Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
 
USM Forum -- Message Board -> AAUP-USM MESSAGE BOARD -> Good-by Motor Pool
Post Info TOPIC: Good-by Motor Pool
Reporter

Date:
Good-by Motor Pool
Permalink Closed

From USMmail:


Motor Pool Vehicles Available

Due to the imminent closure of the Motor Pool rental car function, there will
be several vehicles available for distribution to Southern Miss departments.
The vehicles will be mostly 15-passenger vans and will be allocated to
departments based on the demand and number of vehicles available for transfer.
Upon transfer, departments will be responsible for parking accommodations for
the vehicle and a method of fuel purchase.  Please forward vehicle requests to
rusty.postlewate@usm.edu by June 2 for allocation consideration.



__________________
truth4usm/AH

Date:
Permalink Closed

Wow, this is weird...so what will replace the Motor Pool? Private rental car companies?

Truth

__________________
disgusted student

Date:
Permalink Closed

I think you are supposed to get a grant if you need to go somewhere.

__________________
USM Sympathizer

Date:
Permalink Closed

disgusted student wrote:

I think you are supposed to get a grant if you need to go somewhere.
Good one! 

__________________
Cossack

Date:
Permalink Closed

Wow, this is weird...so what will replace the Motor Pool? Private rental car companies?

I was told that Enterprise had the contract to rent cars to faculty in place of getting one from the motor pool. I do not know what the financial link is between USM and Enterprise on this deal, but the money paid to the university likely goes to the President in some manner. This outsourcing is not a sound financial project. It is trading some short term cash up front (which current administrators can spend) while saddling future administrators with the problems of bad performance. In my opinion, the Board has not done due diligence oversight when outsourcing was suggested. Allowing one university to enter into these long term contracts that constrain future options is short sighted. Moreover, it is bogus to talk about how the private sector will be more efficient in providing the service. These private contractors will save money not through efficiency, but by lowering the quality of the product delivered. It is likely that the process will be reversed within the next 3 to 5 years at great cost.

__________________
truth4usm/AH

Date:
Permalink Closed

Plus the cars from Enterprise will not have the cool USM logo on the side!

__________________
The Management Team

Date:
Permalink Closed

truth4usm/AH wrote:

Plus the cars from Enterprise will not have the cool USM logo on the side!

Don't Worry.


Ours Will.



__________________
Southern Belle

Date:
Permalink Closed

Sounds like "out sourcing" of Physical Plant is a done deal even though we have been told that they are in negotiations. 


Maybe we need to start buying stock in Aramark!!



__________________
printers devil

Date:
Permalink Closed

Southern Belle wrote:

Sounds like "out sourcing" of Physical Plant is a done deal even though we have been told that they are in negotiations.  Maybe we need to start buying stock in Aramark!!
sorry, aramark is in process of being taken private

__________________
Litmus test

Date:
Permalink Closed

Cossack wrote:

I was told that Enterprise had the contract to rent cars to faculty in place of getting one from the motor pool.
Enterprise will bring the car to the customer. I learned that once when I arrived at an out-of-state Enterprise office to pick up my car only to discover that the car had been deivered to my motel and the driver was there waiting for me. I wonder if they will bring the vehicle to campus or to our home.

__________________
by the numbers

Date:
Permalink Closed

truth4usm/AH wrote:

Wow, this is weird...so what will replace the Motor Pool? Private rental car companies? Truth

This is not weird, keeping it would be:



  • the cars in the motor pool were the lowest available quality with no accesories that could be viewed as a luxury for a state employee

  • many were ancient (cars like dogs age 7 times faster than people), some were almost as old as a Northwest Airliner.

  • availability was limited

  • pickup and drop off times were draconian

  • the cost to those who had to pay (yes us bums who have grants did pay) was actually higher than enterprise and the cost had already been heavily subsidized

This is real progress.



__________________
oil can

Date:
Permalink Closed

ever reserved a car only to arrive to learn....we are out of cars?(seinfield episode) or better yet be told in advance no cars available?

__________________
stinky cheese man

Date:
Permalink Closed

maybe we'll get xm radio too!

__________________
truth4usm/AH

Date:
Permalink Closed

I love my XM radio!

__________________
Googler

Date:
Permalink Closed

stinky cheese man wrote:

maybe we'll get xm radio too!
Just go for broke and request the full Eddie Bauer trim package.

__________________
Enterprising

Date:
Permalink Closed

by the numbers wrote:

truth4usm/AH wrote: Wow, this is weird...so what will replace the Motor Pool? Private rental car companies? Truth This is not weird, keeping it would be: the cars in the motor pool were the lowest available quality with no accesories that could be viewed as a luxury for a state employee many were ancient (cars like dogs age 7 times faster than people), some were almost as old as a Northwest Airliner. availability was limited pickup and drop off times were draconian the cost to those who had to pay (yes us bums who have grants did pay) was actually higher than enterprise and the cost had already been heavily subsidized This is real progress.
I have worked at USM and other universities in another state. In the state where I now reside, universities are dropping their motor pools because it is cheaper in the long run to rent vehicles and not have to staff up motor pools with the constant repairing and maintaining of vehicles etc.  

__________________
constant confusion

Date:
Permalink Closed

the cost to those who had to pay (yes us bums who have grants did pay) was actually higher than enterprise and the cost had already been heavily subsidized


 


 


at least the money stayed insode the university!



__________________
by the numbers

Date:
Permalink Closed

constant confusion wrote:

   at least the money stayed insode the university!
This is a clear sign of what is really wrong with this place. Documentation as to having no clue as to value, efficiency and spelling succinctly delivered in one sentence fragment.

__________________
Invictus

Date:
Permalink Closed

What goes around comes around (after going full circle)!

I can remember when there was no USM motor pool. IIRC, one of the science departments (biology, maybe?) bought a van with grant money. This was back in the days when the engine in an American made van was between the front seats. I think the origin of "socialized transportation" began when other departments wanted vehicles but didn't have grant money to pay for them.

Until recently, when the mileage reimbursement rate went so high, some administrators at my institution had proposed doing away with motor pool & simply reimbursing employees for using their personal vehicles. I don't think that's the case now.

So, which "used car dealer" is going to corner the rent-a-car market at USM?

__________________
10W30

Date:
Permalink Closed

There is at least one used car dealer who owns an Enterprise franchise!!

__________________
YOUCANSAVE

Date:
Permalink Closed

Invictus wrote:

What goes around comes around (after going full circle)! I can remember when there was no USM motor pool. IIRC, one of the science departments (biology, maybe?) bought a van with grant money. This was back in the days when the engine in an American made van was between the front seats. I think the origin of "socialized transportation" began when other departments wanted vehicles but didn't have grant money to pay for them. Until recently, when the mileage reimbursement rate went so high, some administrators at my institution had proposed doing away with motor pool & simply reimbursing employees for using their personal vehicles. I don't think that's the case now. So, which "used car dealer" is going to corner the rent-a-car market at USM?
I think we have an alum who owns/started U SAVE AUTO...not exactly sure...trust me, if they drop the motor pool, there will be several rental groups putting in very competitive bids...The Car Rental world is cut throat and operates on lowmargin/highvolume...A national or regiona chain will get the bid

__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
USM Forum -- Message Board -> AAUP-USM MESSAGE BOARD -> Good-by Motor Pool
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard