Van Reservation and Certification

Civic Engagement will reserve and pay for the cost of using Bryn Mawr vans for student groups who have been approved by SGA to receive Civic Engagement transportation funding, or for programs directly sponsored by Civic Engagement.

Civic Engagement will not reserve or pay for individual students to use vans.

Students may request to rent one of two types of vans: minivans (seats six passengers in addition to the driver) and large passenger vans (seats seven passengers in addition to the driver). Please see the Transportation website.

All drivers must become Van Certified through the Transportation Department before they are eligible to drive BMC Vans.

Van Reservation

Submit a Van Reservation Request Form a minimum of one week in advance to Sydney Robertson, srobertso1@brynmawr.edu. The form is also available at Civic Engagement.

You will need to include the following information:

  • Your name and phone number and the driver’s name and phone number (can be the same person)
  • Organization
  • Event
  • Date
  • Time (leaving campus and returning to campus—please account for travel time)
  • Number of passengers

We cannot guarantee that all requests will be filled, but we work closely with the transportation department to try and meet all students’ needs.

Guidelines For Van Use

  • After you have placed the request for a reservation, you will receive confirmation of your reservation prior to the event date. Confirmation will include the name your reservation is under, so please have that information with you when you pick up your van.
  • When you go to pick up your van, make sure to fill out all the information on the purple Civic Engagement Van Rental Sheet located in the bins to the right of the dispatch counter. This includes the vehicle number and odometer readings. This is how we process the billing so it is very important that you do not forget this.
  • Please be courteous—other students use the vans after you, so make sure you leave the gas tank at least half full, and clean up the van before you turn it in. Don’t leave anything behind.
  • When you turn in the van, fill out ending odometer reading and turn the van keys back in.

Van Certification

Civic Engagement relies on students who become BMC certified van drivers to make transportation possible for Civic Engagement sponsored programs and events. In order to drive the Bryn Mawr vans, students must become certified van drivers through the Transportation and Public Safety Departments. If you are interested in becoming a van driver to drive for a program or Praxis course in which you are involved, please follow the steps below. And remember, only students who have had a valid driver’s license for at least one year may become certified drivers.

  1. Contact the Bryn Mawr College Transportation Department to obtain and fill out the driver's license review form, and bring it, along with your driver's license, to the Transportation Office in the Ward Building. Ask for Steve Green, Director of Transportation, or David Holland, Transportation Coordinator, and let them know that you are interested in becoming a van driver. Steve or David will take your form and make a photocopy of your driver's license.
     
  2. Once your driving record is reviewed, you will receive an email with a link to an online driving test. Take this test and print out the certificate at the end that says that you passed. If you do not receive the link to the test within two days---call the Transportation Department at x5206  to follow up.
     
  3. Once you have passed the online driving test, call the Transportation Department (x5206) to schedule a behind the wheel test. You will drive one of the BMC vans around the campus with a staff member from Transportation as your passenger. Behind the wheel tests usually take place on Mondays and Fridays.
     
  4. Once you've completed these steps, you are a certified van driver! Please let Civic Engagement know when you have finished the process. You only need to become certified once, so when you have, you can drive the van for any programs/field placements, etc.

We will add you to our list of certified van drivers. Civic Engagement occasionally hires students to drive vans for programs or volunteer events when necessary—it’s a great way to earn extra money and learn more about civic engagement opportunities in our community. 

Please note: You must be diligent in following up throughout this process. The Transportation Department is very busy and if you don't hear back about your van certification request or don't receive the link to the online test within a day or two, please call to follow up.

You should not have to pay anything in order to get van certified as long as it is for a Civic Engagement sponsored program. Tell the Transportation staff that you are getting certified for Civic Engagement and that they should bill Civic Engagement for the test.

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Contact Us

The Career & Civic Engagement Center

Phone: 610-526-5174