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B-148878, JULY 16, 1962, 42 COMP. GEN. 42

B-148878 Jul 16, 1962
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OR APPROVAL OF REIMBURSEMENT ON THE BASIS THAT THE INCURRENCE OF THE PARKING FEE COST WAS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. IT IS OFTEN MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO AUTHORIZE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES TO TRAVEL TO THE COMMON CARRIER TERMINAL IN BOSTON BY PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCE ON A MILEAGE BASIS. AS A RESULT THE EMPLOYEE MUST THEN PAY A PARKING FEE AT THE CARRIER TERMINAL FOR THE PERIOD HE IS AWAY ON TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY. IT IS STATED THAT THE COST OF A TAXICAB BETWEEN PORTSMOUTH AND THE CARRIER TERMINAL IN BOSTON IS APPROXIMATELY $25. HIS TRAVEL TO BOSTON AND RETURN WAS AUTHORIZED VIA PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCE AS BEING MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT AND SUBJECT TO REIMBURSEMENT AT TEN CENTS PER MILE.

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B-148878, JULY 16, 1962, 42 COMP. GEN. 42

FEES - PARKING - PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES THE COST OF THE PARKING FEES PAID FOR A PERIOD WHILE AWAY ON TEMPORARY DUTY BY A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE AUTHORIZED FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE ON A MILEAGE BASIS TO AND FROM AN AIRPORT LOCATED 60 MILES FROM HIS OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED TO THE EMPLOYEE WHO HAD BEEN ALLOWED MILEAGE IN AN AMOUNT THAT EQUALS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAXICAB FARE (INCLUDING TIP) UNDER SECTION 3.1B OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS IN THE ABSENCE OF APPROVAL AS PROVIDED IN PROVISO (1) OF THE SECTION, OF A LARGER AMOUNT IN THE TRAVEL ORDER OR OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE DETERMINATION, OR APPROVAL OF REIMBURSEMENT ON THE BASIS THAT THE INCURRENCE OF THE PARKING FEE COST WAS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT.

TO D. P. FAHY, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, JULY 16, 1962:

BY FIFTH ENDORSEMENT DATED MAY 9, 1962, THE COMPTROLLER OF THE NAVY FORWARDED HERE YOUR REQUEST OF APRIL 27, 1962, WITH ENCLOSURES FOR AN ADVANCE DECISION CONCERNING THE PROPRIETY OF REIMBURSING PARKING FEES UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE ENDORSEMENTS AND ENCLOSURES ACCOMPANYING YOUR REQUEST.

THE RECORD DISCLOSES THAT BECAUSE OF LIMITED COMMON CARRIER SERVICE BETWEEN PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, IT IS OFTEN MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO AUTHORIZE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES TO TRAVEL TO THE COMMON CARRIER TERMINAL IN BOSTON BY PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCE ON A MILEAGE BASIS. AS A RESULT THE EMPLOYEE MUST THEN PAY A PARKING FEE AT THE CARRIER TERMINAL FOR THE PERIOD HE IS AWAY ON TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY. FURTHER, IN LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 19, 1962, FROM THE OFFICER IN CHARGE, U.S. NAVY REGIONAL ACCOUNTS OFFICE, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPTROLLER OF THE NAVY, IT IS STATED THAT THE COST OF A TAXICAB BETWEEN PORTSMOUTH AND THE CARRIER TERMINAL IN BOSTON IS APPROXIMATELY $25--- $30.

IN THE SPECIFIC CASE INVOLVED HERE, THE EMPLOYEE INVOLVED LEFT PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR LOGAN AIRPORT, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ON JANUARY 3, 1962. HIS TRAVEL TO BOSTON AND RETURN WAS AUTHORIZED VIA PRIVATELY OWNED CONVEYANCE AS BEING MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT AND SUBJECT TO REIMBURSEMENT AT TEN CENTS PER MILE. THE DISTANCE FROM PORTSMOUTH TO LOGAN AIRPORT, BOSTON, AND RETURN IS 120 MILES. THE EMPLOYEE'S CAR REMAINED AT THE LOGAN AIRPORT PARKING LOT UNTIL HIS RETURN FROM TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY ON JANUARY 6, 1962. THE EMPLOYEE PAID PARKING FEES AT THE AIRPORT OF $3.50 WHICH THE DISBURSING OFFICER DEDUCTED FROM THE AMOUNT CLAIMED. A RECLAIM VOUCHER FOR THE AMOUNT DEDUCTED HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE EMPLOYEE. SECTIONS 3.1B AND 3.5B (1) OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDE, IN PART, AS FOLLOWS:

