B-112449, FEBRUARY 18, 1953, 32 COMP. GEN. 367
Highlights
TRANSPORTED HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IN HIS PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSE TRAILER WHICH WAS TOWED BY A HIRED MOVER WHOSE CHARGES FOR SUCH SERVICE WERE THE SAME WHETHER A TRAILER WAS EMPTY OR LOADED. IS NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805. ANY AMOUNT IS PROPERLY PAYABLE ON A VOUCHER STATED IN FAVOR OF WILLIAM J. THE EMPLOYEE WAS DIRECTED TO PROCEED FROM THEODORE. SHIPMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS WAS AUTHORIZED THEREIN. THE AZALEA TRAILER SALES WAS ENGAGED BY THE EMPLOYEE TO HAUL HIS HOUSE TRAILER. SHIPMENT OF THE LOADED HOUSE TRAILER WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT A COST OF $115 WHICH THE EMPLOYEE PAID ON JULY 19. SHOWS THAT "THE CHARGES ARE THE SAME FOR TOWING AN EMPTY TRAILER OR A LOADED TRAILER.'.
B-112449, FEBRUARY 18, 1953, 32 COMP. GEN. 367
TRANSPORTATION - HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS - COMMUTATION - SHIPMENT BY EMPLOYEE'S TRAILER TOWED BY HIRED MOVER AN EMPLOYEE WHO, UPON A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION, TRANSPORTED HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IN HIS PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSE TRAILER WHICH WAS TOWED BY A HIRED MOVER WHOSE CHARGES FOR SUCH SERVICE WERE THE SAME WHETHER A TRAILER WAS EMPTY OR LOADED, IS NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805, AS AMENDED, UPON A COMMUTED BASIS OR ANY OTHER BASIS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF SAID HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS OR FOR THE COST OF HAVING THE TRAILER TOWED.
ACTING COMPTROLLER GENERAL YATES TO LT. COL. W. TROOLIN, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, FEBRUARY 18, 1953:
BY FIRST ENDORSEMENT DATED OCTOBER 17, 1952, THE CHIEF OF FINANCE, FINEK 524.23 BROWN, WILLIAM , CIV., FORWARDED TO THIS OFFICE YOUR LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 24, 1952, FINKE-P 1016, TOGETHER WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING A DECISION WHETHER, UNDER THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES HEREINAFTER SET OUT, ANY AMOUNT IS PROPERLY PAYABLE ON A VOUCHER STATED IN FAVOR OF WILLIAM J. BROWN, A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. THE VOUCHER, IN THE AMOUNT OF $433.35, REPRESENTS A CLAIM UPON A COMMUTED BASIS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE CLAIMANT'S HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS, WEIGHING 6,420 POUNDS, A DISTANCE OF 490 MILES, AT THE COMMUTED RATE OF $6.75 PER HUNDRED WEIGHT, AS AUTHORIZED IN SCHEDULE A OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805, AS AMENDED.
BY TRAVEL ORDER NO. CTO 7-28-52-NPOE, DATED JULY 11, 1952, THE EMPLOYEE WAS DIRECTED TO PROCEED FROM THEODORE, ALABAMA, HIS OFFICIAL DUTY STATION, TO CHANNEL VIEW, TEXAS, FOR PERMANENT DUTY, AND SHIPMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS WAS AUTHORIZED THEREIN. THE AZALEA TRAILER SALES WAS ENGAGED BY THE EMPLOYEE TO HAUL HIS HOUSE TRAILER, CONTAINING HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS, FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW DUTY STATION. A WEIGHT CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN FURNISHED SHOWING THE WEIGHT OF THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS TO BE 6,420 POUNDS. SHIPMENT OF THE LOADED HOUSE TRAILER WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT A COST OF $115 WHICH THE EMPLOYEE PAID ON JULY 19, 1952. A STATEMENT FURNISHED AND SIGNED BY THE EMPLOYEE, IN RESPONSE TO AN OFFICIAL INQUIRY AS TO THE COST FOR TOWING AN EMPTY TRAILER AS WELL AS THE CHARGE OR COST FOR THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ONLY, SHOWS THAT "THE CHARGES ARE THE SAME FOR TOWING AN EMPTY TRAILER OR A LOADED TRAILER.'
IT HAS BEEN HELD THAT THE COST OF MOVING HOUSE TRAILERS--- PROPERTY WHICH IS NOT WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE TERMS "HOUSEHOLD GOODS" AND "PERSONAL EFFECTS" AS USED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805--- CANNOT BE CONSIDERED AS HAVING BEEN INCURRED INCIDENT TO THE SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS FOR WHICH REIMBURSEMENT IS AUTHORIZED. B-82461, MARCH 22, 1949; B-109099, APRIL 25, 1952. THEREFORE, AND SINCE THE RECORD SHOWS THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IN THE HOUSE TRAILER DID NOT INCREASE THE COST OF TRANSPORTING THE TRAILER, NO EXPENSE CAN BE CONSIDERED AS HAVING BEEN INCURRED AS INCIDENT TO THE SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS FOR WHICH REIMBURSEMENT IS AUTHORIZED.
ACCORDINGLY, PAYMENT ON THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS BEING RETAINED IN THE FILES OF THIS OFFICE, IS NOT AUTHORIZED.