FORMS - Vehicle Forms

Van registration and insurance cards should be kept together in the glove box. If you do not find them, open the files below that correspond to your van number. Make sure VIN and plates match and that the expiration date is up-to-date. Place cards in glove box.

 

Registration and Insurance
Other Forms
How it Works

The Van

The office will assign you a van number. Make sure you take the correct van and double check that the registration and insurance cards found in the van are current and match the VIN and license plate. Updated registrations and insurance cards can be printed from the above links. The vans are parked at the La Quinta parking lot in the back. The keys for the vans are found in the safe at La Quinta. After each tour you must return the van to the La Quinta parking lot (park next to the trash bins, but do not block them!!!) and leave the keys in the safe. YOU MAY NOT TAKE THE KEYS WITH YOU! The safe is found in the alcove at the La Quinta lobby, behind the ATM machine. The office will provide you the safe combination. Your multi-lingual tour packets can be picked up from the storage unit. They will include: • Introduction Talk
• Safety Talk
• Waivers
• Trip Report
• Expense Report
• Evaluation Forms
• Self-addressed envelopes for the evaluation forms
• UPS label for shipping end-of-trip paperwork. Make sure to take a tour packet in the appropriate language for your tour!
• Trip Report
• Introduction Talk
• Safety Talk
• Waivers
• Trip Report Van Protocols ✓ Always visibly display DOT #944130 on both sides of van - View/Print here.
✓ Fill out Bus Driver’s Daily Log at every change of station, or change of duty
✓ A daily pre-check is required as per DOT (the back of your driver log has a pre check list you need to check off on)
✓ Do not work more than 70 hours on-duty in 8 days, you may log out during the day if you are on break/lunch/off-duty
✓ You may drive a maximum of 10 hours/day but only after 8 consecutive hours off duty
✓ If you do not use a trailer and are going on a camping trip, it is illegal to have a large propane tank in the back of the van, the small green ones are ok
✓ Do not talk on the phone while driving
✓ Do not stop on side of road unless the location is safe and you can get the entire van and trailer off the road
✓ US Dept. of Transportation Small Vehicle Driving Rules - View/Print here.
✓ The space behind the last bench is the TD’s private storage area
✓ if you have an elderly group please make sure you have a step stool to help pax get into the van (Walmart)
✓ Pax have to rotate in the vehicle. We recommend that pax rotate every time you stop or at least 2 x day. Do not allow one pax to capitalize on the front seat or bench. FORCE people to rotate. If they do not rotate you will end up with problems.
✓ make sure you do not have too many photo stops - too many stops will delay you
✓ in general hotel tour arrival should be 5-6 pm, or 1-2 hours before dinner, unless you are doing sunset
✓ camping tour arrival should be at least 2 hours before dark NEVER ARRIVE IN DARK AT A CAMPSITE
✓ general departure from hotels should be around 8 am, unless you have a long day
✓ general departure for camping tours should be between 8 and 9 am, or earlier if you have something special
✓ Oil change every 3000 miles or between every trip, check sticker in driver window to see when the next oil change is due
✓ The company van receives only synthetic oil and is exchanged every 6000 miles
✓ Do a car wash (inside and out) between trips, make sure van and trailer are clean inside out Emergency Equipment to be Carried in the Vehicle ✓ A fire extinguisher having an Underwriters' Laboratories rating of 5 B:C or more and must be filled and located so that it is readily accessible for use. The extinguisher must be securely mounted to prevent sliding, rolling, or vertical movement relative to the motor vehicle.
✓ Spare fuses are required. Power units for which fuses are needed to operate any required parts and accessories must have at least one spare fuse for each type/size of fuse needed for those parts and accessories.
✓ Each truck, truck tractor, and bus (except those towed in driveaway-towaway operations) must be equipped as follows:
(a) Fire extinguishers—(1) Minimum ratings. (i) A power unit that is used to transport hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placarding (See §177.823 of this title) must be equipped with a fire extinguisher having an Underwriters' Laboratories rating of 10 B:C or more.
(ii) A power unit that is not used to transport hazardous materials must be equipped with either:
(A) A fire extinguisher having an Underwriters' Laboratories rating of 5 B:C or more; or
(B) Two fire extinguishers, each of which has an Underwriters' Laboratories rating of 4 B:C or more.
(2) Labeling and marking. Each fire extinguisher required by this section must be labeled or marked by the manufacturer with its Underwriters' Laboratories rating.
(3) Visual Indicators. The fire extinguisher must be designed, constructed, and maintained to permit visual determination of whether it is fully charged.
(4) Condition, location, and mounting. The fire extinguisher(s) must be filled and located so that it is readily accessible for use. The extinguisher(s) must be securely mounted to prevent sliding, rolling, or vertical movement relative to the motor vehicle.
(5) Extinguishing agents. The fire extinguisher must use an extinguishing agent that does not need protection from freezing. Extinguishing agents must comply with the toxicity provisions of the Environmental Protection Agency's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) regulations under 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart G.
(6) Exception. This paragraph (a) does not apply to the driven unit in a driveaway-towaway operation.
(b) Spare fuses. Power units for which fuses are needed to operate any required parts and accessories must have at least one spare fuse for each type/size of fuse needed for those parts and accessories.
(c)-(e) [Reserved]
(f) Warning devices for stopped vehicles. Except as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, one of the following options must be used:
(1) Three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles that conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 125, § 571.125 of this title; or
(2) At least 6 fusees or 3 liquid-burning flares. The vehicle must have as many additional fusees or liquid-burning flares as are necessary to satisfy the requirements of §392.22.
(3) Other warning devices may be used in addition to, but not in lieu of, the required warning devices, provided those warning devices do not decrease the effectiveness of the required warning devices.
(g) Restrictions on the use of flame-producing devices. Liquid-burning flares, fusees, oil lanterns, or any signal produced by a flame shall not be carried on any commercial motor vehicle transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 (explosives) hazardous materials; any cargo tank motor vehicle used for the transportation of Division 2.1 (flammable gas) or Class 3 (flammable liquid) hazardous materials whether loaded or empty; or any commercial motor vehicle using compressed gas as a motor fuel.
(h)-(i) [Reserved]
(j) Requirements for fusees and liquid-burning flares. Each fusee shall be capable of burning for 30 minutes, and each liquid-burning flare shall contain enough fuel to burn continuously for at least 60 minutes. Fusees and liquid-burning flares shall conform to the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., UL No. 912, Highway Emergency Signals, Fourth Edition, July 30, 1979, (with an amendment dated November 9, 1981). (See §393.7 for information on the incorporation by reference and availability of this document.) Each fusee and liquid-burning flare shall be marked with the UL symbol in accordance with the requirements of UL 912.
(k) Requirements for red flags. Red flags shall be not less than 12 inches square, with standards adequate to maintain the flags in an upright position.
(49 U.S.C. 304, 1655; 49 CFR 1.48(b) and 301.60)



