Holiday Hours

During the period between December 27 and January 12, our office will be closing at 5pm. With the holidays fast approaching, please be aware of our modified office hours during this time.

• The office is closed December 25 and 26, January 1, and January 15 for MLK
• Our office will be open from 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM from December 27 through January 12
• Regular hours will resume Tuesday, January 16

If you need a vehicle during a holiday closure, you may pick up the vehicle on the last business day before your trip begins, after 4:00 PM. Please make a note of when the charges should begin in the “Notes” field when submitting the requisition.

Ice, Ice Baby

As much as we hate to say it, our first snow has already happened and there is more to come. To prepare for the next one, check under your seats, and in your trunk to make sure your State vehicle has our custom designed, limited edition ice scraper. If you do not have one, stop by our office the next time you get fuel, and we will give you one. You don’t want to be caught out without one and find yourself scraping away at the ice with your bare hands, or a credit card. Always make sure to clear snow and ice off your windshield, headlights, and tail lights to make sure you can see and others can see you.

State Vehicles and Snow – Don’t Get Plowed In!

Keep an eye on weather forecasts and parking lot conditions, especially during heavy snowfall. If there is a big snow coming and your University vehicle is parked in a surface lot, move it to the edge of the parking lot to leave room for the plows. If possible, avoid parking in the lot during or shortly after snowfall, as this is when plows are most active. This will assist the plow drivers and allow them to efficiently clear the lot.

How Big is it?

You may have noticed a trend that trucks keep getting taller and longer, EVs are getting heavier and heavier, and more manufacturers are selling SUVs instead of cars. Basically, vehicles on the road, on average, are larger than they have ever been. With carsized.com it’s now possible to see just how big vehicles have gotten over time. The site is a useful tool that allows you to easily compare the size of two vehicles side by side. They have an extensive database of makes and models to choose from, even allowing you to pick and compare models from different eras. Vehicles can be lined up by their front bumpers, front tires, or at their mid-points, depending on the comparison you’re looking for. Check out the info on carsized.com, it is kind of fun to play around with.

Iowa Highway Helper Program

If you find yourself stranded on the road, the Iowa DOT has a free Highway Helper service that may be able to help. The Iowa Department of Transportation began the Highway Helper program in Des Moines and has since expanded to three additional metro areas including Council Bluffs, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. Highway Helper services can clear debris from the road and quickly address the needs of stranded motorists by providing jump starts, tire changes, up to two gallons of fuel, and transportation to a safe location. Of course all University vehicles do include roadside assistance from our roadside assistance provider Holman, but this service could still come in handy, especially if traveling in your personal vehicle. How does it work? Call 911 to report your emergency and the dispatcher will take it from there. Check out more information on the Highway Helper program.

Fleet Factoid

Did you know that less snow doesn’t always mean you’re good to go. According to the DOT, in Iowa nearly 75% of crashes happened in less than 2 inches of snow with over 21% of crashes occurring with only a trace of snow. The bottom line is, no matter how much snow there is, slow down and allow yourself plenty of space to the vehicles around you.