Question:

We are currently looking to revise our travel policy for all teams, specifically the use of 15 passenger vans. With the ever growing concern of these vehicles we are trying to decrease the use of them for longer trips. This has been hard to do with keeping the budget in mind. Would anyone be able to share some insight into their institution's policy on the use of fifteen passenger vans compared to a charter bus? We have played around with a mileage restriction compared to a time duration restriction for requiring a team to travel by charter bus. Any insight would be appreciated.
- Michael Barry, Iona College

Responses:

We are also going to review. The only restriction we currently have is that there cannot be more than 8 people in a van. No exceptions.
- Glenn Tompkins, Purdue University

I see a lot of schools are looking at the same issues. Staring in the fall of 05' we will begin making it a requirement for any trip over three hours will require an athletic team to charter a bus. I know this can be very taxing on a small budget sport but we are trying to subsidize the teams' budgets with a travel budget we are currently raising funds for. We are starting a program where businesses pledge money for the grades of our student athletes or even an individual athletic program if they wish. The business pledges a dollar amount for each "A" earned by our student athletes during a given semester. If you can get a business to pledge $4 or $5 per "A" for the entire athletic department you will make a nice dent in your travel expenses. Who knows if have a really bright bunch you could have some money left over you can put towards recruiting or what ever you deem fit. Well I hope I helped somewhat and even if not at least you know your not the only one out there with this problem.
- Matt Dewitt, Newberry College