Reimbursement guideline when automobile is used in lieu of commercial air
STANFORD LINEAR ACCELERATOR CENTER, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, therefore all reimbursements for travel have to adhere to both DOE and Stanford University policies and guidelines.
GUIDELINES TO REIMBURSABLE TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR EMPLOYEE TRAVEL WHEN AUTOMOBILE IS USED IN LIEU OF COMMERCIAL AIR
If you have received Directorate pre-approval to travel by personal automobile in lieu of flying, the following applies:
- Actual mileage plus actual lodging and meal & incidental expenses
(M&IE) up to the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) en route per diem
rates will be reimbursed up to but not exceeding the
lowest available airfare.
- The en route FTR maximum per diem rate allowance for FY 2008 is $70 for lodging and $39 for M&IE.
- A detailed, original receipt is required for lodging reimbursement
- The traveler is responsible for obtaining a quote of the lowest available airfare from the Orbitz for Business website within a few days of receiving trip approval (during the same reasonable time frame that a traveler would book a flight if the traveler were flying instead of driving). The flight itinerary should be the same as if the traveler would be flying (i.e. one day before the event and one day after; or a Saturday night stay if applicable to the dates of the event).
- The traveler is expected to maintain an average of 400 miles a day on trips of more than one day, except when prevented from doing so by circumstances beyond the traveler's control (i.e. inclement weather).
- Reimbursement will be at a standard rate per mile based on the actual driving distance by the most direct route to the destination - not more than 105% of the mileage listed on the MapQuest web page at http://www.mapquest.com.
- If two or more employees travel together by automobile for a
business purpose, the equivalent airfare calculation is the sum
of airfare costs for all of the travelers.
Because private auto reimbursement is to reimburse the owner for use of the car, mileage and related expenses are payable only to one of the two or more persons traveling together in the same vehicle. - Stanford's liability insurance policy provides excess liability
insurance protection to employees while they are using their own
vehicles on SLAC business subject to the following provisions:
- The employee's insurance is primary and will be applicable before the University's insurance will defend or pay any claim.
- In any event, the employee must have insurance, or be responsible, for at least bodily injury coverage of $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 property damage coverage, as required by the State's "financial responsibility" laws.
- Stanford does not provide any insurance protection for fire, theft, collision, or other loss or damage to employees' vehicles.
- The traveler who is authorized to drive must certify that he/she has a valid driver's license and personal automobile liability insurance. A copy of License/Insurance Certification Form can be found here (PDF).
An explanation should be given for any unusual expenses. Approval of full reimbursement is contingent upon meeting the guidelines and limitations established in Stanford's Administrative Guide Memo 36.7 and The Federal Travel Regulations.
