Table of Contents

  • Alphabetical Listing
  • Introduction
  • Attendance
  • Benefits
  • Classification
  • Definitions
  • Employee and     Labour Relations
  • General Employee     Information
  • Human Resources      Contact Numbers
  • Leave
  • Occupational Health     and Safety
  • Pay
  • Staffing
  • Travel
  • Workforce     Development

Transportation

Policy Statement

Employees on travel status will be reimbursed for incurred transportation costs.

Application

This policy applies to all employees. Bargaining unit employees should also consult their respective collective agreements.

Definitions

Responsibilities

Department

It is the responsibility of  individual departments to:

• pre-authorize all employee travel; and
• ensure that the most economical mode of transportation is used when traveling on government business.

Employees

It is the responsibility of employees to:

• travel by the most economical route possible, keeping the purpose and urgency of the trip in mind; and
• avail of special discounts offered to government employees, by airlines, automobile rental companies and hotels, where available and practical.

General Rules

Employees on travel status must complete an Official Journey Authorization/Payment Voucher prior to commencement of travel.

All in province travel must be approved by the Assistant Deputy Minister or designate.  All out-of-province travel, including international travel, must be approved by the Deputy Minister and the Minister, other than Cabinet approved exceptions.  Ministers must approve travel arrangements for Deputy Ministers.

Where travel within the province is of a continuous nature, the Deputy Minister may provide employees with annual authorization.

The starting point and final destination of employees on travel status will normally be the employees’ headquarters.

Employees may be authorized to proceed on government business directly from their home to a point of call other than headquarters, or return from a point of call directly to their home. Where the distance traveled is greater than the distance employees would have traveled had they proceeded to the point of call directly from headquarters, employees may claim mileage reimbursement for the difference between home and headquarters and home and point of call.

Where employees are authorized to travel by private vehicle from home or the workplace to a point of departure, such as an airport and return, they may claim:

• actual mileage; and/or
• airport parking fees (receipt required)

Air Travel

All air travel on scheduled flights will be economy class except where,  with the approval of the Minister, business class is the only seat available and a delay in travel is not acceptable.

Where possible, employees should avail of special discounts and advanced booking discounts.

Any unused portions of airline tickets must be returned to the travel agent or the airline for reimbursement:

• by the employee, where the ticket was purchased on the employee’s corporate charge card; or
• by the Department, where the ticket was purchased by the Department.

All employees on travel status are automatically covered by air travel insurance.

Sea Travel

Employees traveling by sea may claim, with receipts:

• the cost of cabin accommodations, where a cabin is required; and
• the cost of transportation of the employee’s vehicle, where required

Beginning October 1, 2005, the reimbursement rate for employees who are required by the employer to use their private vehicles for Government business and employees who request permission from the Deputy Minister to use their private vehicle for government business will be adjusted quarterly on the first day of January, April, July and October of each year. The quarterly rate will be set using the following formula:

31.5¢ / kilometer + [(fuel price on quarterly adjustment date – 79.4¢) x 0.1]
Click for current rate

The fuel price on the quarterly adjustment date will be the price of regular unleaded self serve gas in the Avalon Region as determined by the Petroleum Pricing Office.

The quarterly reimbursement rate will be posted at Automobile Reimbursement Rates for Using a Private Vehicle at Work.

The quarterly rate will apply to all travel done during that quarter. The rate claimed will be the rate applicable on the actual date of travel.

Employees, who request permission to use their private vehicles for government business, will not unreasonably be refused.

Employees who are approved by the Deputy Minister to use motorcycles on government business will be reimbursed one half of the rates applicable to automobiles.

• one-half of the rates applicable to automobiles, where employees provide the fuel; or
• $2.50 per day, where government provides the fuel.

Travel in Government Vehicles

Where individual departments have government vehicles, and where it is feasible to do so, Deputy Ministers should ensure that employees on travel status use a government vehicle.

Employees authorized to use government vehicles must:

• be duly licensed drivers;
• adhere to the rules and procedures established by the owner department;
• ensure that unauthorized personnel are not carried in the vehicle;
• pay all tickets and fines incurred while operating the vehicle; and
• report, in writing, all accidents and ensure that the required action is taken.

Employees using government vehicles within the headquarters area may not use the vehicles for travel between home and headquarters without the prior approval of the Deputy Minister.

Except for weekend travel home, government vehicles will not be used for personal purposes including travel on weekends, holidays and off-duty hours.

Government vehicles must be stored:

• in or on government provided storage facilities; or
• at a place approved by the Deputy Minister.

Employees may claim necessary expenses incurred in the operation of a government vehicle provided that appropriate receipts are submitted and the owner department does not already pay such expenses.

Travel in Rental Vehicles

Wherever possible, employees should take advantage of specials or discounts offering the lowest price.

Employees may be approved by the Deputy Minister for rental of all-purpose vehicles. Rental rates for all-purpose vehicles must be approved by Treasury Board.

Deputy Ministers may authorize the rental of vehicles where it is the most economical means of transportation.

Employees should not purchase collision damage waivers and/or personal life insurance when renting vehicles for government business as Government retains responsibility for payment of physical damage claims on leased or rented vehicles.

Employees will normally be required to rent compact or sub-compact vehicles except where, with the approval of the Deputy Minister, a larger vehicle is required.

Use of Taxis and Public Transportation

Deputy Ministers may approve employees' use of taxis when such use is justifiable and the most economical means of transportation. 

Employees using taxis must note the starting point and destination of the taxi trip on their travel claim or on the taxi chit, where the trip is billed directly to the department.

Employees may use either taxis, limousines or airport buses for transportation to and from airports.

Deputy Ministers may deny or reduce taxi claims where the taxi hire has been contrary to this policy, or where a receipt cannot be produced.

Completing Travel Claim Expense Forms

Travel claims, with the exception of the use of private vehicle claims (see Automobile Allowance Policy),

must be submitted on a Travel Expense Claim Voucher. Where employees travel on a frequent and regular basis, travel claims must be submitted at least monthly.

Claims for the use of employees’ private vehicles must be documented on the Private Vehicle Usage Report. Where private vehicle usage is claimed as part of an overall trip, the actual amount should be included on the Travel Expense Claim Voucher. Claims for reimbursement for travel within the headquarters area must be submitted at least quarterly.

Claims should be completed in chronological order and must be legible.

Details must be provided for all entries. Where explanations for certain expenditures are required and insufficient space is available on the claim form, employees should use a separate sheet with dates quoted as a cross reference and attached to the claim.

Receipts, ticket stubs, etc. should be numbered in the sequence in which the expenses are listed on the claim.

Last Updated: May 28, 2008
Reference: TBM 2003-283, TBM 2005-267; TBM 2008-159