The Trailer

The office will assign you a trailer number. Make sure you take the correct trailer and double check that the registration is current and matches the license plate (updated registrations can be printed from the above link). The keys to the trailers are found in the guide storage on a key board. The storage gate requires a numerical key combination (this will be given to you by the office). The office will also provide you with the storage unit number, directions to the unit, and the code for the combination lock. This is your access code to our fleet and gear and must be kept private! If your van is new, you may need a hitch. You will find a hitch inside your trailer (look thoroughly). If you are positive that the hitch is missing, get permission from the office to buy a new one. Each trailer is equipped with camping gear. Before departing on tour, check that the previous guide has left a clean set for you and that all the tents are clean and ready to go, as well as the kitchen boxes. Download our Gear Checklist, from the top of this page, to see the contents of our trailers. Some tours need a rain shelter. This includes ALL tours that go to the Pacific Northwest, Yellowstone (Montana/Wyoming), Colorado and the desert southwest during the monsoon season. If this rain shelter is missing or damaged and you need to replace it, please first contact the office. Packing instructions for the trailer can be found at the top of this page. This is what your trailer should look like: Well Packed Trailer. This is what your stove should look like: Good Stove. You will be charged if we have to clean after your mess!!!! Trailer Protocols ✓ DO NOT OVERLOAD THE TRAILER as there is a limited weight of 2040 pounds, or 50 suitcases or 40 pounds each.
✓ Make sure to balance weight when loading trailer
✓ Make sure all equipment is present and properly stored away at the beginning and end of a trip
✓ Make sure to lock the trailer with the metal safety chain
✓ Always connect safety pin and chains and fully engage hitch before departure
✓ Have one pax help you check lights on the trailer before departure
✓ Report any damages to ATW, or call the office so we can arrange for repair appointments
✓ Avoid backing up
✓ Check tire pressure and condition every morning
✓ When driving dirt roads, cover the gear with plastic tarps as dust will fill in thru the cracks
✓ REMOVE ALL LOCKS when driving on dirt roads (locks that lock the trailer door as well as any lock with a key on the hitch - these will block up with sand)
✓ When going to Toroweap, consider leaving the trailer at Perry Lodge in Kanab (locked and chained up, ask for permission)
✓ do not mix up gear, do not leave gear behind in Las Vegas - respect our packing of the trailer gear
✓ keep the gear in its appropriate boxes
✓ train group and yourself to keep the gear in its appropriate box
✓ do not sit on boxes, do not cook on boxes, they will melt and bend
✓ Position of cooler: Put 3 blocks of ice in the bottom of the cooler and the wash basins on top of the ice. This prevents the food from getting wet. Position the main cooler against the right wall of the trailer but far enough from the wall that the lid opens easily and the hinges are protected (these are hinge protectors). Make sure the drain valve is pointing at the door so you can pull the cooler out a bit for draining without having to lift it. When needing food simply take one of the wash basins out to carry the food.
✓ ***There is much theft of trailers in parking lots*** You must at all times lock the trailer with the cable lock by passing the cable through one of the tires and then to the hitch.
✓ There should be 9 tents in each trailer. Our tents are expensive 3 person dome tents, with 2 entries. Since the floors of the tents are thin, you MUST use tarps under the tents. The tarps are stored in a separate box, together with the pegs. Since the ground is hard, we are providing heavy duty nail type pegs (DO NOT store the pegs with the tents as they rip the nylon). All tents must be clean and dry before folding and storing (including tarps). Make sure the tent bags do not blow away in the wind.
✓ Pax ALWAYS try to leave food in tents, make sure they know they are responsible for damage caused by rodents or bears should they leave food in the tents. In bear country, even the toiletries MUST be removed from the tents, including all soaps, toothpaste, sunscreen, etc.



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