SUNY ESF
ESF Restart: Garage and College Vehicles

Garage COVID-19 Reopening FAQ

Are vehicles still able to be requested?

• Faculty and staff are able to reserve vehicles during the Fall 2020 semester. Please see the “Has the process for reserving vehicles changed due to COVID-19?” question for instructions.
• Graduate students employed by the State are considered staff for vehicle reservation purposes.
• Undergraduate students are not able to reserve vehicles for club activities during the Fall 2020 semester.

Has the process for reserving vehicles changed due to COVID-19?

• Due to COVID-19, the vehicle reservation process requires a few more layers of approval. Members of the campus community who wish to reserve vehicles should download and complete the appropriate form located on the Vehicles & Busing section of the ESF webpage. It is extremely important to use the form directly from this website for each vehicle request, as forms and requirements may be updated frequently.

Return the completed vehicle request form/s electronically to VehicleReservations@esf.edu. If you are requesting a vehicle as part of a research project, you must have an approved research restart plan prior to being assigned a vehicle. Once a person returns a Vehicle Request form to the Vehicle Reservations email address, a suitable vehicle will be identified and will receive a rapid review for final approval.

If you are reserving a bus, please complete the request form located on the Vehicles & Busing webpage. You must also complete the accompanying Bus Layout Template and return this template prior to the trip. Find more information on campus vehicles. This tool will assist the College with contract tracing, in the event of a positive or suspected positive case. For semester-long reservations (ex: lab courses), bus occupants must be assigned a seat and maintain this seat assignment for the entire semester. The templates show which bus seats are to remain empty for the duration of the trip. Instructors are responsible for ensuring that the seating plan is followed.

Will the College be providing masks to students riding buses for College activities?

• Yes. Instructors are responsible for ensuring that each student riding a bus is provided with a mask. Instructors can pick up masks from the A&TS Stockroom. Please contact Marlene Braun (mabraun@esf.edu or 315-470-6869) for more information. The A&TS stockroom also has gloves, wipes and hand sanitizer for sale. Find the full list of available products.

Are fleet vehicles disinfected before they are taken by a member of the campus community?

• Yes, interior high touch point areas (ex: radio, steering wheel, buttons) are disinfected when vehicles area returned to campus. Members of the garage staff are provided with disinfectant and microfiber cloths to accomplish this task. The disinfectant is on the EPA’s “List N”  and meets EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

A small placard will be located in each vehicle, indicating that the vehicle was disinfected upon its return to campus. Please return the placard with the vehicle packet when you arrive back to campus.

Am I able to disinfect a vehicle before I take one?

• Members of the campus community who have reserved a fleet vehicle are able to disinfect a vehicle prior to use. Please contact Jason Chagnon at 315-470-6590 or jmchagno@esf.edu prior to your reservation date to coordinate. Please note that all interior high touch point vehicle surfaces are disinfected by garage staff upon their return to campus.

How many people are able to ride in a vehicle at one time?

• Vehicles operated on campus by ESF staff (ex: Facilities and Energy Management teams): A maximum of two (2) people may ride in a vehicle. Both people must be wearing face masks at all times. Ventilation should be increased to the maximum extent practicable (windows open). Under no circumstances should anyone ever ride in the bed of a truck. The privilege of using a College vehicle may be revoked and/or disciplinary action may be taken against employees who fail to comply with this directive.
• Fleet vehicles (able to be reserved by the general campus community): Fleet vehicle capacity has been reduced to 50% (rounding down). For example, if a vehicle can normally accommodate five (5) passengers, it can now accommodate 2 passengers. All vehicle occupants must wear a face mask at all times. Ventilation should be increased to the maximum extent practicable (windows open). Members of the campus community who do not adhere to this directive may have their vehicles reservation privileges revoked.
• Bus capacity: Capacity will be limited to 50% (rounding down), and if occupants will still be within six feet of one another, they must wear face coverings. Even if separated by six feet, trips longer than 15 minutes will require masks. Masks will be provided by the College for bus trips.

Will there be physical barriers installed in vehicles?

• At this time, ESF does not have plans to install physical barriers in its fleet vehicles. The installation of barriers in vehicles that were not designed to have such barriers installed poses safety concerns.

How can I properly socially distance in a car, van or bus?

• Please see the “How many people are able to ride in a vehicle at one time?” question for guidelines to ensure proper social distancing. Please make every attempt to social distance while in a vehicle. Ex: If there are two people in a sedan, one should drive and one should be seated in the back seat (not the front passenger seat).

What protective equipment should I wear in a vehicle?

• If you are sharing a vehicle with another person, a face covering must be worn at all times. You may wish to carry gloves with you in case you have to stop at a gas station. Bus occupants must wear a medical mask at all times.

Will bus drivers be wearing protective equipment?

• Yes, bus drivers will be wearing medical masks at all times.

Who is responsible for enforcing social distancing at bus stops and in vehicles/buses?

• Faculty/staff: It is expected that violations of any ESF COVID-19 related rules (policies) will be addressed through the appropriate, existing processes (ex: human resources processes). Records will be kept of violators, and immediately brought to the attention of the employee's supervisor. Enforcement of social distancing follows the traditional progressive disciplinary process. Of course, a heavy emphasis will be placed on education and ensuring understanding of social distancing guidelines and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements before any disciplinary process is initiated. Faculty/Staff members that continually violate social distancing/PPE directives might be disallowed from using College vehicles in the future.
• Student: It is expected that violations of any ESF COVID-19 related rules (policies) will be addressed through the appropriate, existing processes (ex: code of conduct processes). Records will be kept of violators, and immediately brought to the attention of the Student Affairs Division. Students that continually violate social distancing/PPE directives might be disallowed from using College vehicles in the future.

Will the College be tracking who rides in vehicles and buses and where they are going?

• In the event that a bus occupant is diagnosed with COVID-19, the appropriate County Department of Health (DOH) will perform contract tracing. The DOH may determine that all occupants on the bus had contact, or they may determine only those within a certain distance of the positive case warrant follow-up.

The College will keep a record of bus trip seat placements. Instructors should maintain a copy of seat placements and also email a copy of the completed seating chart to VehicleReservations@esf.edu. It is the responsibility of bus trip supervisors (ex: Faculty or designee) to track and enforce seating assignments. Bus request forms must be accompanied by a Bus Layout Template. This Template will outline which seats are available and which seats are to remain empty for the duration of the trip. For re-occurring trips (such as labs), students will be assigned a seat for the duration of the semester. See the “Has the process for reserving vehicles changed due to COVID-19?” question for more detail.

Will bus schedules for field/lab classes be different in the Fall semester?

• Bus capacity is capped at 50%. Therefore, some lab sections may be reduced in size for the duration of the Fall semester. However, many field lab courses have been scheduled. Bus schedules and pickup times will be communicated to instructors, as in year’s past. Complete the Bus Request Form if you would like to reserve the College-owned 24-passenger bus. Email Barb Sorrells (bsorrellsesf.edu) if you would like to reserve an external bus.

Will buses have disinfectant on board?

• Yes, all buses will have disinfectant and microfiber cloths on board at all times. Bus drivers will disinfect hard surfaces every time riders leave the bus.

Can members of the campus community use their own vehicles for College business if they do not feel comfortable using a College vehicle?

• Faculty/staff: Yes, this is the College’s current practice. However, travel approval must be worked out between the employee and immediate supervisor. This includes approval for reimbursement of travel costs by the College.
• Students: Please work with your course instructor to determine if you are able to use a personal vehicle to travel to and from labs. This decision may be made on a case by case basis.