B-153134, JAN. 22, 1964
Highlights
WHICH WAS EFFECTIVE IN SEPTEMBER 1962. THE ACTUAL TRANSPORTATION INVOLVED WAS FROM TACOMA TO FEDERAL WAY. AS A RESULT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING CHARGES FOR TRANSPORTATION WERE MADE ON THE BASIS OF AN HOURLY CHARGE AS IS NORMAL FOR INTERCITY MOVES AND THE EFFECTS WERE NOT WEIGHED. - THE CONSTRUCTIVE WEIGHT OF THE EFFECTS TRANSPORTED WAS 9. A-56 ARE APPLICABLE TO THE TRAVEL OF POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AND IT APPEARS THAT THE POST OFFICE TRAVEL REGULATIONS TO WHICH YOU REFER ARE BASED UPON SECTION 2.1G OF THAT CIRCULAR. WHICH WAS DECIDED UNDER CIRCULAR NO. A-56 WE HELD THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF WEIGHING FACILITIES IS IRRELEVANT WHERE CHARGES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ARE PROPERLY MADE ON AN HOURLY BASIS RATHER THAN A WEIGHT AND MILEAGE BASIS.
B-153134, JAN. 22, 1964
TO MR. P. L. BECKEY, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, SEATTLE REGIONAL OFFICE, POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT:
ON NOVEMBER 20, 1963, YOUR REFERENCE 20:PIB:MN, YOU REQUESTED OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY PROPERLY CERTIFY A VOUCHER FOR PAYMENT IN FAVOR OF MR. ROBERT P. SNYDER, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, FOR $187.06 REPRESENTING ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENT TO HIM FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HIS HOUSEHOLD AFFECTS INCIDENT TO HIS CHANGE OF OFFICIAL STATION FROM TACOMA, WASHINGTON, TO SEATTLE, WHICH WAS EFFECTIVE IN SEPTEMBER 1962.
THE FILE SHOWS THAT MR. SNYDER HAD HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS MOVED IN SEPTEMBER 1963 BY THE BEKINS MOVING AND STORAGE COMPANY. THE ACTUAL TRANSPORTATION INVOLVED WAS FROM TACOMA TO FEDERAL WAY, WASHINGTON, A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES. AS A RESULT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING CHARGES FOR TRANSPORTATION WERE MADE ON THE BASIS OF AN HOURLY CHARGE AS IS NORMAL FOR INTERCITY MOVES AND THE EFFECTS WERE NOT WEIGHED. IN LIEU OF A BILL OF LADING SHOWING THE WEIGHT OF THE EFFECTS SO REQUIRED BY POST OFFICE REGULATIONS MR. SNYDER HAS SUBMITTED A STATEMENT FROM THE BEKINS MOVING AND STORAGE COMPANY THAT HIS EFFECTS FILLED A VAN OF 1,300 CUBIC FEET TO CAPACITY. ON THE BASIS OF THE FORMULA PRESCRIBED BY THOSE REGULATIONS--- 7 POUNDS PER CUBIC FOOT--- THE CONSTRUCTIVE WEIGHT OF THE EFFECTS TRANSPORTED WAS 9,100 POUNDS.
THE VOUCHER PRESENTED WOULD AUTHORIZE PAYMENT TO MR. SNYDER OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNT HE PAID BEKINS FOR THEIR SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE MOVE AND THE COMMUTED RATE FOR THE TRANSPORTING OF 7,000 POUNDS OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS, THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT ALLOWABLE, BETWEEN THE POINTS INVOLVED.
THE REGULATIONS CONTAINED IN BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56 ARE APPLICABLE TO THE TRAVEL OF POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AND IT APPEARS THAT THE POST OFFICE TRAVEL REGULATIONS TO WHICH YOU REFER ARE BASED UPON SECTION 2.1G OF THAT CIRCULAR. UNDER BUREAU OF THE BUDGET REGULATIONS THE STATEMENT FURNISHED BY THE BEKINS COMPANY TO THE EFFECT THAT MR. SNYDER'S EFFECTS OCCUPIED 1,300 CUBIC FEET OF PROPERLY LOADED VAN SPACE MAY BE ACCEPTED AS PROOF OF THE WEIGHT OF THOSE EFFECTS ON THE BASIS OF 7 POUNDS PER CUBIC FOOT. FURTHERMORE, IN OUR DECISION OF DECEMBER 17, 1962, B-150433, A COPY ENCLOSED, WHICH WAS DECIDED UNDER CIRCULAR NO. A-56 WE HELD THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF WEIGHING FACILITIES IS IRRELEVANT WHERE CHARGES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ARE PROPERLY MADE ON AN HOURLY BASIS RATHER THAN A WEIGHT AND MILEAGE BASIS. IT APPEARS THAT THE DECISION MAY BE APPLIED IN THIS CASE TO AUTHORIZE PAYMENT BASED UPON THE CONSTRUCTIVE WEIGHT OF THE EFFECTS TRANSPORTED.
THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT, IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.