Private Vehicles

• Drivers of personal vehicles, by choosing to drive, assume responsibility for the safety of those driving in their vehicle.
• Passengers traveling in private automobiles must understand that they do so at their own risk. Remember that participants must sign waiver forms, according to the Student Travel Rule.
• Students driving privately owned vehicles must have a valid Texas or other state driver's license and possess auto insurance coverage as mandated by the State of Texas.
• The vehicles must have a current state inspection and registration.
• It is important to make sure that your drivers understand that their personal auto insurance may be used to pay for damage to any vehicles or injuries to a vehicle occupant in case of an accident; again, they assume responsibility for their passengers, not the organization or the university.
• Each personal vehicle should have a two-way communication device, such as a cell phone, to be able to communicate with the other vehicles driving to the organization's destination.
• Participants should follow the safety guidelines and suggestions provided in the Student Travel Rule for a safe and successful trip. A sample driver agreement form can be found at the bottom of this page.

University Vehicles

• University vehicles may be rented through the Department of Student Activities or possibly through your advisor's faculty or staff department.
• A University faculty or staff member is required to accompany the organization on any travel for which a University vehicle is used.
• All drivers must be at least eighteen (18) years of age, possess personal automobile insurance coverage, and possess a valid Texas or other state driver's license.
• The cost of a 12-passenger van is $60/day, the cost of a mini-van is $40/day, and the cost of a car is $30/day. Additionally, a $1000 deposit is required on each vehicle and must be processed through your account with the Student Organization Finance Center at least 48 hours in advance of your first day of rental.
• The rental of a large capacity van from the university requires additional training steps; please refer to the van rental section of this website for more information.
• Texas A&M University Transportation Services Transit provides charter buses as an auxiliary service. Student organizations can rent charter buses for $80/hour for local travel or $2.50/mile for long-distance travel. For more information or to rent a charter bus from the university, please visit the Transportation Services site.

Commercial or Rental Vehicles

• The majority of rental car dealers require the renter to be 25 years or older, but some may rent to students ages 18-21. Student organizations may be able to bypass the age requirement because of their affiliation with the university; be sure to ask about these requirements.
• Your advisor must review any contracts you sign with a rental company. You should carefully review the information provided about fuel costs, charges based on mileage, etc. See the contracts page for more tips on reviewing and executing successful contracts.
• If you are renting a large capacity vehicle (12-passenger van, 11-passenger van, cargo van, or 8-passenger van with cargo) from a commercial company, your drivers are still required to complete van safety training through the Department of Student Activities.
• If you are renting a charter bus from a commercial company, you should seek information about the company's certifications, training, and insurance processes. Please visit our charter list site for more information.
• If you are flying to your destination, your organization can use a Travel Card from the Student Organization Finance Center to directly bill your SOFC account for your airfare. This mechanism may also be used to pay hotel fees directly from your account.