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B-143672, OCT. 9, 1969

B-143672 Oct 09, 1969
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INCIDENT TO PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY IS DENIED UNDER SEC. 6.9C OF STANDARDIZED GOVT. TRAVEL REGULATIONS WHICH ALLOWS PER DIEM BEGINNING WITH SCHEDULED DEPARTURE AND ENDING WITH RETURN ARRIVAL EXCEPT WHEN RESIDENCE IS MORE THAN 50 MILES FROM AIRPORT OR WHEN NONSCHEDULED TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN DEPARTURE POINT AND AIRPORT IS UTILIZED. SINCE EXCEPTIONS WERE NOT APPLICABLE. THOMPSON WAS PICKED UP AT HIS RESIDENCE BY AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE AT 5:15 P.M. PER DIEM WAS ONLY ALLOWED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIME OF DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL OF THE AIRPLANES. TRANSPORTATION FROM THE AIRPORT TO A TRAVELER'S RESIDENCE IS BY USING GROUND TRANSPORTATION FURNISHED BY THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE. THE VEHICLE IS DISPATCHED AS A LIMOUSINE FROM THE AIRPORT TO ANY OTHER POINT IN KNOXVILLE AT A RATE PREDETERMINED BY THE COMPANY.'THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE WILL PROVIDE SERVICE FROM A RESIDENCE TO THE AIRPORT.

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B-143672, OCT. 9, 1969

SUBSISTENCE--PER DIEM--HOURS OF DEPARTURE--TERMINAL--OTHER CONVEYANCE EMPLOYEE'S CLAIM FOR ADDITIONAL PER DIEM FROM 5:15 P.M; TIME HE LEFT RESIDENCE, TO 7 P.M; TIME HE RETURNED HOME, INCIDENT TO PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY IS DENIED UNDER SEC. 6.9C OF STANDARDIZED GOVT. TRAVEL REGULATIONS WHICH ALLOWS PER DIEM BEGINNING WITH SCHEDULED DEPARTURE AND ENDING WITH RETURN ARRIVAL EXCEPT WHEN RESIDENCE IS MORE THAN 50 MILES FROM AIRPORT OR WHEN NONSCHEDULED TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN DEPARTURE POINT AND AIRPORT IS UTILIZED. SINCE EXCEPTIONS WERE NOT APPLICABLE, LIMOUSINE SERVICE BEING UNSCHEDULED AND AIRPORT WITHIN 50 MILES OF RESIDENCE, PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE BEGAN AT SCHEDULED DEPARTURE OF AIRPLANE FROM TERMINAL AT 6:10 P.M. AND ENDED UPON ACTUAL ARRIVAL AT 5:34 P.M.

TO MISS JEANNETTE B. WILBANKS:

YOUR LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 16, 1969, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTS A DECISION FROM OUR OFFICE CONCERNING THE PROPRIETY OF PAYING ADDITIONAL PER DIEM TO MR. ROBERT D. THOMPSON, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE BUREAU OF MINES IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, FROM THE TIME HE LEAVES HIS RESIDENCE TO THE TIME OF RETURN HOME INCIDENT TO PERFORMING TEMPORARY DUTY.

THE INFORMATION FURNISHED, INCLUDING COPIES OF TWO PAID VOUCHERS, SHOWS THAT MR. THOMPSON WAS PICKED UP AT HIS RESIDENCE BY AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE AT 5:15 P.M., FOR THE PURPOSE OF BOARDING AN AIRPLANE WHICH DEPARTED AT 6:10 P.M. ON THE RETURN HE CLAIMED PER DIEM UNTIL 7 P.M., THE ARRIVAL TIME AT HIS RESIDENCE OF THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE LIMOUSINE, ALTHOUGH THE AIRPLANE ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AT 5:34 P.M. HOWEVER, PER DIEM WAS ONLY ALLOWED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIME OF DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL OF THE AIRPLANES.

MR. THOMPSON HAS SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF HIS CLAIM FOR THE ADDITIONAL QUARTER DAY'S PER DIEM: "IN RESPONSE TO YOUR INQUIRY, TRANSPORTATION FROM THE AIRPORT TO A TRAVELER'S RESIDENCE IS BY USING GROUND TRANSPORTATION FURNISHED BY THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE. THE VEHICLE IS DISPATCHED AS A LIMOUSINE FROM THE AIRPORT TO ANY OTHER POINT IN KNOXVILLE AT A RATE PREDETERMINED BY THE COMPANY.'THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE WILL PROVIDE SERVICE FROM A RESIDENCE TO THE AIRPORT, IF ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE IN ADVANCE. THE RATE IS ON THE SAME BASIS AS A VEHICLE DISPATCHED FROM THE AIRPORT. THE COMPANY ALSO WILL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FROM THE OFFICE (301 CUMBERLAND AVENUE) TO THE AIRPORT ON A LIMOUSINE BASIS.'THE SERVICE FROM THE AIRPORT TO A RESIDENCE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS LIMOUSINE SERVICE. THIS WOULD AFFECT THE PER DIEM RATE.'THE SERVICE FROM A RESIDENCE TO THE AIRPORT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR DETERMINATION, IS TO BE CLASSIFIED AS TAXI SERVICE. I QUESTION THIS. FEEL TRAVEL BY KOMR EMPLOYEES FROM THE AIRPORT TO A RESIDENCE AND RESIDENCE TO AIRPORT SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS LIMOUSINE SERVICE, REIMBURSABLE AT THE RATE DETERMINED BY THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE AND BE USED IN COMPUTING PER DIEM ALLOWANCES. THE RECENT DISALLOWANCES FOR PER DIEM FOR KOMR EMPLOYEES DO NOT APPEAR JUSTIFIED AND SHOULD BE REINSTATED.'

