27M-1.007. Transportation (Transferred)

(1) Route of Travel. All travel must be by a usually traveled route. When a person travels by an indirect route for his/her own convenience, any extra costs shall be borne by the traveler and reimbursement for expenses shall be based only on such charges as would have been incurred had a usually traveled route been used.

(2) Method of Travel.

(a) General Requirements. The agency head or his/her designee shall designate the most efficient and economical method of travel (state-owned aircraft, privately-owned vehicle, or common carrier). The following conditions shall be considered:

1. The nature of business;

2. The most efficient and economical means of travel (Considering time of the traveler, cost of transportation, and other travel expenses required); and

3. The number of persons making the trip and the amount of equipment or material to be transported.

(b) Commercial Air Travel.

1. Commercial air travel will be by the most economical class (tourist or coach class). Travel by first class is at the discretion of the agency head, or his/her designee, when no other economical class is available, in accordance with Comptroller’s Memorandum Number 02 for Fiscal Year 1999-2000, incorporated by reference herein and a copy of which may be obtained by writing to Deputy Director, Office of Film and Entertainment, The Capitol, Suite 2001, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001. If travel is by first class, the traveler must submit with Form RG-OFC3 a letter from the agency head verifying approval of first class travel and describing the circumstances of said travel. First class air travel is authorized for employees, guests, or authorized persons when actually traveling with business clients. The name of the business client or the project number must be provided in a statement on the travel voucher.

2. All unused portions of airline tickets will be attached to the appropriate Form RG-OFC3, which will be forwarded to the fiscal office.

3. Group charges may be made, provided each traveler has his/her own ticket.

4. All ticket receipts will be forwarded to the fiscal office and attached to the appropriate Form RG-OFC3.

5. In all travel involving air travel charged to the Office, Form RG-OFC3 shall be submitted no later than one week (7 days) after travel is performed, regardless of whether or not reimbursement is due to traveler.

6. An employee using state credit cards to purchase airline tickets, rental vehicles, or any other form of transportation for solely personal business, paid directly by the Office, will be subject to disciplinary action. The Office has the authority to issue state credit cards to full-time employees.

7. An employee traveling on official state business, and wishing to alter travel plans for personal business or pleasure, must pay any additional cost of transportation directly to the commercial carrier at the time of purchase, and will not charge such additional transportation to the Office.

(c) State-owned Aircraft. When state-owned aircraft are used, the agency will be billed in accordance with the prevailing rates established by the Department of Management Services.

(d) Car Rental.

1. State contractor for rental vehicles. State contractor vehicles will be rented when available. Use of rental vehicles provided by other companies may be used if one of the following circumstances exists:

a. No state contract rental vehicles are available; or

b. The net rate, including primary insurance coverage, payment of the collision damage waiver, and the cost of fuel, of other rental vehicles is less than the state contractor contract rate.

2. An explanation for the use of other rental vehicles other than state contractor rental vehicles must appear in writing on Form RG-OFC3 that relates to the corresponding trip.

3. Compact class B vehicles shall be rented except when the number of passengers and materials transported make use of a compact class vehicle impractical or the conditions under which the vehicle is rented dictate the use of a more practical vehicle, i.e., transporting business clients or state officials. If other than a compact class B vehicle is used, an explanation must be placed on Form RG-OFC3 justifying usage of the larger vehicle.

4. In instances where vehicles are rented and charged to the Office, regardless of whether reimbursement is due the traveler, a Form RG-OFC3 will be completed and processed through regular channels to the fiscal office no later than one week (7 days) after travel is performed.

5. Rental vehicles should be used only when the anticipated cost of using a taxi will exceed the cost of the rental vehicle.

6. State employees are not authorized to secure personal accident insurance offered by the vendor at state expense, but may secure the coverage by personally making payment at the time of rental.

(e) Private Vehicle. The use of privately‑owned vehicles for official travel in lieu of common carriers will be authorized if more economical. When travel is performed by privately owned vehicle, the traveler shall be entitled to a mileage allowance equal to that provided for in Section 112.061(7), F.S.

1. All mileage shall be shown from point of origin to point of destination and when possible shall be computed on the basis of the official state road map published by the Department of Transportation. In addition, time of departure and time of return must be shown on Form RG-OFC3.

2. When an individual is in travel status, vicinity mileage necessary for conduct of official business is allowable, but must be shown as a separate item on the expense voucher. Mileage is allowed from office or home (whichever is less) to the airport when performing authorized travel. Within the Capitol center in Tallahassee, sixteen (16) miles round trip is allowable. Field Office managers in areas outside Tallahassee are responsible for establishing the office/home to airport distances, if applicable, and advising the Fiscal Office of these distances.

3. Vicinity mileage to conduct official business in the local area of the employee’s official headquarters will be reimbursed in an amount equal to the rate provided for in Section 112.061(7), F.S., when authorized by the agency head or his/her designee. Request for reimbursement for such vicinity mileage must be submitted with a separately executed Form RG-OFC2 and expense voucher Form RG-OFC3.

(f) Chartered Vehicle. The agency head or his/her designee when necessary, or where it is of fiscal advantage to the Office, will authorize transportation by chartered vehicle when traveling on official business. Limousines will only be authorized when transporting the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or a business client.

(g) Complimentary Travel.

1. No traveler shall be allowed either mileage or transportation expense when gratuitously transported by another person or when transported by another traveler who is entitled to mileage or transportation expense. However, the traveler should still show how and with whom he/she traveled.

2. A traveler on a private aircraft shall be reimbursed the actual amount charged and paid for the traveler’s fare for such transportation up to the cost of a commercial airline ticket for the same flight, even though the owner or pilot of such aircraft is also entitled to transportation expense for the same flight.

Specific Authority 288.1253(2) FS. Law Implemented 288.1253 FS. History–New 2-21-02.