Travel Do's and Dont's

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Do's

• Do have a Travel Authorization completed BEFORE your travel begins.
• Do keep receipts for all expenses over $25 and all gasoline and ATM receipts. (For your records keep receipts of all expenditures except food.)
• Do make your transportation reservations through your Travel Management Center(TMC).
• Do use e-tickets when possible.
• Do stay at commercial lodging establishment meeting the Hotel/Motel Fire Safety Act.
• Do obtain travel advances for official travel through an ATM.
• Do take taxi or have someone drive you to the airport. You may claim full taxi cost or the round trip cost of a ride to the airport, provided the round trip does not exceed the one-way taxi fare.
• Do refuel your rental vehicle prior to returning the car to the rental car company.
• Do cancel all transportation and lodging reservations before date of reservation if travel orders change.
• Do use your government issued travel charge card only for official travel.
• Do file your travel reimbursement voucher within 5 days from the end of your trip, or in two week increments if on extended TDY.
• Do use Travel Manager to com-plete your voucher, if available.
• Do have the Approving Official sign the completed voucher.
• Do keep a copy of the voucher and receipts for your records.
• Do sign up for Direct Deposit for travel reimbursement. It is required and will speed your reimbursement.
• Do use only approved State and local tax exemption forms for lodging.
• Do make sure travel authorization is signed by an official authorized to approve your type of travel to ensure reimbursement.

Dont's

• Do not pick up transportation tickets at the airport counter, use e-tickets.
• Do not accept rental car insurance. (The Federal Government has agreements with car rental companies for insurance and will not reimburse the car insurance cost.)
• Do not obtain cash with your ATM card prior to 2 days before the trip or when you are not on Government approved travel.
• Do not claim the amount obtained through the ATM machine on your voucher, only the fee assessed. ATM transaction fee from the Government credit card is reimbursable as a miscellaneous expense.
• Do not purchase a round trip transportation ticket for extended travel.
• Do not travel by first class on an airline.
• Do not use restricted nonrefundable or penalty fare transportation services.
• Do not accept refueling services offered by the rental car companies.
• Do not pre-pay your rental car or your lodging bill.
• Do not allow your Government travel charge card bill become overdue.
• Do not incur dual lodging costs without prior autorization from CFO.
• Do not incur expenses in excess of GSA autorized per diem rates without prior approval.
• Do not claim lodging and M&IE if you live within 50 miles radius of your official duty station or the DFO.