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Policy 5401 – Travel Policy

Revision Date: 7/1/2001

Responsible Office: Comptroller’s Office

Reference: PPM 49


Travel Policy

All Louisiana Tech faculty and staff are governed by State rules and regulations when performing official travel for which reimbursement is expected. These regulations apply to University-owned or leased vehicles, private vehicles, and any type of commercial transportation. The basic travel regulations are promulgated by the State Division of Administration and those implementing instructions issued by Louisiana Tech. Each faculty and staff member should maintain his/her own personal file of these directives. They may be obtained by request from the Comptroller’s Office.

When travel extends more than 12 hours, and expenses are incurred, faculty and staff must fill out a “Travel Authorization” form prior to expected travel. This form may be obtained in the Comptroller’s Office. On return, an “Expense Account” must be completed and returned to the Comptroller’s Office in order to be reimbursed for monies spent. The directives and regulations spell out the current limits for mileage, meals, and housing reimbursement.

Travel Outside the Continental United States

Travel outside the continental United States must be approved by the State of Louisiana Division of Administration. In order to obtain approval, a memorandum requesting permission for travel outside the continental United States must be transmitted through the normal travel approval process. Once the President has approved the travel, a copy of the approved travel authorization with an itinerary, source of funding, and a detailed list of estimated cost shall be transmitted to the Office of the Associate Vice President for Finance and Comptroller. The Associate Vice President will request approval from the proper authorities. Under no circumstances shall travel be initiated before the final approval is obtained.

Driver Safety Program

A state law requires that all state agencies implement a comprehensive safety program with a goal of reducing injury and loss of property. One facet of the state safety program is driver safety. Effective April 1, 1999, anyone (faculty, staff and students) who has not completed the Driver Safety Program will not be allowed to drive a Louisiana Tech vehicle or be reimbursed for personal mileage expenses. The following rules are in effect:

  1. Vehicles rented by purchase order in the name of Louisiana Tech University are considered university vehicles.
  2. Vehicles rented and expense claimed on travel voucher are considered personal vehicles.
  3. All provisions of the Driver Safety Program shall apply to university owned, personal vehicles, rented or leased vehicles.
  4. Authorization to drive and authorization for reimbursement shall not be granted unless the driver has completed the driver safety program.
  5. Any person newly hired must complete the driver safety program prior to using any vehicle for Louisiana Tech business.
  6. An exception to the above provisions (1-4) shall be in the case of an employee traveling to the university for a job interview. Persons hired as professional consultants should have rental vehicle and/or mileage costs included in their base contract.

Information on items such as Insurance on Rented/Leased/Private Automobiles, Louisiana Tech University Motor Pool, check lists for people having completed the Driver’s Safety Training Course are discussed further on the Louisiana Tech web site under Administrative Affairs at the address below:

Driver Training Information

The following information on What to Do In Case of a Vehicle Accident and vehicle accident forms and instructions may also be accessed at the web site:

  1. Call the police.
  2. Do not talk to anyone, except the police, about how the accident happened.
  3. Make no statements about payment of damages. The other party will be contacted by the Office of Risk Management in Baton Rouge.
  4. Admit no liability (fault).
  5. Sign nothing (except police report, if asked).
  6. Obtain the names, addresses, and daytime telephone numbers of all witnesses.
  7. Obtain the address and telephone number of the police department completing the accident report.
  8. Call the Environmental Health & Safety Department (318/257-2120) and the Office of the Associate Vice President for Administration and Facilities (318/257-2769) and notify them of the accident.
  9. Complete the accident report form (located in the glove box of each state vehicle). The first page must be mailed to the Office of Risk Management within 48 hours of the accident.
  10. Give the completed report form to your immediate supervisor as soon as possible after the accident. The supervisor will transmit the form to the Environmental Health & Safety Department filling out the appropriate sections.
  11. The telephone number for the Office of Risk Management is 225/342-8484.

Employees needing to complete the driver safety course should contact the Environmental Health and Safety Office at 257-2120.

University Motor Pool

A “Request and Authorization for Tech Vehicles” must be completed and returned to the Motor Pool at the Physical Plant when transportation is furnished by Louisiana Tech. Motor Pool vehicles are restricted to trips within a radius of 300 miles from Ruston.

Each vehicle contains a DAMV-3 Daily Vehicle Log. The operator of the vehicle is responsible for reporting daily vehicle usage, including purchases of gasoline, maintenance, and repair. Each vehicle must be returned with a full tank of gas.

Gasoline courtesy cards are available in the Office of the Associate Vice President for Administration and Facilities in Keeny Hall. It is illegal to purchase gasoline for vehicles not owned by Louisiana Tech with courtesy cards in the name of Louisiana Tech University. All purchases made on gasoline courtesy cards must show the license number of the vehicle, the quantity of the commodity purchase, and the unit price.

It is against the law for State-owned vehicles to be stored at an employee’s home overnight. If a trip begins or ends after the business hours of the Physical Plant, keys can be picked up or returned at the University Power Plant. In the event of accident or mechanical failure, the Motor Pool Office at the Physical Plant should be notified at once. If it is after the business hours of the Physical Plant, the Power Plant should be notified.

Only University employees on official business of Louisiana Tech University are allowed to operate or ride in University- owned vehicles.

The authorizing Unit Head is responsible for ensuring that the persons operating University-owned, leased, or private vehicles on official University business have a valid driver’s license and do not have a record of violating State or local vehicle laws.

In the event of an accident, the appropriate law enforcement agency must be notified immediately. In the glove compartment of each vehicle is a packet that contains instructions on the procedures to follow in case of an accident. The appropriate Unit Head should then notify the Office of the Associate Vice President for Administration and Facilities.