P&T to replace motor pool with rental cars

By Dan Heuchert

Those needing a car to travel on University business no longer have to make the trip to Parking and Transportation's motor pool on Millmont Road to pick up an aging, high-mileage sedan.

The University recently contracted with Enterprise Rent-A-Car for motor pool services, which will provide the University with a greater variety of newer cars at "very favorable" rates, said P&T director Al Whalley -- and they pick you up.

"I think the renting people around the University will like this better," he said.

Details of the new agreement, including instructions for setting up an account, are available on the University's travel Web page, http://minerva.acc.Virginia. EDU/~travel/. The site for making reservations is https://www.eracuva.com/. For information, call Enterprise at 974-7488.

P&T currently has 57 motor pool vehicles. It expects to retain a few vans to supplement its bus charter service and sell cars that meet certain standards to the state. The rest will likely be disposed of as surplus property, Whalley said. Departments that have long-term arrangements through the motor pool will retain their vehicles, but under the aegis of the central motor pool in Richmond, he said.

P&T will continue to maintain University vehicles at its Millmont facility, Whalley stressed. No jobs will be lost, he added.

The switch became necessary because "we couldn't afford the capital costs and do it the way we wanted to," Whalley said. Cars were being replaced approximately every 4 1/2 years, after accumulating odometer readings well into six figures, leading to an increasing maintenance burden.