Explains the university's policy and procedures regarding the selection and use of the appropriate transportation vehicle for official university travel.
Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs
Effective June 1, 1990; December 1, 1990; November 1, 1991, March 10, 1994; January 4, 1995; December 19, 1995; February 1, 2007; November 20, 2008; July 15, 2009; April 2010; September 29, 2010; February 1, 2016; November 1, 2017; February 26, 2018; supersedes former Administration Policy No. TRA1.13, “Travel, Transportation Modes and Transportation-Related Expenses”
Office of State Budget and Management
Accounting Department
Purpose
Explains the university's policies and procedures regarding the selection and use of the appropriate transportation vehicle for official university travel.
Scope
Applies to all university departments or activities.
Policy
Authorization
All official university travel must be authorized prior to the beginning day of travel. Authorization of the mode of travel is to be entered for all transportation expenses on the Pre-Approval in Chrome River which are subject to the regulations noted in this procedure.
Travel by non-state employees requires a Pre-Approval in Chrome River to be completed.
Non-state employees must abide by the same statutory reimbursement regulations and documentation requirements as state employees unless otherwise indicated.
Employee Responsibility
An employee traveling on official university business is expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business and expending personal funds. Excess costs, circuitous routes, delays, or luxury accommodations and services unnecessary or unjustified in the performance of official university business are not acceptable under this standard. Employees will be responsible for unauthorized costs and any additional expenses incurred for personal preference or convenience.
It is the intent of the State that state employee travel shall be conducted in the most efficient manner and at the lowest and most reasonable cost to the state. With regard to passenger vehicle travel, whether in- or out-of-state, agency travel policies shall:
Make use of State term contracts for short-term rentals (State Term Contract 975B Vehicle Rental Services), and
Reimburse for use of personal vehicles on a limited basis.
Cancellation of Travel Reservations
If the employee's travel has been approved in advance and the cancellation or change is made at the direction of, and for the convenience of, the department, any penalties and charges resulting from the cancellation of airline reservations shall be the department's obligation.
If the cancellation or change is made for the personal benefit of the employee, it shall be the employee's obligation to pay the penalties and charges.
In the event of accidents, serious illness or death within the employee's immediate family, or other critical circumstances beyond the control of the employee, the department may pay the penalties and charges.
Procedures
Personal Vehicle
Reimbursement Rate for Use of Personal Vehicle
A state employee shall be reimbursed the business standard mileage rate set by the Internal Revenue Service (shown in Appendix A) when using their personal vehicle for state business when the trip does not exceed 100 miles round trip for the entire trip.
If a state employee chooses to use a personal vehicle they will be reimbursed the business standard mileage rate set by the Internal Revenue Service (Rate Shown in Appendix A) when using their personal vehicle for state business when the trip does not exceed 100 miles per trip. For trips using a personal vehicle that exceed 100 miles per trip, the employee shall be reimbursed at a rate that would not exceed 33 cents a mile. OSBM will not consider exceptions to this policy.
The mileage rate includes all other charges incurred except tolls.
Mileage Reimbursed
Reimbursement for costs incurred through use of a personal vehicle will be limited to actual mileage from the point of departure or duty station, whichever is closer.
Employees may be eligible for reimbursement for prudent use of a personal vehicle during the travel period.
Any extraordinary deviations from reasonably expected mileage should be documented separately on the Travel Expense Report
Mileage reported on the Travel Expense Report is subject to review by the Disbursements Office. Therefore, department heads should scrutinize actual mileage recorded on the reimbursement prior to submittal to the Disbursements Office.
Insurance
Personal vehicles used for state business are not insured under the state automobile insurance policy. Consequently, individuals using a personal vehicle on state business are responsible for any damages incurred.
Rental Vehicles (Away from Duty Station)
Allowable Use of a Rental Vehicle
A rental vehicle (to be picked up at the destination or away from the duty station) should be used only when conducting official university business.
Employees are expected to be prudent when incurring rental vehicle expenses for university business travel.
Obtaining a Rental Vehicle
Obtain rental vehicles from rental car agencies on state contract by referencing the state contract number on state contract or using the Enterprise Booking Tool in Chrome River.
When renting a vehicle from a class that exceeds the cost of a standard vehicle on the State’s Term contract, the traveler must pay the difference.
Charge the cost of rental vehicles (to be picked up at the destination or away from the duty station) to the employee's UNCW American Express Card or UNCW Visa Travel Card.
Request reimbursement when filing the Travel Expense Report unless paid on UNCW Visa Travel Card.
Insurance
The state automobile insurance policy provides coverage to vehicles when employees lease rental vehicles for official university travel from the contracted vehicle rental companies.
Optional insurance coverage on rental vehicles is not a reimbursable expense.
Rental insurance is permitted for individuals engaged in official university business when traveling to international destinations.
Rental Vehicles (At Duty Station)
Allowable Use of a Rental Vehicle
The university allows the use of rental vehicles for official university business only. Vehicles are to be picked up in the Wilmington area from one of the rental car agencies currently on contract or delivered to campus when using Enterprise.
Employees are expected to be prudent when incurring rental vehicle expenses for university business travel.
Obtaining a Rental Vehicle
For a UNCW Employee:
Reserve a vehicle by using the online booking tool in Chrome River.
Enter the pre-approval number (12 digits) into the required field on the booking tool. Enter the rental vehicle expense in the pre-approval in
Chrome River as a rental car expense. Once all expenses have been entered on the Pre-Approval, submit it for approval. Once the expense occurs this transaction will show up in the eWallet of Chrome River. The transaction must be added to the expense report with the receipt from Enterprise attached.
