Section 11.41.5. Mode of transportation.

         41.5(1) Airline travel accommodations. When the administrative head of the agency determines that airline travel is the most economical or advantageous to the state, the use of airline travel may be authorized. The most economical mode of airline travel is considered to be coach or economy class, if available.

         41.5(2) Train travel. In cases where train travel is utilized, the most economical mode shall be considered coach fare, if available.

         41.5(3) Purchase of tickets.

            a.               All state agencies covered by the statewide travel agency contracts may purchase airline tickets through a travel agency under contract. Agencies shall develop internal policies so that agencies purchase or direct their employees to purchase tickets from the source determined by the agency to be the best value.

            b.               For all other tickets purchased, it shall be the employee’s responsibility to purchase the ticket for whatever mode of transportation that is determined to be the most economical. Reimbursement will be made by attaching a receipt to the employee travel voucher. Refunds received on any unused portion of the ticket shall be shown and deducted from the original ticket.

         41.5(4) Use of privately owned vehicle. Authorized use of a privately owned vehicle for travel on official state business will be subject to rule 11—103.4(8A).

            a.                Instate. Where use of a privately owned vehicle is authorized by rule 11—103.4(8A), reimbursement shall be on a mileage basis at a rate established by the director pursuant to Iowa Code Supplement section 8A.363. Reimbursement for travel at the official domicile will be reimbursed at a rate (established by the director pursuant to Iowa Code Supplement section 8A.363) per mile if the purpose of the travel is official business. The per-mile reimbursement includes all costs incurred in connection with the operation of the vehicle.

            b.                Out of state. If the traveler desires to use a personally owned vehicle instead of common carrier and it is authorized by the administrative head of the agency, the cost of mileage (not to exceed airfare) to the destination’s nearest air terminal, plus expenses incurred to final destination and subsistence allowance en route will be allowed. Out-of-state subsistence allowance will be allowed only for the number of meals and nights lodging which would have been necessary had the traveler used the available public transportation to destination instead of a private vehicle. Taxi or mileage expenses will be allowed at the destination if the expenses are incurred while the traveler is on official business.

If two or more travelers on official business travel in one privately owned vehicle instead of common carrier, the use of one vehicle may be authorized on a mileage basis not to exceed the statutory limit per mile.

         41.5(5) Mileage while on temporary duty assignment. In general, mileage for use of privately owned vehicles may be allowed for travel within the area of temporary duty, if approved by the administrative head of the agency, provided a state-owned vehicle is not available. When a privately owned vehicle is authorized in the transaction of official business within the area or in the vicinity of the city to which the traveler is assigned or directed, the traveler shall show on the travel claim the number of miles of vicinity travel for each.

         41.5(6) Assignment of more than one employee to a vehicle. In authorizing the use of privately owned or state-owned vehicles, the agency head shall, whenever possible, assign more than one employee to the use of one vehicle.

         41.5(7) Verification of mileage. The travel shall be by the usually traveled route. Mileage shall be based on mileage published by the American Automobile Association, when available. Any variation from the published mileage should be documented in writing.

         41.5(8) Use of buses, street cars, limousines and rental cars. When buses, street cars, limousines, or rental cars are used for official travel within the official station or city to which a traveler is directed, the traveler shall show the cost of the fares in the “miscellaneous” column of the travel voucher.

         41.5(9) Abode and point of duty in interstate travel. Insofar as official interstate travel is concerned, the employee’s hotel may be considered a point of official duty.

         41.5(10) Taxicabs. Taxicab charges shall be allowed only from regular domicile or place of business to station or other terminal; from station or terminal at origin of destination of trip to hotel or domicile or place of business; or between bus, rail or plane stations or terminals or other points of official duty.

         41.5(11) Home-travel from and to. Actual taxi or common carrier fares shall be allowed for transportation directly from home of traveler to railroad, bus or airport terminals at the beginning of official travel status and for transportation directly from railroad, bus or airport terminals to home of traveler at conclusion of official travel status. The maximum reimbursement will be the current cost of taxi fare from the capitol to the Des Moines airport.

         41.5(12) Rental or charter of special conveyances. The rental or charter of aircraft, automobiles, boats, buses, or other special conveyances shall be held to a minimum but may be authorized in those cases when no public or ordinary means of transportation is available, or when such public or ordinary means of transportation cannot be used advantageously in the best interest of the state. Specific justification shall accompany the voucher in each instance where the use of special conveyance is authorized and shall include information such as the location where special conveyance commenced, and the points visited. The department of administrative services, state accounting enterprise, may require a comparison of costs between public or ordinary means of transportation compared to the cost of special conveyance.

[ARC 2267C, IAB 11/25/15, effective 12/30/15]