YOU SAY THAT THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE IN KNOXVILLE HAS ADVISED YOU THAT THEY HAVE NO PUBLISHED SCHEDULE FOR THEIR LIMOUSINE SERVICE, HOWEVER, THE LIMOUSINE DEPARTS FROM TWO DIFFERENT HOTELS IN THE CITY APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR BEFORE PLANE DEPARTURE TIME. THIS LIMOUSINE SERVICE FROM THE HOTELS IS FURNISHED AT A COST OF $1.85. APPARENTLY THE AIRPORT TRANSIT SERVICE ALSO FURNISHES TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM HOMES OR ANY OTHER PREDESIGNATED LOCATIONS AND THE FARES FOR THESE PICKUPS VARY ACCORDING TO THE DISTANCE AND LOCATIONS. WE NOTE THAT MR. THOMPSON WAS CHARGED $7.90 FOR EACH TRIP BETWEEN HIS RESIDENCE AND THE AIRPORT.

SECTION 6.9C OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES AS FOLLOWS:

"C. GENERALLY FOR COMPUTING PER DIEM ALLOWANCES OFFICIAL TRAVEL BEGINS WHEN THE TRAIN, AIRPLANE, BOAT, OR OTHER CONVEYANCE IS SCHEDULED TO DEPART FROM ITS DEPOT, AIRPORT, OR DOCK AND ENDS WHEN THE TRAIN, AIRPLANE, BOAT, OR OTHER CONVEYANCE ACTUALLY ARRIVES AT ITS DEPOT, AIRPORT, OR DOCK AT THE CONCLUSION OF A TRIP. HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS ARE AUTHORIZED:

"/1) WHEN A TRAVELER USES AN AUTOMOBILE OR OTHER NONSCHEDULED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN HIS OFFICE, HOME, OR OTHER POINT OF DEPARTURE AND A DEPOT, AIRPORT, OR DOCK LOCATED MORE THAN 50 MILES DISTANT (DETERMINED BY USUALLY TRAVELED MOTOR ROUTE), OFFICIAL TRAVEL FOR COMPUTING PER DIEM ALLOWANCES BEGINS WHEN THE EMPLOYEE ACTUALLY LEAVES HIS HOME, OFFICE, OR OTHER POINT OF DEPARTURE AND ENDS WHEN HE RETURNS FROM SUCH DEPOT, AIRPORT, OR DOCK TO HIS HOME, OFFICE, OR OTHER POINT AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS TRIP.

"/2) WHEN A TRAVELER USES AN AUTOMOBILE OR OTHER NONSCHEDULED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN HIS OFFICE, HOME, OR OTHER POINT OF DEPARTURE AND A TEMPORARY DUTY STATION, OFFICIAL TRAVEL BEGINS AT THE TIME THE TRAVELER LEAVES HIS HOME, OFFICE, OR OTHER POINT OF DEPARTURE AND ENDS WHEN THE TRAVELER RETURNS TO HIS HOME, OFFICE, OR OTHER POINT BY AUTOMOBILE OR OTHER NONSCHEDULED CONVEYANCE AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS TRIP. HOWEVER, WHEN THE TIME OF DEPARTURE IS WITHIN 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE END OF A QUARTER DAY, OR THE TIME OF RETURN IS WITHIN 30 MINUTES AFTER THE BEGINNING OF A QUARTER DAY, PER DIEM FOR EITHER SUCH QUARTER DAY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE ABSENCE OF A STATEMENT WITH THE TRAVEL VOUCHER EXPLAINING THE OFFICIAL NECESSITY FOR THE TIME OF DEPARTURE OR RETURN.'

FROM THE INFORMATION FURNISHED IT APPEARS THAT THE LIMOUSINE SERVICE USED WAS UNSCHEDULED. THEREFORE, UNDER THE REGULATIONS QUOTED ABOVE, PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE BEGAN AT THE SCHEDULED TIME OF DEPARTURE OF THE AIRPLANE FROM ITS TERMINAL, IT BEING NOTED THAT THE EXCEPTIONS TO THE GENERAL RULE STATED THEREIN ARE NOT APPLICABLE IN THIS CASE. THE CLAIM FOR ADDITIONAL PER DIEM SHOULD BE DENIED.

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