Choosing How to Travel

Grant Management & Financial Oversight

Choosing How to Travel

 

Read Part One: Travel Trouble: Why “Just Charge It to the Grant” Isn’t Always Safe

You’ve been authorized to journey—now comes the enjoyable half: determining find out how to get there. Transportation prices are among the many most scrutinized elements of sponsored journey, so let’s unpack planes, trains, and vehicles earlier than your grant takes an surprising detour.

 

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Federal laws don’t dictate how you must journey, however your establishment most likely does. Rather than utilizing a strict “drive vs. fly by X miles” rule, my establishment applies a cost-comparison method, which permits flexibility whereas nonetheless emphasizing fiscal accountability. When evaluating journey choices, ensure you’re capturing the complete image:

• Flights ought to embody airfare, baggage charges, floor transportation, and airport parking.
• Driving ought to embody mileage, tolls, and parking charges.

Think of value comparisons as your monetary remix similar journey, completely different variations, and also you’ve obtained to choose the one which gained’t land your grant within the “explicit lyrics” part of an audit.

The objective isn’t to pressure the most cost effective possibility each time—it’s to doc that the strategy chosen is affordable and cost-effective.

A Real Example

I as soon as had a gaggle of 5 touring from Blacksburg, VA to Washington, D.C. Everyone needed to drive individually for private comfort. While a four-hour drive made sense on the floor, as soon as we added downtown parking for 5 vehicles, the journey would have value an extra $500.

By comparability, the group may both carpool or take Amtrak for round $100 per particular person round-trip.

One of my favourite quotes from our Controller’s Office is:
“We don’t pay for convenience.”
Using that philosophy, the reimbursable possibility was the prepare (not 5 separate vehicles).

Picking the “Right” Flight

The most cost-effective flight may add hours to your journey day. The quickest flight may double the price. And right here’s the half individuals neglect: your time has worth too.

A great take a look at to use is that this:
Would an affordable particular person spend their very own cash on this selection, given the worth distinction and time impression?
If your reply is “No—that’s absurd,” it doubtless gained’t maintain up in an audit both—as a result of compliance guidelines don’t care whether or not your journey is “fly like a G6.”

While this method isn’t written into coverage, my private rule of thumb is:

1. Sort by lowest value to know the baseline.
2. Then type by shortest length to see what “efficient” seems like.
3. Book one thing within the center that balances time and price appropriately.

And when you’re at it, take a screenshot of your value comparability once you e book. You’re already there. Just a few further seconds now can save quite a lot of clarification later.

First Class Dreams and Business Class Reality

Thinking about first-class? Don’t get your hopes up.
Business class could also be allowable on some worldwide flights, significantly transatlantic—however provided that your sponsor permits it. Some explicitly prohibit it, so at all times verify the award phrases and preserve your documentation helpful.

Mixing Business and Personal Travel

Bringing a partner? Adding trip days? Traveling together with your complete crew? That’s completely nice, nevertheless it modifications what’s reimbursable.

When mixing private and enterprise journey, you need to be capable to present:

• What the flight would have value for business-only dates
• What the rental automobile would have been for a base mannequin sedan
• Which resort prices have been tied to private visitors

If you improve to a minivan, e book a collection, or lengthen the keep—these further prices are yours. Documenting the “what if” value protects each you and the award.

 

In the tip, transportation selections don’t need to be sophisticated, however they do need to be defensible. Somewhat planning, documentation, and common sense on the reserving stage can forestall main complications later and assist guarantee your journey prices land safely the place they belong.