(A) General. Modes of transportation authorized for official travel include automobiles, railroads, airlines, buses, taxicabs and other usual means of conveyance. Transportation may include fares and expenses incidental to transportation such as baggage transfer, official telephone messages in connection with items classed as transportation and reasonable tips.
(B) Taxicabs and limousines. Reimbursement for taxicab fares incurred in the efficient and economical pursuit of the county’s business will be allowed. All taxicab fares in excess of $7 must be accompanied by a receipt indicating the amount paid. When transportation by airport limousine is available and convenient, it shall be used in lieu of a taxicab.
(C) Travel at temporary location. Where the nature and location of the county business at a temporary location, such as, but not limited to, a convention, seminar and the like, is such that suitable meals cannot be procured there, the expenses of daily travel required to procure meals at the nearest available place will be considered necessary transportation. Also, transportation between place of lodging and place of business (meeting, convention, seminar and the like) will be allowed as a transportation expense. The use of a rental car for this purpose must be approved in advance by the County Administrator for all employees in departments under the Board or by the appropriate county official for employees in other departments, prior to the beginning of travel.
(D) Routing of travel. All travel shall be by the most direct route. Travel by other routes may be allowed when the official necessity therefor is satisfactory established. If an individual, for his or her own convenience, travels by an indirect route, he or she shall bear the extra expense. Reimbursement for expenses will be based only on such charges as would have been incurred by the most direct and economical route.
(E) Airplane accommodations. Travel on airplanes shall ordinarily be coach class. Reimbursement for first-class accommodations on commercial air carriers shall be permitted only when:
(1) Regularly scheduled flights between authorized origin and destination points provide only first-class accommodations;
(2) Space is not available in less than first-class accommodations in time to carry out the purpose of travel; and
(3) The County Administrator or the appropriate county official authorizes or approves the use of first-class accommodations as necessary for the conduct of the mission or other extenuating circumstances. Excursion and economy class accommodations should be used whenever warranted.
(F) Train accommodations. One standard sleeping car roomette is allowable when overnight travel is involved. When adequate coach accommodations are available, such accommodations are to be used to the maximum extent possible, on the basis of advantage to the county, suitability and convenience to the traveler and nature of the business involved. Otherwise, one seat in a sleeping or parlor car will be allowed.
(G) Use of privately-owned conveyance. The use of privately-owned motor vehicles for county business is not permitted for out-of-state travel except when such use is necessary or desirable due to lack of other convenient means of transportation or is otherwise advantageous to the county.
(H) Use of rental vehicles as the principal mode of transportation. The use of a rental vehicle for county business travel is permitted only when it can be demonstrated the total rental and fuel costs are advantageous to the county both in terms of the cost being less than the mileage payment if a private vehicle were used and less than public transportation, if a reasonable alternative exists. The use of a rental vehicle shall be approved by the County Administrator for all employees in departments under the Board, or by the appropriate county official for employees in other departments, prior to the beginning of travel.
(I) Mileage determinations. Distances between points traveled will be shown in official highway mileage guides or on official state maps. Substantial deviations from distances shown in the standard highway mileage guides shall be verified.
(1) Where no guides or maps are available, odometer readings may be used.
(2) Travel within, and in the near vicinity of a city may be reported as mileage in and around such city.
(3) When the use of public transportation is a reasonable alternative, the mileage payment shall not exceed the cost of using public transportation. A reasonable alternative exists when the cost of the travel, taking into account both time and costs, would be less if public transportation were used.
(4) Mileage will be payable to only one of two or more individuals traveling in the same vehicle. The names of individuals so traveling shall be stated on the travel voucher.
(1993 Code, § 31.32) (Ord. 90-8, passed 11-14-1990; Ord. 2007-09, passed 8-15-2007; Ord. 2022-03, passed 7-20-2022)