i. Airlines
ii. Shuttle Bus Service
iii. Automobile Rental
iv. Private Automobile

The traveler is responsible for coordinating transportation with a travel agent or directly with the carrier/rental agency. Please note that international travel requires prior approval and completion of the FTIP (Foreign Travel Insurance Program) form.

SDSURF encourages those who frequently travel to obtain a procurement card (PCard application) to pay for travel-related costs.

CAUTION: If the traveler prefers to charge transportation expenses to their personal credit card, it is acceptable; however, the traveler must be aware that the cost of personal travel insurance and interest charges that may accrue will NOT be reimbursed. The traveler must also keep in mind that a personal expense reimbursement may be denied if the expense is unallowable or if budget is not available. Non-refundable transportation expenses may be reimbursed prior to travel. A copy of the paid invoice or ticket(s), clearly marked non-refundable, must accompany an expense reimbursement request, must be approved by an authorized signer for the fund(s) charged, and forwarded to the grant specialist for approval.

i. Airlines

All air travel must be economy or coach class, and special, low-cost rates should be used when possible. If any other class of air travel such as "first class," “business class,” or “economy plus” is requested, SDSURF is responsible for the basic economy or coach rate only. The use of business-class airline accommodations may be authorized or approved as an exception to normal policy under special circumstances. A documented cost comparison must be attached to the travel claim. Please see CSU Travel Policy - Air Travel for the list of special circumstances. Please note that most federally-funded programs require travelers to use U.S. flag carriers in accordance with Fly America Act. Contact your grant specialist for details of this requirement.

Travelers are encouraged to purchase airline tickets using their SDSURF PCards. The purchase of airline travel insurance or flight cancellation insurance is an allowable expense when the cost is reasonable and the applicable business purpose is documented on the travel reimbursement request.

Internet/Wi-Fi charges are allowable if required for business purposes and identified as business-related on the travel reimbursement request.

EarlyBird Check-In fees with Southwest Airlines or preferred seating fees from other airlines are an allowable expense.

CAUTION: Should you choose to use your frequent flyer benefits to acquire airline tickets for business use, you are not eligible for reimbursement of the cost of a comparable ticket.

ii. Shuttle Bus Service

The travel agent or hotel can provide information about shuttle bus or similar service, which should be used when reasonable instead of taxi service or rental cars for travel to and from airports. Ride share services (Uber/Lyft) are allowable.

iii. Automobile Rental

Travelers are responsible for reserving rental cars. SDSURF PCards may be used to pay for rental car expenses. An economy or intermediate class vehicle should be requested by the traveler. These classes should be used unless a no-cost upgrade is provided or if the recommended sizes are not adequate to meet the business purpose of the trip. The traveler should explain the business need for an upgraded vehicle if there is an additional cost associated with the rental.

CAUTION: The rental of any vehicle designed, used, or maintained for carrying more than ten passengers, including the driver, is expressly prohibited without prior approval of SDSURF’s Risk Management department. For additional information, contact Risk Management (sdsurfriskmanagement@sdsu.edu). SDSURF’s Procurement department (sdsurfpurchase@sdsu.edu) will assist in making reservations with pre-approved charter companies.

Automobile insurance for rented vehicles is provided for SDSURF employees, PIs, and project staff employed by SDSURF and participating in SDSURF-related business activities. When employees rent vehicles to conduct SDSURF business, they should advise the rental agency that they are renting the car to use while on SDSURF business and deny the comprehensive, collision, and general liability coverages. All three of these coverages are provided under a single SDSURF policy. If a rental agency requires proof of insurance, a Certificate of Auto Insurance outlining policy coverage is available at www.foundation.sdsu.edu/pdf/risk_cert_of_ins_auto_24.pdf (PDF Format, 41KB)* . Please note that there is a $1,000 deductible and SDSURF’s policy does not cover damage for rentals of more than thirty (30) consecutive days or for losses reported more than forty-five (45) days from date of loss. All uninsured losses and the $1,000 deductible will be charged to the project or department.

SDSURF’s automobile insurance does not cover loss of an employee’s personal property. Some rental agencies provide personal property coverage. Most homeowner or renter policies provide this coverage for employees when they rent vehicles, but employees should review those policies to ensure that this exposure is covered. If not, the employee can purchase, at their own expense, personal belongings coverage.

Medical and/or personal accident insurance is not an allowable business expense, and if purchased, shall be the sole responsibility of the traveler.

For any SDSURF vehicle, rental car, or personal vehicle used for travel in a foreign territory on SDSURF business, auto liability and physical damage coverage must be purchased in advance from a reputable insurance company, prior to entering that country. Since foreign insurance coverage and programs are individualized, the auto insurance purchased must be applicable to all foreign territories within the route of travel.

iv. Private Automobile

The standard business reimbursement rate per mile is published annually by the IRS. This rate takes into account all actual automobile expenses such as fuel and lubrication, towing charges, maintenance and repairs, tires, depreciation, vehicle registration, and insurance. Please note that some grants and/or contracts may require more restrictive reimbursement rates. Check with your grant specialist for clarification. Persons authorized to use their private vehicles for SDSURF-related business are required to submit mileage and parking reimbursement claims via Chrome River.

Each mileage reimbursement claim is audited for compliance with SDSURF travel policies. If a reimbursement claim requires adjustments or corrections totaling less than $20, Accounts Payable makes the adjustment and issues the check for the correct amount. Accounts Payable staff notify the requester of adjustments only when the adjusted amount is equal to or greater than $20. In these instances, Accounts Payable returns the request with an explanation of the adjustment to the requester. If able to provide additional receipts and/or explanation for the disallowed expense, the requester may resubmit the disbursement request to the grant specialist, who approves and then forwards to Accounts Payable for processing.

