Hop Van Rentals

Transportation Services allows eligible and approved affiliates of Johns Hopkins University to rent a Hop Van for their transportation needs. All drivers of a Hop Van must be certified to operate a Hop Van and complete a Hop Van reservation request.

Hop Van Eligibility

The following groups and departments have access to the Hop Van program:

  • Staff and academic departments of Johns Hopkins University
  • Student groups affiliated with Student Affairs, Student Engagement, and Student Leadership and Involvement
  • Student groups affiliated with the Center for Social Concern

Driver Certification Program

The approval process can take up to several weeks.  DO NOT submit a reservation form for a Hop Van rental if your organization does not have a driver available who is faculty, staff, or a student already certified.  We cannot guarantee that road test appointments for new Hop Van student driver certifications will occur in time for your travel needs.

Any JHU undergraduate or graduate student wishing to drive a Hop Van must first be certified with Transportation Services. The process can take up to a couple weeks or more to complete.

The process is as follows:

  • Have a valid, unexpired US driver’s license without a recent history of violations or accidents and no history of alcohol-related offenses or accidents.
  • Take the online course.
  • Take a screenshot of your passing score.
  • Print a copy of the Justifacts waiver and complete it as follows:
    • ensure you list your full name — first, middle if you have one, and last;
    • use your permanent address (i.e., the one that is associated with your driver’s license), and be sure to include your ZIP code;
    • hand-sign the form rather than typing your name into the signature line.
  • Email a scanned or legible photo of the completed waiver and the screenshot of the passing test score to [email protected].
  • Once the records check is complete, you will receive the contact information to schedule your vehicle orientation and road test.

Note that the records check can take several business days, and available timeslots for the vehicle orientation and road test are limited, so allow up to a couple of weeks or more to complete the certification process from start to finish.

Faculty and staff of Johns Hopkins University are exempt from the certification process and must only display a valid, unexpired US driver’s license upon arriving to check out their reserved van.

Reserving a Hop Van

To request a van, fill out the request form below. All requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to your request. Rental costs are $20 per day plus $0.75 per mile driven.

If you want to reserve vans regularly for an entire semester, please email your needs to [email protected] before completing the request form.

The van rental request form requires the following information:

  • Date and time requested. Be very specific, and include AM and PM in your times.
  • Number of passengers to be transported in the van. Hop Vans seat 7 – 8 passengers each, including the driver.
  • Cost Center and Fund (budget codes). Requests without this information are not honored. If you are unsure of this information, please see your group’s financial administrator or treasurer.
  • Your name, local phone number, title or position, and email address.
  • Driver’s name(s) and phone number(s). All student drivers must be van-certified by Johns Hopkins University before making a reservation.
  • Your destination and distance from the Homewood campus.
  • Your purpose. Is this a social event, retreat, service project, etc?

If you have not heard back regarding your rental request after two business days, call 410-516-7275 during regular business hours and ask for the Hop Van rental desk.

Overnight and Long-Distance Requests

Because of the increased risk involved in overnight (i.e., multi-day) trips, before a reservation can be confirmed, you may need to provide more information than what is requested on our form. This may include a written statement regarding the purpose of your trip, the names and contact information of all persons traveling in the van, contact information for where the group will be staying, etc. The initial request may be made via the same process as above, and you will be contacted for additional information as required.  Groups should ensure they have several certified drivers for each van available for long trips (i.e., more than two hours from the Homewood campus) and be prepared to use outside sources should the request not be approved.

Hop Vans are unavailable for trips outside a radius of approximately 150 miles from the Homewood campus.  Beyond that threshold, we do not have the means to offer emergency transportation and roadside support in the event of a vehicle breakdown or other problems.  We recommend seeking the services of a national vehicle rental agency for trips to destinations beyond 150 miles from campus.

Reserve a Hop Van

Other Information