Common Carrier Fares: Air, Taxi, Rail, Bus
Transportation expenses incurred while traveling on official business may be paid/reimbursed. Personal expenses, such as an employee’s personal vehicle repair and maintenance, may not. The following expenses may be reimbursed or paid directly (per policy guidelines):
- Common carrier fare
- Rental vehicle charges
- Private-vehicle mileage allowance
- Taxi or shuttle service fare (including gratuity)
- Parking and garage fees
Transportation by common carrier (e.g., airline, railroad, bus) is recommended when it is more appropriate and economical than travel by state or private vehicle. Common carriers are usually preferred for out-of-state travel. Actual cost is paid/reimbursed for airline, railroad, and bus fares for travel. See TRAVEL-EXPENSE PAYMENT (above) for specific Policy guidance related to airline travel.
[1] Airlines
All employees are encouraged to travel using routes, schedules, and airlines that provide the most cost-effective, efficient travel that meets the business purpose. Economy Plus and/or Business Class airfare are authorized for international flights where the elapsed time in-the-air for any single segment/leg/portion of the overall flight is eight hours or greater. First Class airfare is not authorized.
Air travel paid from federal funds must conform to the Fly America Act.
[2] Taxis and Shuttle Services
Taxi and shuttle service is authorized between terminals, lodgings, and work stations.
[3] Railroads
All employees are encouraged to travel using routes and schedules that provide the most cost-effective, efficient travel that meets the business purpose. A roomette is allowed when sleeping accommodations are needed due to overnight travel. A bedroom is allowed if no roomette is available or if special accommodations are approved because of the trip's nature or the employee’s health. Applicable meal and incidental expense per diem may be reduced on a pro-rata basis if a meal is provided and consumed as part of the roomette or bedroom rate.
[5] Travel Awards and Frequent Flyer Mileage
Because the cost of record-keeping outweighs any monetary benefit, the university does not require employees to utilize airline bonuses and/or frequent flyer miles earned from university-paid travel for university purposes. Frequent flyer bonuses may be used by employees as they choose unless the terms of a grant or contract used to pay for the travel require otherwise. The university will not reimburse or trade tickets purchased using frequent flyer miles.
[6] Payment in Lieu of Air Travel (Driving out of state)
Common carriers (e.g., airlines, railroads) are usually preferred for out-of-state travel. A traveler may choose to travel by private vehicle instead. In such a case, the traveler may be reimbursed for ground transportation expenses, including standard mileage, parking, and tolls, up to the cost that would have been incurred had they traveled by common carrier.
The following costs associated with air travel can be used as a basis for comparison:
- The cost of round-trip commercial air fare that would have been incurred. A quote from the university’s managed travel software system should be obtained prior to the travel dates.
- Private vehicle mileage to and from the air terminal that would normally be used for departure.
- Lodging, meal, and incidental expenses that the employee would normally incur with air travel
Resources
- Unused ticket report
- UO Managed Travel Program - March 2018
- Direct Travel - UO Travel Portal (Dedicated Travel Desk Contacts)
- Premier Travel Portal
- United Airlines: University of Oregon contract partner benefits
- Travel Agency Fee Comparison
- How to Work with a TMC for an Agent Assist Booking
- Benefits of using UO Contract Travel Agencies
- Fly America Act
- TSA Air Travel Security Measures
- Seat Guru
- Eugene Airport Flight Status
- University Employee Transportation Reimbursement Guidelines