Reserving Fleet Vehicles

Making Reservations

All fleet vehicle reservations are made through the Fleet Office by the Google request form or calling 413-538-2012 during business hours. The office is closed on official college holidays, weather-related closures, weekends and evenings. Reservations changed or cancelled outside office hours are subject to fines.

Reservations are made on a first come, first serve basis.

If a vehicle is not available, the group will be placed on a wait list. If vehicles should become available for the organization or department on the wait list, the vehicle will be given out in the order the initial request was placed on the wait list. The Fleet Coordinator will contact the department or organization to determine if a vehicle is still needed. If the group cannot be reached, the contact person has until the next business day at noon to contact the Fleet Office to reserve the vehicle. Departments or organizations that do not respond will be by-passed and the next department or organization on the wait list will be contacted.

In the event a college vehicle is not available, the college prohibits the rental of 15-passenger vehicles for any purpose. Only 12-passenger vans, 7-passenger mini-vans or sedans are permitted. All drivers of rented vehicles must be still be authorized by the College. Unauthorized drivers will not be insured. This policy may not be circumvented by renting a vehicle with a personal credit card. If your trip is eligible to use a fleet vehicle, the rental policy applies. If a faculty or staff member needs to transport more than 12 passengers, appropriately sized vehicles with professional drivers may be requested through the fleet office. We have access to buses through a partnership with an outside company.

General Reservation Guidelines

All student organizations must be registered with Student Involvement and have a Mount Holyoke College account. Once the group is registered with Student Involvement they must fill out a vehicle authorization form through the Student Involvement Office. Student organizations may request the use of fleet vehicles during the academic year, generally starting after the Organization Fair through commencement.

General principles:

  • All academic trips must be authorized by a department
  • There is no bumping a group once a reservation has been confirmed
  • Club Sports are considered a student organization, not an athletic group
  • Larger groups have priority for vans
  • Service animals are permitted in College operated and contracted vehicles. All other animals, including emotional support animals, are prohibited

Additionally, due to the composition and size of the college fleet and the need to equitably serve all customers, vehicles may be used for 12 hours during the college business day, Monday - Friday 7 am - 6 pm. Distance is limited to 200 miles or with an employee up to 250 miles per trip.

Administrative use includes both academic and general administrative duties. Departments or student organizations who will be using a fleet vehicle for decoration or group errands must be authorized.

Extended Use of College Fleet Vehicles

On weekends, breaks or during the summer, departments and organizations may reserve a vehicle for a two-day overnight trip or longer.

Owned vehicles may be driven more than a 250 mile radius from campus with special permission. This rule has been implemented in order to allow the vehicle to be available for reservations and to reduce the cost of retrieval (towing) and trip disruption in case of accident or breakdown. For long-distance trips, it is recommended that a vehicle be rented from a national organization (Hertz, Avis) so that owned vehicles are available for short-term needs and so that a replacement vehicle can be easily obtained in case of accident or breakdown. Trips to Canada are prohibited in College owned Vehicles due to the distance concerns and international insurance requirements. All trips that travel more than 250 miles (one-way) must have a faculty or staff member present in the travel group. 

Bus Reservations

The college has access to larger buses through a partnership with an outside company. Scheduling for all buses is done by the Fleet Coordinator. Bus reservations can be accepted up to ninety (90) day prior to the date the vehicle is needed. There will be charges associated with the reservations.