Trailer Towing Policies

Personal vehicles towing university trailers is allowed in the UI Operations Manual, 15.3 Auto Insurance, please see below.

15.3.b – Excess liability and physical damage for non-University-owned and personal vehicles or trailers. For non-University-owned and personal vehicles and trailers, the Regents Motor Vehicle Self-Insurance Program will apply only as excess liability coverage. The University's travel reimbursement program includes a provision for insurance expenses in the mileage rate calculation for personal vehicle use. In an accident, the vehicle owner must use their own automobile insurance coverage as the primary insurance.

 

University vehicles cannot tow personal trailers is explained in the UI Operations Manual, 15.7 Driving Policy, please see below.

  1. Approved uses. University vehicles may be used solely for the purpose of conducting University business. Examples of approved uses include conducting departmental business; business errands; educational field trips when supervised and accompanied by faculty or a University employee on site; University-related, -sponsored, or -approved conferences, meetings, or events; conducting research under the supervision of a University employee; and use by volunteers in programs sponsored by, directed by, or for the sole benefit of the University.
    University-owned vehicles may only tow university-owned trailers.
  2. Prohibited uses.
    1. University drivers are prohibited from using personal vehicles, on behalf of the university, to transport hazardous or infectious materials as defined by university policy or applicable law. Hazardous or infectious materials must be transported in a university-owned or -rented vehicle or by a service provider hired by the university.
    2. University vehicles may not tow personal, borrowed, or rented trailers.

Trailer Towing Training

This training is NOT required for departments that will be towing a trailer with a vehicle that is permanently assigned to that department. If you have any questions, please call (319) 335-5088.

Instructions to Register for the Online Trailer Towing Training

  1. In order for the Driver to access the training system, the Requestor must submit an Interdepartmental Requisition and the Online Driver Participant Form that includes a list of the people who need the training to drive on behalf of the University.
    • Trailer Towing Training course
      • User has access to ICON, cost is $8.00 per person
      • User does not have access to ICON, cost is $6.00 per person
  2. Once the Requestor has submitted the requisition and the participant list, the driver will receive an email from the training vendor with their username, password and instructions on how to take the training.
  3. Once the Driver has successfully completed the training, it will be recorded in the Fleet Services database.

Please send the completed Interdepartmental Requisition and Driver Participant Form in one of the following ways:

Once the training has been completed the driver will be able to use trailers with our rental fleet vehicles.