B-129767, DEC. 13, 1956

B-129767, DEC. 13, 1956

TO MR. WINFORD R. HOLT, BUREAU OF AERONAUTICS, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 26, 1956, REQUESTING RECONSIDERATION OF OUR SETTLEMENT DATED OCTOBER 24, 1956, WHICH DISALLOWED YOUR CLAIM FOR ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES FROM ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, TO QUONSET POINT, RHODE ISLAND, AND RETURN, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, IN THE AMOUNT OF $10.50.

IT APPEARS FROM THE EVIDENCE OF RECORD THAT DURING THE PERIOD INVOLVED YOUR OFFICIAL STATION WAS DESIGNATED AS WASHINGTON, D.C. YOU RESIDED AT ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, AND PERFORMED DAILY TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON, EXCEPT WHEN ASSIGNED TO TEMPORARY DUTY ELSEWHERE. IT FURTHER APPEARS THAT IN SUCH INSTANCES YOU TRAVELED BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE DIRECT FROM YOUR HOME TO THE POINT OF TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT. BY TRAVEL ORDER NO. 12-83, DATED MAY 31, 1956, YOU WERE AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM THE TRAVEL IN QUESTION FROM YOUR HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., TO QUONSET POINT, RHODE ISLAND, AND RETURN, BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE, SUBJECT TO THE LIMITATION THAT THE COST OF SUCH TRAVEL SHOULD NOT EXCEED THE COST BY USUAL PUBLIC MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. YOUR CLAIM FOR THE AMOUNT OF $10.50 RELATES TO THE CONSTRUCTIVE COST OF TWO WAY TRAVEL BY TAXICAB, BETWEEN ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON, D.C., AND PROVIDENCE AND QUONSET POINT, RHODE ISLAND.

SECTION 8A OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS OF AUGUST 1, 1952, WHICH WERE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THE TRAVEL WAS PERFORMED, PROVIDE FOR THE ALLOWANCE OF THE USUAL TAXICAB FARES FROM A STATION OR OTHER TERMINAL TO THE PLACE OF ABODE. UNDER THIS REGULATION THE TERM "PLACE OF ABODE" IS CONSTRUED TO INCLUDE ANY POINT WITHIN REASONABLE DISTANCE FROM WHICH AN EMPLOYEE COMMUTES DAILY TO HIS OFFICIAL POST OF DUTY.

IN CONSTRUCTING THE COURSE OF YOUR TRAVEL BY THE USUAL PUBLIC MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUDITORS ALLOWED $37.44 FOR THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND QUONSET POINT, RHODE ISLAND, WHICH AMOUNT INCLUDED $0.95 ROUND TRIP BUS FARE BETWEEN PROVIDENCE AND QUONSET POINT. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS ALLOWED THE AMOUNT OF $8 FOR ESTIMATED TAXICAB FARES. THERE IS NO BREAK-DOWN OF THE AMOUNT ALLOWED FOR ESTIMATED TAXICAB FARES, BUT SINCE THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT DISCLOSES THAT THE $8 ITEM WAS NOT INTENDED TO COVER ROUND TRIP CAB FARES BETWEEN PROVIDENCE AND QUONSET POINT, IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT THE AMOUNT OF $8 WAS INTENDED TO COVER THE COST OF TAXI FARES NORMALLY INCURRED IN COMMUTING BETWEEN ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, YOUR PLACE OF ABODE, AND WASHINGTON, D.C., PLUS TIPS. IN THAT REGARD, THE ROUND TRIP TAXI FARE BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND ROCKVILLE IS STATED BY YOU TO BE $7.50.

REGARDING THE COST OF CONSTRUCTIVE TRANSPORTATION BY TAXICAB BETWEEN PROVIDENCE AND QUONSET POINT, IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THE VIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUDITORS THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BY BUS WOULD ADEQUATELY SERVE TO MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS. HOWEVER IF, IN COMPUTING THE CONSTRUCTIVE COST, THE HIRE OF A CAB AS A SPECIAL CONVEYANCE UNDER PARAGRAPH 11 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS IS ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED AS BEING ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT, WE WOULD NOT OBJECT TO THE INCLUSION OF THAT ITEM IN COMPUTING THE CONSTRUCTIVE COST OF TRANSPORTATION. ON THE PRESENT RECORD YOU HAVE BEEN PAID ALL TO WHICH YOU ARE ENTITLED.

ACCORDINGLY, OUR SETTLEMENT OF OCTOBER 24, 1956, IS CORRECT AND UPON REVIEW MUST BE, AND IS, ..END :