What's New In CCSU Travel

• The General Services Administration (GSA) of the Federal Government increased the reimbursement rate from $.445 to $.485 per mile for privately-owned vehicles. The mileage reimbursement rate for University travelers is subject to the GSA adjustment per collective bargaining agreements and CSU Travel Policies.

• In accordance with General Notice 2007-05 from the Office of Labor Relations, the mileage reimbursement rate increase is effective for travel on or after March 1, 2007 for employees using personally owned vehicles for official State business.

• The Travel Office will make necessary corrections to those travel authorizations already submitted for travel on or after March 1, 2007

Highlights to Revised Travel Policy

• State of Connecticut's regulations governing the use of personally owned vehicles used for State business as published by DAS Fleet Operations for insurance liability limits are currently as follows;                                    Bodily Injury Liability: $50,000 each person/$100,000 each occurrence: and Property Damage: $5,000  Alternatively, in lieu of the above a combined $105,000 minimum for bodily injury and property damage is acceptable.

• In-state mileage reimbursement has been revised from the D.O.T. Mileage Guide to "Mapquest", www.mapquest.com , a widely used web site that provides maps and point-to-point mileage and driving directions.

• Reimbursement can be requested for additional mileage that my be incurred by the traveler in instances when direct travel to or from a destination is not possible.

• Proof of attendance at conferences and workshops is no longer required.

• Cost of beer and wine served with a meal may be reimbursed when claiming actual reimbursement. Reimbursement for this expense is not allowed when using per diem. Actual meal expenses must be claimed for the entire trip.

• Lodging costs may be reimbursed at the single room rate up to the actual amount incurred by the traveler. The traveler must make every effort to obtain the lowest cost lodging possible.

• A Policy Exception Request Form must be used whenever there is an exception to the travel policy. This form may be found in Exhibit H on the website. Some examples for its use are: travel authorizations prepared after travel has begun; first class/business class airfare; lodging less than 50 miles from the University; any required receipts missing or lost; request for rental vehicle. The traveler’s supervisor must approve the Policy Exception Request Form.

• Calculation of mileage when leaving from or returning to an employee’s home rather than his/her duty station has changed. For travel on official State business, the traveler is reimbursed at an established mileage rate less his/her commute from home to his/her official duty station as determined through the use of the web site "mapquest" (www.mapquest.com).  A printout of the mapquest travel route must be included with the travel authorization or voucher. for easy calculation, click here for spreadsheet, click here for spreadsheet.