Personal Vehicle Mileage Reimbursement Rates
When using your personal vehicle for business travel (whether you're an employee, a guest of the university, or a student) you may be reimbursed for mileage as long as you complete a Travel Expense Reimbursement form.
Effective March 25, 2005, UMW will NOT reimburse for mileage between the two campuses (Mary Washington College campus in Fredericksburg and the College of Graduate and Professional Studies campus in Stafford).
THE RATES LISTED BELOW ARE EFFECTIVE FOR TRAVEL DATES JANUARY 1, 2009 AND AFTER.
If you're a student or a guest of the University, the rate per mile for reimbursement is $.55/mile.
If you are an employee of UMW, the rates are either $.246/mile or $.55/mile based on the descriptions below.
If mileage claimed is less than 130 AVERAGE DAILY MILES (that’s 129 miles or less per day during your trip) then you can be reimbursed the higher rate that the state allows. On the Travel Reimbursement Request Form, simply check the first box under “Personal Vehicle Use Statement” and enter the mileage in column 3 of the form.
At least 24 hours prior to the date of travel, the traveler must visit www.dgs.virginia.gov/fleet.aspx (click "Travel Planning" at this site) and use the trip calculator to calculate the vehicle cost of their proposed trip.
If the trip calculator shows that it is more cost beneficial for the employee to use a personal vehicle for the trip, the employee should print a copy of the screen showing the calculation authorizing the use of a personal vehicle at the higher rate. This documentation must be attached to the Travel Reimbursement Request Form in order to be reimbursed at the higher rate per mile. If the trip calculator print out is not attached, the mileage reimbursement will be at the rate of $.246 per mile.
If the trip calculator shows that use of a rental vehicle is more cost effective, the traveler should click on the link (located on the calculator page) for Enterprise Leasing and reserve a rental car for the trip. The employee should print a copy of the screen showing the cost comparison of the rental car compared to the personal vehicle, and attach the print out to the Travel Reimbursement Request Form. CAREFULLY read the UMW Car Rental Regulations (read the section labeled "Renting a Car AFTER Reaching your Destination) to avoid out-of-pocket expenses. All vehicle reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance of anticipated pick up of the vehicle.
If renting a car is simply not feasible or is too time-consuming for you, additional cost factors may be considered in the cost analysis. The DGS web site is the starting point for the cost benefit since that is where you have to go to get the Enterprise cost. Then if additional factors such as administrative time, distance to the nearest Enterprise location (mileage to and from Enterprise can be paid at the higher rate) and hours of operation are to be considered, some documentation of those factors and the cost benefit must be documented for approval. You should:
1.
Print the cost comparison, and then hand write the other cost factors associated with renting the car on that print out.
2.
Feel free to write any statements that prove renting the car is a more expensive option than taking your personal car and being reimbursed at the higher mileage rate.
3. Have the President or his designee appropriate to your department sign the cost benefit analysis.
In the event of emergency travel (less than 24 hours notice) the traveler is still required to go through the process above and attempt to acquire a vehicle through Enterprise Leasing. If Enterprise Leasing cannot fulfill the request the traveler must print the screen from Enterprise Leasing that documents a vehicle was not available.
There is a specific "MILEAGE FAQ" section at http://www.umw.edu/ap/faq/default.php (scroll down to the "MILEAGE FAQS" section in the middle of the page) that may help you through this process.
In order to be reimbursed at the higher mileage rate, the traveler must include with the Travel Reimbursement Request Form, the non-availability documentation and a statement from the UMW President or designee stating that the travel was an emergency. Rental of vehicles which exceed 30 days must have the prior approval of the Office of Fleet Management Services in Richmond. Please contact Accounts Payable at payables@umw.edu if you wish to rent a car for more than 30 days. Accounts Payable will request the approval from the Office of Fleet Management Services.
Please remember that if you want to use your own car, and you do NOT want to go through these steps, you have that choice; however, you will be reimbursed at the lower rate (currently $.246/mile) instead of the higher rate (currently $.55/mile).
When completing a Travel Expense Reimbursement Form for mileage reimbursement, you will have to mark one of the "boxes" with an "x" in the upper right area of the form labeled "Personal Vehicle Use Statement." See the explanations below to figure out which box to check:
The first box will calculate at $.55/mile. Use this box if ANY of the following apply:
1. AVERAGE DAILY mileage is 129 miles or less from
your base point, defined as place, office or building where the traveler
performs his/her duties on a routine basis.
2. The traveler is flying (in an airplane) and drives
his car to a local airport (Dulles, Reagan National, Richmond or BWI)
regardless of average daily mileage.
3. The traveler is NOT a Commonwealth of Virginia
employee.
4. The traveler is a student or guest of UMW.
The second box will calculate at $.55/mile. Use this box if EITHER of the following applies to you:
1. Your mileage is more than 129 average DAILY miles and the administrative time involved in renting an Enterprise vehicle is not feasible. ( Attach the cost comparison, and then hand write the other cost factors associated with renting the car on that print out. Include any statements that prove renting the car is a more expensive option than getting the higher reimbursement rate for taking your personal car. Make sure the explanation has signature of the President or his designee appropriate to your department.) If these things (cost comparison with explanation and signature) are not attached to the Travel Reimbursement Request Form, the lower rate will be paid.
2. You work in the Warsaw office.
The third box will calculate at $.246/mile.
Check the third box if average daily mileage was 130 miles or more AND
you chose to drive your personal vehicle without regard to the regulations above i.e., you do not have the cost comparison print out showing the cost analysis of using a personal vehicle compared to renting a car from Enterprise Leasing Company.
If you did not record your mileage and need to know the distance between two places, please use www.mapquest.com .
If you are trying to decide whether to drive or fly, the total of the expenses reimbursed-- including meals and lodging--should not exceed the total cost of the trip using the most economical public air transportation fare available, also including meals and lodging. The President or her designee is authorized to grant exceptions to this policy when justified. Comparative statements should be attached to the Travel Reimbursement form for reimbursement.
Commuting Mileage:
Roundtrip mileage traveled routinely by the employee between his residence and base point (defined as place, office or building where the traveler performs his/her duties on a routine basis) incurred on a scheduled workday is considered commuting mileage. Commuting mileage and other commuting costs incurred on normal workdays are considered a personal expense and are not reimbursable.