B-153871, APR. 15, 1964
Highlights
THE EMPLOYEE'S ORIGINAL VOUCHER FOR OTHER EXPENSES INVOLVED IN THE TRIP WAS EXAMINED BY YOU AND CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT. RENNICK'S PERMANENT DUTY STATION IS ALSO LOCATED AT THE RESEARCH CENTER WHERE THE AUTOMOBILE IS GARAGED. YOUR LETTER STATES THAT THE MORGANTOWN RESEARCH CENTER IS LOCATED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF MORGANTOWN AND IS NOT SERVED BY A PUBLIC BUS LINE. YOU SAY THAT IF THEY RETURN AFTER NORMAL WORKING HOURS ADDITIONAL EXPENSE IS INCURRED THROUGH USE OF TAXICABS OR BY HAVING MEMBERS OF THE EMPLOYEE'S FAMILY DRIVE THE ROUND TRIP FROM RESIDENCE TO THE RESEARCH CENTER AND BACK. WILL BE ALLOWED * * *" WHEN. FROM TRAVEL ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS IS THE EMPLOYEE'S OFFICE SUCH OFFICE MAY BE CONSIDERED AS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE TERM "OR OTHER TERMINAL" AS USED IN STGR.
B-153871, APR. 15, 1964
TO MR. W. F. OWEN, JR., AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, BUREAU OF MINES:
ON MARCH 31, 1964, YOU REQUESTED A DECISION ON A QUESTION ARISING FROM A TRAVEL VOUCHER, WITHOUT NUMBER, DATED NOVEMBER 26, 1963, IN FAVOR OF GERALD E. RENNICK, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE BUREAU OF MINES, FOR TRAVEL ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS.
YOUR LETTER STATES THAT THE SUM IN QUESTION, $1.50, REPRESENTS TAXICAB FARE FROM THE MORGANTOWN RESEARCH CENTER, MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, TO MR. RENNICK'S RESIDENCE. MR. RENNICK HAD ARRIVED AT THE RESEARCH CENTER AT 10 P.M. ON OCTOBER 25, 1963, AFTER TRAVELING IN A GOVERNMENT-OWNED AUTOMOBILE FROM PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE HE HAD BEEN ON TEMPORARY DUTY. THE EMPLOYEE'S ORIGINAL VOUCHER FOR OTHER EXPENSES INVOLVED IN THE TRIP WAS EXAMINED BY YOU AND CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT. YOUR DOUBT AS TO PAYMENT OF THE TAXICAB FARE ARISES BECAUSE MR. RENNICK'S PERMANENT DUTY STATION IS ALSO LOCATED AT THE RESEARCH CENTER WHERE THE AUTOMOBILE IS GARAGED.
YOUR LETTER STATES THAT THE MORGANTOWN RESEARCH CENTER IS LOCATED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF MORGANTOWN AND IS NOT SERVED BY A PUBLIC BUS LINE, STREETCAR, OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF COMMON CARRIER. EMPLOYEES ARRANGE FOR THEIR PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION TO POST OF DUTY BY PRIVATELY-OWNED AUTOMOBILE, CAR POOLS, ETC. WHEN EMPLOYEES RETURN BY GOVERNMENT AUTOMOBILE FROM OFFICIAL TRAVEL DURING WORKING HOURS THEY INCUR NO ADDITIONAL EXPENSE IN TRAVELING TO THEIR RESIDENCES. YOU SAY THAT IF THEY RETURN AFTER NORMAL WORKING HOURS ADDITIONAL EXPENSE IS INCURRED THROUGH USE OF TAXICABS OR BY HAVING MEMBERS OF THE EMPLOYEE'S FAMILY DRIVE THE ROUND TRIP FROM RESIDENCE TO THE RESEARCH CENTER AND BACK.
PARAGRAPH 3.1B OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES, IN PART, AS FOLLOWS:
"REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE USUAL TAXICAB FARES FROM COMMON CARRIER OR OTHER TERMINAL TO EITHER PLACE OF ABOVE OR PLACE OF BUSINESS, OR FROM EITHER PLACE OF ABOVE OR PLACE OF BUSINESS TO COMMON CARRIER OR OTHER TERMINAL, WILL BE ALLOWED * * *"
WHEN, AS HERE, THE POINT OF ARRIVAL, BY GOVERNMENT AUTOMOBILE, FROM TRAVEL ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS IS THE EMPLOYEE'S OFFICE SUCH OFFICE MAY BE CONSIDERED AS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE TERM "OR OTHER TERMINAL" AS USED IN STGR, PARAGRAPH 3.1B. SEE B-139335 OF MAY 12, 1959; 36 COMP. GEN. 476. CF. B-138143, JANUARY 8, 1959, WHEREIN A SIMILAR EXPENSE WAS DENIED, THE TRAVEL TO A TEMPORARY DUTY STATION HAVING BEEN PERFORMED BY COMMON CARRER.