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B-144868, FEB. 16, 1961

B-144868 Feb 16, 1961
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WHITNEY'S CLAIMS FOR MILEAGE WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF THE MILEAGE SHOWN IN THE STANDARD HIGHWAY MILEAGE GUIDES FOR BOTH TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE AND HOUSE-TRAILER. THE STANDARD HIGHWAY MILEAGE GUIDES SHOW THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SKOWHEGAN AND BUCKEYE IS APPROXIMATELY 2. SECTION 3.5B (1) OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES IN ART: "* * * WHEN TRANSPORTATION IS AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY PRIVATELY OWNED MOTORCYCLES OR AUTOMOBILES. REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES SHALL BE BASED ONLY ON SUCH CHARGES AS WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED BY A USUALLY TRAVELED ROUTE. * * *" MR. WHITNEY'S STATED REASONS FOR TAKING THE LONGER ROUTE IN HIS PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WERE (1) LESS TRAFFIC.

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B-144868, FEB. 16, 1961

TO AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE:

ON JANUARY 16, 1961, YOU REQUESTED OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT THE TRANSMITTED VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF MR. BRUCE A. WHITNEY, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE, FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF HIS TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES IN CONNECTION WITH HIS TRANSFER OF STATION FROM SKOWHEGAN, MAINE, TO BUCKEYE, ARIZONA, IN AUGUST 1960. THE PORTIONS OF THE VOUCHER WHICH YOU QUESTION INVOLVE MR. WHITNEY'S CLAIMS FOR MILEAGE WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF THE MILEAGE SHOWN IN THE STANDARD HIGHWAY MILEAGE GUIDES FOR BOTH TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE AND HOUSE-TRAILER.

MR. WHITNEY CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT FOR 3,590 MILES OF TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE. THE STANDARD HIGHWAY MILEAGE GUIDES SHOW THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SKOWHEGAN AND BUCKEYE IS APPROXIMATELY 2,860 MILES. SECTION 3.5B (1) OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES IN ART:

"* * * WHEN TRANSPORTATION IS AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY PRIVATELY OWNED MOTORCYCLES OR AUTOMOBILES, DISTANCES BETWEEN POINTS TRAVELED SHALL BE AS SHOWN IN STANDARD HIGHWAY MILEAGE GUIDES OR BY SPEEDOMETER READINGS. ANY SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATIONS FROM DISTANCES SHOWN IN THE STANDARD HIGHWAY MILEAGE GUIDES SHALL BE EXPLAINED. * * *" SECTION 3.3 OF THOSE REGULATIONS PROVIDES:

"IN CASE A PERSON FOR HIS OWN CONVENIENCE TRAVELS BY AN INDIRECT ROUTE OR INTERRUPTS TRAVEL BY DIRECT ROUTE, THE EXTRA EXPENSE SHALL BE BORNE BY HIMSELF. REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES SHALL BE BASED ONLY ON SUCH CHARGES AS WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED BY A USUALLY TRAVELED ROUTE. * * *"

MR. WHITNEY'S STATED REASONS FOR TAKING THE LONGER ROUTE IN HIS PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WERE (1) LESS TRAFFIC; (2) FEWER LARGE CITIES; (3) LESS CONSTRUCTION; (4) LESS TOLL ROAD EXPENSE, AND (5) THE ADVICE OF THREE OIL COMPANIES OFFERED HIM IN RESPONSE TO HIS REQUESTS FOR COUNSEL. THE FIRST THREE REASONS GIVEN BY THE CLAIMANT ARE PURELY PERSONAL AND CANNOT INCREASE HIS ENTITLEMENT TO MILEAGE. THE ADVICE OF COMPANIES WHICH PLAN AUTOMOBILE ROUTINGS IS NOT CONSIDERED SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION FOR TRAVELING BY SUCH A SUBSTANTIALLY LONGER CIRCUITOUS ROUTE. B-139509, JUNE 16, 1959.

THEREFORE, REIMBURSEMENT OF MR. WHITNEY FOR TRAVEL BY HIS PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE ON A MILEAGE BASIS MUST BE ON A CONSTRUCTIVE BASIS FOR THE MILEAGE SHOWN IN THE STANDARD HIGHWAY MILEAGE GUIDES. WE WOULD NOT OBJECT TO THERE BEING INCLUDED IN THE COMPUTATION OF CONSTRUCTIVE COSTS THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID IN TOLLS HAD THE TRAVELER DRIVEN THE USUALLY TRAVELED ROUTE OVER WHICH CONSTRUCTIVE MILEAGE IS COMPUTED. PAYMENT IS LIMITED TO EITHER THE CONSTRUCTIVE COST--- MILEAGE PLUS ALLOWABLE TOLLS--- OR THE ACTUAL MILEAGE TRAVELED WHICHEVER IS LESS.

REGARDING MR. WHITNEY'S CLAIM FOR MILEAGE FOR THE TRANSPORTING OF HIS PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSE-TRAILER THE EVIDENCE FURNISHED WITH THE VOUCHER DOES NOT SHOW CLEARLY WHEN THE TITLE TO THE HOUSE-TRAILER PASSED TO HIM. UPON SUBMISSION BY YOU OF FURTHER EVIDENCE WHICH SHOWS WHEN AND AT WHAT POINT TITLE ACTUALLY PASSED WE WILL CONSIDER THAT PART OF THE VOUCHER FURTHER. PENDING THE RECEIPT AND CONSIDERATION BY US OF SUCH EVIDENCE PAYMENT ON ACCOUNT OF THE TRANSPORTATION OF MR. WHITNEY'S HOUSE-TRAILER MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED.

THE VOUCHER WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING.

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