Enterprise Rent-A-Car brings STRIPES initiative to halt
Published Sept. 8, 2008
STRIPES' initiative to lower the age requirement of their drivers from 21 to 18 is looking "promising."
A university insurance policy memo, filed in 2003 by former Risk and Insurance Management Director William Payton, agreed that the university's insurance would cover any damages to the rental cars driven by student-volunteers, including those under 21.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs said the university stands by the memo, but insurance policy negotiations between STRIPES and its rental car agency, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, have snagged the initiative, STRIPES Director Domingo Pacheco said.
Pacheco said that even with the UM system assuming insurance liabilities for the STRIPES drivers below the age of 21, it prompted no action on behalf of Enterprise's Risk Management Department.
"The thing that's really frustrating to us is that Enterprise has sat on that memo since 2003," Pacheco said.
Pacheco said he approached Enterprise and offered to work with them to lower the age, but received little cooperation.
Representatives for Enterprise could not be reached for comment.
Pacheco also said STRIPES has drifted toward Avis car-rental agency during these complications, and that their insurance policies were compliant with STRIPES' ambitions. He also said his ultimate goal is to have the age requirement lowered by Oct. 1.
"Everything I've proposed and everything I've said in terms of the university; I've said: 'OK, damn it, we're going to make it happen by Oct. 1," Pacheco said. "I feel very comfortable right now that it can happen by Oct. 1. It's also a matter of if it's going to be Enterprise or Avis."
Student Legal Services attorney Stephen Concannon has been working out the legalities of the initiative with STRIPES leaders.
"We're still in the middle of making sure that all of the legal responsibilities in regard to lowering the age from 21 to 18," Concannon said. "And we're in the process of reviewing contracts of that nature with STRIPES and various people that might be involved and it looks promising."
Concannon also said the STRIPES leadership and prudent spending will benefit the entire student body.
"All the legal stuff will be resolved one way or another," Concannon said. "But the positive thing for the students is that when they pay that activity fee, at least you have student leaders now who are out shopping the market."
Pacheco also said current UM system Risk and Insurance Management Director Ed Knollmeyer is waiting on Concannon to approve the Avis contract, after which Knollmeyer will approve the initiative.
If successful, the initiative could drastically reduce the wait time of STRIPES patrons.
"Considerably, almost in half," Pacheco said. "If you say an hour and a half now, I can guarantee like 99 percent it's going to go to 45 minutes tops."
Lowering the minimum driving age from 21 to 18 allows for more student volunteers and increases STRIPES' demand for more rental cars. More STRIPES vehicles on the road will decrease the wait time, Pacheco said.
"My understanding is that the university's not standing in the way of that," Scroggs said of changing the age requirement. "I think it's going to happen as long as they can find a rental car company."