If using another state contracted rental car agency to obtain a rental vehicle, rental vehicle cost can be charged to the employee’s American Express Card, UNCW Visa Travel Card or personal credit card. Request reimbursement when filing the travel expense report unless paid on UNCW Visa Travel Card.
For a Non-Employee:
Obtain rental vehicle from rental car agencies on state contract.
Charge the cost of the rental vehicle to the non-employee’s personal credit card.
Request reimbursement after the trip, with departmental Budget Authority approval.
Insurance
The state automobile insurance policy provides coverage to vehicles when employees lease rental vehicles for official university travel from the contracted vehicle rental companies.
Optional insurance coverage on rental vehicles is not a reimbursable expense.
Rental insurance is permitted for individuals engaged in official university business when traveling to international destinations.
Fees When Driving a State Vehicle (departmental vehicles), Personal Vehicle or Rental Vehicle
When a state vehicle (departmental vehicle), personal vehicle or rental vehicle is used for official university travel, parking fees, miscellaneous storage fees, and tolls are legitimate expenses and must be supported with receipts.
Reimbursement of airport parking expense must be supported with a receipt. Any parking rates considered excessive and only for the convenience of the traveler will not be reimbursed. An example of excessive or inappropriate parking would be the use of an airport’s hourly parking lot for an overnight trip.
No common carrier or public transportation costs are reimbursable on a trip in which an employee uses a state vehicle (departmental vehicle), a personal vehicle or rental vehicle unless it is documented in writing that such transportation was more economical in a particular situation.
Commuting
Reimbursement may not be made for commuting between an employee’s home to the duty station.
Travel to and from the Airport at Point of Departure
Reimbursements for travel between the duty station and the nearest airline terminal and for appropriate parking may be made as follows:
Airport Shuttle - one round trip shuttle fare; receipt required.
Taxi – one round trip actual cost; receipt required.
Personal vehicle - Reimbursed at the mileage rate in Appendix A.
Mileage rate (as referenced in Appendix A) for two round trips with no terminal parking charge.
Mileage rate (as referenced in Appendix A) for one round trip with terminal parking charges. Receipts required for airport parking claims.
Travel at the Destination
Reimbursement for expenses incurred while at the destination may be made for travel necessary to conduct business.
No common carrier or public transportation costs are reimbursable on a trip when reimbursement is authorized for a personal vehicle or rental vehicle unless it is documented in writing that such transportation was more economical in a particular situation.
Reimbursement for travel to and from the airline terminal at the employee's destination may be made as follows:
Airport Shuttle - one round trip shuttle fare; receipt required
Bus - one round trip bus fare; receipt required
Taxi - actual fare to and from the airline terminal; receipt required
Rental vehicles – cost of vehicle rental; receipt required
Taxis (Other Than Trips To and From the Airport)
The actual cost of taxi fares are reimbursable when required for travel on university business. Costs must be supported by a receipt.
Commercial Airlines
Ticket Purchase for an Employee
Arrange the ticket purchase with one of the travel agencies contracted with UNCW. See the Travel website for the list of agencies.
Air coach/tourist class must be utilized, unless exceptional circumstances require the use of first-class accommodations. Business Class can be utilized when traveling to a foreign destination. If first-class accommodations are required, the Chancellor must approve a written statement of the circumstances. Attach the approved statement to the Pre- Approval.
Enter an Agency Airfare in Chrome River on the Pre-Approval.
Contact contracted travel agencies or use their online booking tool in Chrome River.
Once the flight has been chosen, enter the airfare cost plus the service fee on the pre-approval and attach the itinerary.
After all other expenses for the trip have been entered on the Pre- Approval submit for approval. Once this has been approved, the travel agency will purchase the ticket.
Once the ticket has been purchased the expense will show up in the e- Wallet and will need to be added to an expense report.
Upload the final itinerary with the expense report
If one of the contracted travel agencies is not utilized, the airfare will be reimbursed after the trip.
Super Saver Airfare
There must be a total net savings to the university in order to take advantage of the super saver program. Hotel and meal expenses for the additional day(s) must not exceed the savings to the university between the regular fare and the super saver fare.
When a super saver fare is used that will extend for the duration of the trip, attach a super saver justification (or a statement from the supervisor with the required information) to the Travel Authorization form. Indicate the difference between the regular airfare and the super saver fare, and the
total cost savings to the university. See the following example for information that should be included in the super saver justification.
EXAMPLE - SUPER SAVER JUSTIFICATION
Travel Authorization No. T ___________
Name: John Doe
Trip: To attend workshop in Boston, Massachusetts
Dates: _______________
| Category | Super Saver | Regular Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare | $119 | $393 |
| Lodging | $164 | $123 |
| Meals | $104 | $78 |
| 1 Day @ $84 - 1 day not at work place during normal workweek due to use of super saver - no annual leave taken |
$84 | $0 |
| Total Cost | $471 | $594 |
| Total Net University Savings | $123 |
When submitting the Travel Expense Report, attach a revised super saver justification if there are deviations from the original super saver justification submitted with the Pre-Approval. If the extended stay is during the normal workweek and annual leave is not taken, indicate the daily rate of the employee's pay in the documentation. (See the example above.) Waiving annual leave is at the discretion of the department head when employees are requested to stay extended days. If the extended stay is taken on the weekend, there are no special requirements regarding annual leave.
Flight Insurance
Flight insurance is not a reimbursable expense.
Frequent Flier Miles
Frequent flier miles earned by state employees traveling on university business and at university expense should be used to the extent possible on future university business trips. If choosing to use personal frequent flier miles for university business, the University will not reimburse for the frequent flier miles used.
Non-Commercial Air Travel
Charter flights require approval from the Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs and the Office of State Budget and Management. Contact the Disbursements Office regarding these procedures.