B-87226, JULY 28, 1949, 29 COMP. GEN. 53

B-87226, JULY 28, 1949, 29 COMP. GEN. 53

TRAVELING EXPENSES - TAXICAB FARES - TO AND FROM RAIL TERMINAL UNION STATION, WASHINGTON, D.C., MAY BE CONSIDERED THE REGULAR AND USUAL TERMINAL FOR RAIL TRAVEL OF AN EMPLOYEE WHOSE OFFICIAL DUTY STATION IS COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND, SO THAT TAXICAB FARE FROM SUCH HEADQUARTERS TO UNION STATION INCIDENT TO RAIL TRAVEL IS REIMBURSABLE UNDER PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AND TAXICAB FARE FROM UNION STATION TO HIS HOME IN TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND, INCIDENT TO RETURN RAIL TRAVEL, BEING LESS THAN THAT FROM COLLEGE PARK TO UNION STATION, PROPERLY IS FOR PAYMENT.

ACTING COMPTROLLER GENERAL YATES TO S. SCHOFER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, JULY 28, 1949:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 14, 1949, TRANSMITTING A VOUCHER STATED IN FAVOR OF HAROLD W. HOBBS FOR $14.65 AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES INCURRED INCIDENT TO TEMPORARY DUTY PERFORMED AT PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, IN MAY 1949 AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE, AND REQUESTING AN ADVANCE DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE TAXICAB FARE INCURRED BETWEEN (1) COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND, AND UNION STATION, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND (2) UNION STATION, WASHINGTON, C., AND TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND.

BY GENERAL TRAVEL ORDER DATED JULY 1, 1948, AS AMENDED APRIL 27, 1949, THE CLAIMANT WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL FROM HIS OFFICIAL STATION; COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND, TO POINTS WITHIN THE STATES OF MARYLAND, DELAWARE, AND PENNSYLVANIA (THE LATTER STATE ONLY DURING THE PERIOD APRIL 27, 1949, TO "ON OR ABOUT MAY 7, 1949"), AS MAY BE NECESSARY, AND RETURN TO OFFICIAL STATION. TRAVEL WAS AUTHORIZED TO BE PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS AND A PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE OF $6 WAS SPECIFIED IN THE SAID ORDERS. AT 10:30 A.M., MAY 3, 1949, THE EMPLOYEE PROCEEDED FROM HIS HEADQUARTERS, COLLEGE PARK, TO UNION STATION, WASHINGTON, C., VIA TAXICAB, AT A COST OF $2.90, THENCE TO PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND RETURN TO WASHINGTON, D.C., VIA RAIL. UPON HIS ARRIVAL AT WASHINGTON, D.C., 9:40 P.M., MAY 4, HE PROCEEDED BY TAXICAB TO HIS HOME, TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND, AT A COST OF $1.25.

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, UNION STATION, WASHINGTON, D.C., REASONABLY MAY BE CONSIDERED TO BE THE REGULAR AND USUAL TERMINAL FOR RAIL TRAVEL FROM AND TO THE EMPLOYEE'S OFFICIAL STATION, COLLEGE PARK, TO AND FROM PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. ACCORDINGLY, THE CLAIMANT IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TAXICAB FARE INCURRED BETWEEN COLLEGE PARK AND UNION STATION ON MAY 3. PARAGRAPH 8, STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS. COMPARE 20 COMP. GEN. 315; 26 ID. 843; B-41913, JUNE 13, 1944. MOREOVER, SINCE THE SUM EXPENDED BY THE EMPLOYEE FOR TAXICAB FARE BETWEEN UNION STATION AND HIS RESIDENCE, TAKOMA PARK, ON MAY 4, IS LESS THAN THE TAXICAB FARE INCURRED BETWEEN HIS OFFICIAL STATION AND THE RAIL DEPOT, WASHINGTON, D.C., SAID TAXICAB FARE LIKEWISE PROPERLY IS FOR PAYMENT.

THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT, IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.