B-138084, JAN 2, 1959
Highlights
THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE DETERMINED THAT THE USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY DEPENDENT TRAVELING SEPARATELY WILL BE LIMITED TO 7[ PER MILE.". 960 POUNDS OF EFFECTS FOR WHICH HE IS CLAIMING REIMBURSEMENT UPON A COMMUTED RATE. HE WAS REIMBURSED $46 ($0.10 PER MILE FOR 460 MILES) FOR THAT TRAVEL SO FAR AS CONCERNS THE MOVEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE'S EFFECTS BY PRIVATELY OWNED TRAILER. THE CASE IS SIMILAR TO THAT IN B-123344. WHEREIN REIMBURSEMENT WAS AUTHORIZED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS MOVED IN THE PERSONALLY OWNED TRUCK OF THE EMPLOYEE. DRIVEN BY THE EMPLOYEE - HIS FAMILY HAVING TRAVELED BY HIS PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE FOR WHICH MILEAGE WAS ALLOWED.
B-138084, JAN 2, 1959
PRECIS-UNAVAILABLE
MR. HARRY NUNN:
ON DECEMBER 2, 1958, THE CHIEF, AUDIT DIVISION, BUDGET AND FINANCE OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, FORWARDED HERE YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 29, 1958, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING OUR DECISION UPON THE PROPRIETY OF CERTIFYING FOR PAYMENT THE RECLAIM VOUCHER THEREWITH SUBMITTED IN FAVOR OF MR. RAYMOND W. SKINNER FOR $220.81. THE VOUCHER REPRESENTS AN AMOUNT ADMINISTRATIVELY SUSPENDED REPRESENTING TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS UPON A COMMUTED BASIS INCIDENT TO AN OFFICIAL CHANGE OF STATION.
TRAVEL ORDER DATED JUNE 12, 1958, AUTHORIZED THE EMPLOYEE TO TRANSPORT HIS EFFECTS FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, TO PHOENIX, ARIZONA, INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION. THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE DETERMINED THAT THE USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE NOTE THAT BLOCK 17 IN THE TRAVEL ORDER STATES THAT "WHEN PRACTICABLE, EMPLOYEE AND DEPENDENTS SHOULD TRAVEL TOGETHER VIA PRIVATELY OWNED AUTO AND SEPARATE TRAVEL MUST BE JUSTIFIED ON EXPENSE VOUCHER. REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY DEPENDENT TRAVELING SEPARATELY WILL BE LIMITED TO 7[ PER MILE." THE EMPLOYEE DROVE HIS PRIVATELY OWNED TRUCK ACCOMPANIED BY TWO DEPENDENTS AND TOWED HIS PRIVATELY OWNED TRAILER HAULING 2,960 POUNDS OF EFFECTS FOR WHICH HE IS CLAIMING REIMBURSEMENT UPON A COMMUTED RATE. THE MAYFLOWER MOVERS HAULED 4,060 POUNDS OF EFFECTS FOR WHICH THE EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN ALLOWED $299.89. THE WIFE OF THE EMPLOYEE DROVE HIS AUTOMOBILE IN WHICH SHE TRANSPORTED THREE OF HIS DEPENDENTS, AND HE WAS REIMBURSED $46 ($0.10 PER MILE FOR 460 MILES) FOR THAT TRAVEL SO FAR AS CONCERNS THE MOVEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE'S EFFECTS BY PRIVATELY OWNED TRAILER, THE CASE IS SIMILAR TO THAT IN B-123344, DATED MAY 19, 1955, WHEREIN REIMBURSEMENT WAS AUTHORIZED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS MOVED IN THE PERSONALLY OWNED TRUCK OF THE EMPLOYEE, DRIVEN BY THE EMPLOYEE - HIS FAMILY HAVING TRAVELED BY HIS PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE FOR WHICH MILEAGE WAS ALLOWED. CF. 34 COMP. GEN. 29, AND B 137422 DATED NOVEMBER 5, 1958.
THE CASES REFERRED TO IN YOUR LETTER, 27 COMP. GEN. 57, AND 32 COMP. GEN. 342, ARE NOT APPLICABLE HERE BECAUSE THEY RELATE TO MILEAGE FOR USE OF TWO AUTOMOBILES. IN THIS CASE NO MILEAGE HAS BEEN CLAIMED FOR TRANSPORTATION BY THE PRIVATELY OWNED TRUCK. MOREOVER, IT REASONABLY MAY BE CONCLUDED THAT ADDITIONAL COSTS WERE NECESSARILY INCURRED BECAUSE OF THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS IN THE TRUCK. CONCERNING B-111057 DATED SEPTEMBER 30, 1952, 32 COMP. GEN. 154, REFERRED TO BY YOU, YOU ARE INFORMED THAT THE TRAILER IN THAT CASE WAS A HOUSE TRAILER. ADDITIONALLY THE STATEMENT IN THE CASE CONCERNING THE EFFECT OF THE WORDS "ACTUALLY TRANSPORTED" IN EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 10196 WAS OVERRULED BY 32 COMP. GEN. 286.
THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.