B-153215, JAN. 27, 1964
Highlights
THE VOUCHER INDICATES THAT THE FARE FOR THE TWO TAXI RIDES ($4 AND $3.60) AND FOR THE RETURN HELICOPTER RIDE FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO BERKELEY ($9.45) WAS DISALLOWED AND WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THIS OFFICE FOR DECISION. IN YOUR LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL YOU ASKED THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: "/1) IS THE HELICOPTER TRANSPORTATION TO BE CONSIDERED AS COMMON CARRIER? "/2) IF (1) ABOVE. IS ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. IS ANSWERED IN THE NEGATIVE. THEN ARE NOT THE SUPPORTING AUTHORIZATIONS BROAD ENOUGH TO ALLOW ANY TYPE TRANSPORTATION THAT THE TRAVELER SO DETERMINES IS NECESSARY TO TRANSACT HIS OFFICIAL BUSINESS? WHILE THE (A) PART OF SECTION 3.1 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS DOES NOT USE THE TERM "COMMON CARRIER" IT IS APPARENT THAT YOUR QUESTION (1) AS TO WHETHER A HELICOPTER IS A "COMMON CARRIER" PROPERLY RELATES TO PART (B) OF THAT SECTION WHERE THE TERM "COMMON CARRIER" IS USED AS FOLLOWS: "B.
B-153215, JAN. 27, 1964
TO MR. K. S. BECK, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR:
ON DECEMBER 31, 1963, YOU REQUESTED A DECISION ON CERTAIN QUESTIONS ARISING FROM TRAVEL VOUCHER NO. 34-4953, DATED DECEMBER 27, 1963 IN FAVOR OF JERRY A. RIDDELL, CHIEF ARCHITECT, WESTERN REGION, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, FOR TRAVEL ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS FROM HIS HOME TO DENVER, COLORADO, AND RETURN.
THE VOUCHER STATES THAT MR. RIDDELL DEPARTED HIS RESIDENCE BY TAXI ON DECEMBER 1, 1963, FOR BERKELEY HELIPORT, LEFT BERKELEY HELIPORT VIA HELICOPTER AT 1:30 P.M., AND ARRIVED AT SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT AT 1:50 P.M., LEFT SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT BY AIRPLANE FOR DENVER, COLORADO, AT :30 P.M., AND ARRIVED IN DENVER AT 5:40 P.M. ON RETURN MR. RIDDELL LEFT DENVER AT 7 P.M., DECEMBER 3, 1963, AND ARRIVED AT SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT AT 8 P.M., LEFT SAN FRANCISCO VIA HELICOPTER AT 8:30 P.M., ARRIVED AT BERKELEY HELIPORT AT 8:45 P.M., AND TOOK A TAXI FROM THE HELIPORT TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VOUCHER INDICATES THAT THE FARE FOR THE TWO TAXI RIDES ($4 AND $3.60) AND FOR THE RETURN HELICOPTER RIDE FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO BERKELEY ($9.45) WAS DISALLOWED AND WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THIS OFFICE FOR DECISION.
IN YOUR LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL YOU ASKED THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
"/1) IS THE HELICOPTER TRANSPORTATION TO BE CONSIDERED AS COMMON CARRIER?
"/2) IF (1) ABOVE, IS ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THEN SHOULD NOT BOTH THE TAXI-FARE AND HELICOPTER-FARE BE ALLOWED?
"/3) IF (1) ABOVE, IS ANSWERED IN THE NEGATIVE, THEN ARE NOT THE SUPPORTING AUTHORIZATIONS BROAD ENOUGH TO ALLOW ANY TYPE TRANSPORTATION THAT THE TRAVELER SO DETERMINES IS NECESSARY TO TRANSACT HIS OFFICIAL BUSINESS?
WHILE THE (A) PART OF SECTION 3.1 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS DOES NOT USE THE TERM "COMMON CARRIER" IT IS APPARENT THAT YOUR QUESTION (1) AS TO WHETHER A HELICOPTER IS A "COMMON CARRIER" PROPERLY RELATES TO PART (B) OF THAT SECTION WHERE THE TERM "COMMON CARRIER" IS USED AS FOLLOWS:
"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 * * *"
THEREFORE, QUESTION (1) AND (2) ARE ANSWERED BY SAYING THAT TRAVEL TO THE HELIPORT IN THIS CASE MAY BE REGARDED AS TRAVEL TO A "COMMON CARRIER OR OTHER TERMINAL" AS THAT TERM IS USED IN THE REGULATIONS AND THAT TAXI FARES BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE'S HOME AND THE HELIPORT ARE PROPERLY PAYABLE AS WELL AS THE FARE FOR THE USE OF THE HELICOPTER. COMPARE B-145102, MARCH 3, 1961. CONCERNING THE HELICOPTER FARE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SFO HELICOPTER AIRLINES, INC., IS AN INTRASTATE CARRIER WHICH HAS FILED TARIFFS WITH THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION WITH REGULARLY SCHEDULED STOPS AT SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND BERKELEY HELIPORT.
NO ANSWER TO QUESTION (3) APPEARS NECESSARY.
THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH AND MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT, IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.