There is sometimes confusion about what mileage is eligible for reimbursement when you must go to more than one job site in a day. The general rule of thumb is that the first and last commutes of the day are not eligible for reimbursement. Examples to illustrate this point follow:

• Mileage between Home and Work Location: When you drive from home to your regular job site, this mileage is not eligible for reimbursement as it is the first commute of the day.
• Mileage between Home and Temporary Assignment Location: When you drive from home to a meeting or other business activity at a temporary job site, this mileage is not eligible for reimbursement as it is the first commute of the day.

CAUTION: Using a ride share service to travel to and from your job site or your home to a work-related event will not be reimbursed. This is considered a personal choice and typically more expensive than driving yourself and claiming mileage reimbursement if not the first trip of the day. Taking a ride share service from your job site or home to the airport for a flight is allowed.

• Mileage between Regular Work Location to Temporary Assignment Location: When you drive from your regular job site to a temporary job site, this mileage is eligible for reimbursement. If you visit several temporary job sites, this mileage is also eligible.
• Mileage between Temporary Assignment Location and Regular Work Location: When you drive from a temporary job site back to your regular job site, this mileage is eligible for reimbursement.
• Mileage between Temporary Assignment Location and Home: When you drive from your temporary job site to home, this mileage is not eligible for reimbursement as it is the last commute of the day.
• Mileage between Regular Work Location and Home: When you drive from your regular job site to home, this mileage is not eligible for reimbursement as it is the last commute of the day.

Exceptions to this general rule may be allowed under the following limited conditions:

Daily mileage expenses may be reimbursed when the distance driven to the temporary job site is greater than would normally be incurred in driving from home to a regular job site.

Should you qualify and choose to use this exception, you must download and complete the current version of the Mileage Reimbursement Request form and submit it in Chrome River. The mileage form has been modified to allow you to certify that the mileage claimed to drive to a temporary job site outside the metropolitan area is greater than what you would normally incur when driving from home to your regular job site.

Daily mileage expenses may be reimbursed when going between the employee's home and a temporary job site when the employee's home qualifies under IRS regulations as an office in the home. These regulations are summarized as follows:

• Your home office must be for the convenience of the employer. The convenience of your employer test is satisfied if:
  • You maintain your home office as a condition of employment – in other words, your employer specifically requires you to maintain the home office and work there;
  • Your home office is necessary for the functioning of your employer's business; or
  • Your home office is necessary to allow you to perform your duties as an employee properly.

  CAUTION: Working from home as part of a voluntary hybrid work schedule is not at the convenience of the employer because it is the employee’s choice.

• Your home office must be used exclusively and on a regular basis in connection with your work as an employee.
  • The exclusive use requirement means you must use your home office solely to carry on your work as an employee. Any other use of the home office will result in the loss of all deductions for your home office. For example, if you work in a spare bedroom that contains your desk, computer, etc., and if you do not use that room for anything but your work, that room passes the exclusive use test. But if you also use the room for occasional overnight guests, it fails the exclusive use requirement.
  • The regular basis requirement means that you must use the home office in carrying on your business on a continuous, ongoing, or recurring basis. This means a few hours a week, every week. A few days a month, every month, may qualify. Occasional, “once in a while” business use will not qualify.

Should you qualify and choose to use this exemption, you are required to complete a Certification of Eligibility for Reimbursement of Automobile Mileage – Office in Home form and attach this to your Mileage Reimbursement Request form in Chrome River. These forms are located on SDSURF’s website at AP Forms.

In the event that a traveler can use air travel, and chooses instead to use a private vehicle, they will be reimbursed at the current mileage rate or the equivalent of a round-trip airfare, whichever is less. The traveler must submit a comparison documentation to confirm what the airfare would have cost at the time of travel. The traveler may not receive a meal and incidental expense for the personal time spent traveling via private vehicle as compared to the air travel time to the same destination.

The rates of reimbursement for mileage include the cost of maintaining liability insurance at the minimum amount prescribed by law and collision insurance sufficient to cover the reasonable value of the vehicle, less a standard deductible. A private vehicle must not be used on SDSURF business unless the following requirements are in effect:

• Vehicle must be covered by liability insurance for at least the minimum prescribed by State Law.
• Driver must be in possession of a valid driver’s license.
• Current vehicle registration and proof of insurance must always be in the vehicle.
• Vehicle must be equipped with safety belts in operating condition and all passengers are required to wear them.
• Driver only carries passengers who are also on SDSU Research Foundation business.
• Vehicle is adequate for the job to be performed.
• All accidents must be reported within 24 hours to SDSU Research Foundation’s Risk Management staff at (619) 594-4076.

The vehicle owner must be aware that their personal automobile insurance is the primary insurance in an accident. The insurance policy covering the primary owned vehicle will respond to the accident. SDSURF will not provide primary insurance coverage. If you do not want your personal auto insurance to be involved, do not use your auto on SDSURF business. SDSURF’s insurance coverage is only applicable if the auto owner’s liability exceeds their personal liability insurance coverage. Insurance carriers normally allow the occasional use of privately owned vehicles for business trips without an increase in premium rates. If a private vehicle is extensively used on SDSURF business, an employee should notify their insurance carrier.

*Note: Documents in Portable Document format (PDF) require Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 or higher to view. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader