Transportation for Service Activities & Community Engaged Classes
While transportation is not guaranteed, there are steps you can take to better ensure transportation for your service experience.
IMPORTANT: Applications for transportation must be made 5 business days prior to your trip.
Who can apply for Service Transportation?
In order to qualify for transportation funding and logistical support students must:
- Be a faculty member teaching a community engaged class, OR
- Be a current degree-seeking student at Grinnell College; and
- Be traveling for a service or community engaged class purpose;
- Have met at least ONCE with a CLS adviser – either an exploratory or career community adviser;
- Be traveling to a location that is not easily walkable; and
- Be traveling in a group of 2 or more.
- Extenuating circumstances may be considered. If one person will be traveling alone or the location is nearby, prior approval must be obtained from a member of the CLS Service & Social Innovation staff
Vehicles used are part of the College’s carpool fleet. The CLS covers charges.
Transportation Options:
Least Flexible:
Request a professional FM driver
Expectations:
- Time for pick up or drop off are not flexible.
- Destination or pick up location may not change.
- Drivers may be used for groups of 2 or more volunteers.
- If you cancel at the last minute or do not show up, student coordinator is billed for unfulfilled requested time for the driver.
- Professional drivers are paid for a minimum of 2 hours of work.
Instructions:
Apply for service transportation and support by filling out the Service Transportation Form above.
Select non-student driver.
Most Flexible:
Become a certified FM student driver (or faculty drive their own class)
Expectations:
- Student drivers may be used for groups of 2 or more volunteers.
Student Driver Eligibility:
- There are different age restrictions for different distances.
- Students must be at least 19 years old for trips within the Grinnell city limits and
- 20+ years old for trips outside Grinnell.
- Drivers must have had a clean US drivers record for the past two years (no moving violations).
- Drivers must complete a certification process through Facilities Management.
Instructions:
To become a student driver fill out the Grinnell College Driver Application and email a copy to Amy VanManen (vanmanen@grinnell.edu). Please cc Ryan Solomon (solomonr@grinnell.edu) so that we have a record of your application. If you need assistance you may either email Amy or call her @ 641-269-3300.
If you are eligible, becoming a certified student driver enables you to:
- Drive yourself for SLWS activities;
- Be a volunteer driver for your service groups;
- Become a paid driver for the college.
Apply for service transportation and support by filling out the Service Transportation Form below.
Submit name/s of student driver for the group.
Moderately Flexible:
Identify certified student drivers
Expectations:
- Student drivers already a part of the volunteer project will volunteer their time to drive.
- Students drivers requested to drive outside of their own volunteer project, may be paid through FM, and as approved by CLS
- Student drivers may be used for groups or 2 or more volunteers.
Student Driver Eligibility:
- There are age restrictions for distances that a student driver can go.
- Students must be at least 19 years old for trips within the Grinnell city limits and 20+ years old for trips outside Grinnell.
Instructions:
Request service transportation and support by filling out the Service Transportation Form above.
Submit name/s of student driver for the group.
What happens if I am late or do not show up without communicating?
- If you miss your ride — you pay! Your account will be charged the full cost of your transportation if you are a no-show.
- Misuse of this service might result in not being able to use this service again in the future.
What if I have an emergency?
- We understand that emergencies happen and sometimes Grinnell College carpool rides need to be cancelled.
- Emergent circumstances include death, fire, major illness, etc. A paper that needs to be written is not an emergency. It is a time management issue!
- If an emergency arises during business hours call Jessica Lease in facilities management at 641-269-3300 between 8:00am and 5:00pm. In addition, email the CLS letting us know why you called FM and cancelled your ride.
- If an emergency arises after business hours please call Campus Safety at 641-269-4600 to let them know about the situation AND send Jessica Lease an email (cc’ing the CLS) explaining the circumstances.