are carried out before commencing a journey
A Driver Declaration and Approved Driver form must be completed. These can be supplied by the receptionist and administrator.

Monitoring

The implementation of this policy will be monitored at departmental level. Annual accident/incident statistics will be collated and reported to the board of trustees and health and safety committee. Such reports will be used to facilitate reviews of any trends and necessary corrective action.

Introduction

All staff (permanent and student) and members (authorised drivers) must comply with the requirements of the driving and vehicle safety policy including:

Seat Belts and Passenger Safety

Smoking

In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 2006 and the Students’ Union Smoke Free Policy, smoking is prohibited in, or on, any Students’ Union hired or leased vehicles.

Alcohol and Drugs

Speed Limits/Restrictions