Travel
Policy
10-10: Renting vehicles for state business
Effective: January 15, 2024
Approved by: Van Christensen
References: Utah Code 63A-3-107, Administrative Code R25-7.
Purpose
This policy outlines the conditions for renting vehicles for state business, insurance requirements for rental vehicles, and reimbursement for rental vehicles.
Definitions
Agency – Any agency, board, bureau, office, or other administrative subunit of state government. This definition includes the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Concur – The software used by the state to manage travel requests, booking, reimbursements, and reports.
GSA rate – The generic term for the federal travel reimbursement rate. Reimbursement rates for travel are determined by location and are established by the U.S. General Services Administration, Department of Defense, and the Department of State. Rates can be found on the U.S. General Services Administration website.
P-card – State issued purchasing card used for approved business purchases.
Reimbursement – Money paid to compensate travelers for money spent while traveling on official business.
Reimbursement request – The general term for requesting payment for travel expenses. In Concur, travelers add their expenses to a report. Travelers who cannot use Concur use form FI 51.
Traveler – Any person traveling on official state business for an agency or political subdivision. This definition includes employees, non-employees, board members, elected officials, vendors, volunteers, grant recipients, and award beneficiaries.
Travel request – The general term for asking permission to travel for state business. In Concur, the state’s travel software, travelers add their expected expenses to a request. Travelers who cannot use Concur use form F I5.
Policy
A – Booking rental vehicles
1 – Travelers must rent vehicles used for state business in their own names.
2 – All rental vehicles, whether booked through the booking tool in Concur or the State Travel Office, must be booked using the state’s rental vehicle contracts.
2a – In Concur, travelers must book vehicles from one of the companies labeled as a preferred vendor unless those companies do not have vehicles available.
3 – Booking a vehicle for in-state travel
3a – Travelers must book in-state rental vehicles using the Utah Division of Fleet Operations form: Enterprise Rent-A-Car Rental Reservation.
3b – Enterprise bills the agency for these rentals.
4 – Booking a vehicle for out-of-state travel
4a – Travelers must book out-of-state rental vehicles through the booking tool in Concur or the State Travel Office.
4b – Travelers must pay for rental vehicles with their own p-card or a personal credit card.
5 – Travelers must not use a vehicle rented through the state contract for personal travel days.
5a – Travelers who rent a vehicle for state business must book a different rental vehicle for the personal portion of their trip.
5b – Travelers must not rent a vehicle for personal use through the booking tool in Concur or through the State Travel Office.
B – Insurance for rental vehicles
1 – The state’s rental vehicle contracts include insurance coverage within the 50 states and District of Columbia at no additional cost and with no deductible.
1a – Additional coverage is not required within the 50 states and District of Columbia, and travelers are not reimbursed if they pay for additional insurance.
2 – If travel is outside the 50 states and the District of Columbia, travelers must purchase additional insurance. In this case, travelers are reimbursed the cost of additional insurance.
3 – If a contracted vendor is not available and travelers must book a vehicle from a non-contracted vendor, the traveler must purchase insurance offered by the rental company. In this case, travelers are reimbursed the cost of insurance.
C – Reimbursement for rental vehicles, fuel, and parking
1 – Rental vehicles
1a – Travelers who rent vehicles out of state are reimbursed the actual cost of the rental.
1a.1 – Travelers who did not include a rental vehicle on their approved travel request but still rented a vehicle must request permission from the executive director or designee to be reimbursed. Approval for reimbursement must be documented and attached to the traveler’s reimbursement request.
1b – Travelers staying at conference hotels should not be reimbursed for rental vehicles except for special circumstances approved by the executive director or designee.
1c – Travelers are not reimbursed for size or model upgrades made when picking up rental vehicles.
2 – Fuel
2a – Travelers are reimbursed the actual cost of fuel.
2a.1 – Travelers must return rental vehicles with a full tank of fuel or with the same level of fuel as when the vehicle was picked up.
2b – Travelers are not reimbursed for fuel if they choose the prepaid fuel option when picking up their rental vehicle.
3 – Parking
3a – Travelers are reimbursed for parking according to the conditions in travel travel policy 10-14: Reimbursement for miscellaneous expenses.