3.1. * * *

B. REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE USUAL TAXICAB FARES FROM COMMON CARRIER OR OTHER TERMINAL TO EITHER PLACE OF ABODE OR PLACE OF BUSINESS, OR FROM EITHER PLACE OF ABODE OR PLACE OF BUSINESS TO COMMON CARRIER OR OTHER TERMINAL, WILL BE ALLOWED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6 (PLUS TIP): PROVIDED, THAT AN AGENCY MAY (1) AUTHORIZE REIMBURSEMENT IN A LARGER AMOUNT IN THE TRAVEL ORDER OR OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE DETERMINATION OR APPROVE SUCH REIMBURSEMENT, IF ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT, OR (2) RESTRICT THE USE OF TAXICABS UNDER THIS SUBSECTION WHEN SUITABLE GOVERNMENT OR COMMON CARRIER TRANSPORTATION SERVICE IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL OR PART OF THE DISTANCE INVOLVED. * * *

3.5. * * *

B. * * * (1) CIVILIAN OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES OF DEPARTMENTS AND ESTABLISHMENTS OR OTHERS RENDERING SERVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT, REGARDLESS OF SUBSISTENCE STATUS AND HOURS OF TRAVEL, SHALL, WHENEVER SUCH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IS AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED AS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT * * * BE PAID * * * NOT TO EXCEED * * * 12 CENTS PER MILE FOR THE USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILES * * *. REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF AUTOMOBILE PARKING FEES, FERRY FARES, AND BRIDGE, ROAD AND TUNNEL TOLLS ALSO WILL BE ALLOWED UNLESS THE TRAVEL ORDER OR OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE DETERMINATION RESTRICTS THEIR ALLOWANCE. THE FEE FOR PARKING AN AUTOMOBILE AT A COMMON CARRIER TERMINAL, OR OTHER PARKING AREA, WHILE THE TRAVELER IS AWAY FROM HIS OFFICIAL STATION, WILL BE ALLOWED ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT THE FEE, PLUS THE ALLOWABLE MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT TO AND FROM THE TERMINAL OR OTHER PARKING AREA, DOES NOT EXCEED THE ESTIMATED COST FOR USE OF A TAXICAB TO AND FROM THE TERMINAL UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 3.1B. * * *"

IN THE INSTANT CASE THE EMPLOYEE WAS REIMBURSED $12 FOR TRAVEL BY HIS PRIVATE AUTOMOBILE BETWEEN PORTSMOUTH AND BOSTON AND RETURN, WHICH AMOUNT REPRESENTS MILEAGE AT THE RATE OF 10 CENTS PER MILE FOR 120 MILES. THIS AMOUNT IS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAXICAB FARE (EXCLUDING TIP) BETWEEN PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND LOGAN AIRPORT, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND RETURN, UNDER SECTION 3.1B OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, EXCEPT WHEN PROVISO (1) OF THAT SECTION IS COMPLIED WITH. THEREFORE, THE $3.50 FEE INCURRED FOR PARKING AT LOGAN AIRPORT MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED THE EMPLOYEE UNLESS REIMBURSEMENT OF TAXICAB FARE IN AN AMOUNT OVER $6 (PLUS TIP) IS APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISO (1) OF SECTION 3.1B FOR THE TRIP BETWEEN PORTSMOUTH AND LOGAN AIRPORT.

IT FOLLOWS THAT THE RECLAIM VOUCHER--- WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH--- MAY NOT BE PAID UNLESS IT IS ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING.

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