Lease customers can choose a lease rate that includes the use of a loaner vehicle when the original leased vehicle provided by Fleet Services is in the shop for service or at the body shop. The loaner vehicle is provided at no additional charge until the customer is notified that their original vehicle has been repaired and is available for use. If the original vehicle is not picked up within 24 hours of notification that the vehicle has been repaired, charges will begin for the loaner at the current daily rental/mileage rate.

For those customers who choose to take advantage of the rate with a loaner vehicle included, the vehicle provided by Fleet Services will be as close to the same type as the original vehicle as possible. However, an exact match to the original vehicle is not guaranteed. Not all vehicles will have a rate available that includes a loaner vehicle because Fleet Services may not have a suitable replacement vehicle type available.

Customers are allowed to choose the loaner rate when a new lease is started or at the beginning of each new fiscal year. The rate cannot be started or discontinued mid-year. If the customer has chosen not to take advantage of the rate that includes a loaner then the customer may rent a vehicle from the daily rental pool as vehicles are available.

Customers may cancel a daily rental vehicle reservation without charge any time up to two hours before the scheduled pick-up time. Cancelations received with less than two hours’ notice will be billed a 1 day charge. Exceptions to this policy are at Fleet Services discretion and may include weather, illness or other circumstance beyond the driver’s control.

Rental fleet customers are required to provide pick-up a date and time when making a rental vehicle reservation. Charges will begin when the vehicle is picked-up. If the rental vehicle is picked up 4 or more hours after the scheduled pick-up time, charges will begin at the original reservation time.

Fleet Services has I-PASS devices available for rent. The cost for these devices is the current published daily rate plus any tolls incurred. I-PASS rental and tolls are billed separately from vehicle rental and lease charges. Tolls are billed as soon as possible and some charges may be billed in the next fiscal year depending on when the toll is posted by the toll authority. Customer is responsible for any tolls incurred while the device is rented to them, no matter when the tolls are billed.

You can get an I-PASS device for any University vehicle, even if you don’t rent or lease the vehicle from Fleet Services.  The vehicle just needs to have a State plate. 

If a Fleet Services vehicle incurs tolls without using the I-PASS device, the renting or leasing department is responsible for the tolls and an administrative charge for each toll.

Fleet Services staff will perform any cleaning necessary due to normal wear and use for rental fleet vehicles. Normal wear and use does not include cleaning vehicles (interior or exterior) that were used off-road or at other field site locations. If possible, Fleet Services will notify the customer that a returned vehicle needs some additional cleaning. The customer will be given the option to clean the vehicle within a reasonable time. If the customer chooses not to clean the vehicle or the timeframe does not allow the customer to clean the vehicle, Fleet Services staff will clean the vehicle and bill the customer for this service.

Customers who have vehicles assigned on a long-term basis are expected to keep the vehicle clean. Fleet Services will provide cleaning materials and a location for customers to use. At the end of the lease, if the vehicle is returned to Fleet Services and the vehicle needs cleaned beyond normal use then Fleet Services will give the customer the opportunity to clean the vehicle. If the customer chooses not to clean the vehicle or does not get it cleaned in a reasonable period of time, then Fleet Services staff will clean the vehicle and the customer will be billed for this service.

Fleet Services projects vehicle resale prices based on vehicle usage. If the vehicle is used more than is projected this affects the resale price of the vehicle. So, for those customers that exceed an established standard of use, they will be charged an “excess mileage” rate. This rate is billed monthly for any miles that exceed the established standard.

Long-Term vehicle assignments are typically made for the life of the vehicle and the monthly rate is based on that assumption. If the vehicle is returned to Fleet Services before the end of its life, Fleet Services will try to reassign that vehicle to another department. If reassignment is possible then the original department no longer has any financial responsibility for that vehicle.

However, if reassignment to another department cannot be made then Fleet Services will sell the vehicle. If the sale price of the vehicle is not enough to cover the remaining depreciation of the vehicle then the leasing department will be responsible for the remaining depreciation balance.

Animals, with the exception of service or assistive animals, are prohibited from University vehicles. Service and assistive animals are specially trained at a recognized training facility to assist a person with a disability. In addition, customers who need to transport a University of Iowa laboratory animal may do so in university vehicles once vehicle approval is received from the IACUC. Please notify Fleet Services when making the reservation that you have a qualified need to transport an animal. Emotional support animals and pets may not enter University vehicles.