6509.33_301-10
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FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS (WO)
WASHINGTON, DC
FSH 6509.33 – FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
Supplement No.: 6509.33-2006-1
Effective Date: August 1, 2006
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: JESSE L. KING
Associate Deputy Chief/CFO
Date Approved: July 7, 2006
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this
supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to
this Handbook was 6509.33-2005-1 to chapter 302.
New Document
6509.33_301-10
8 Pages
Superseded Document(s) by
Issuance Number and
Effective Date
1-10.2 – 1-10.3a(5)(c)
(11/82 Supp 1)
id_6509.33-2006-1, 02/08/2006
2 Pages
3 Pages
Digest:
301-10.7 – Establishes new policy for Compensatory Time Off for Non-Compensable Travel
under Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations.
301-10.107 – Establishes policy on the Use of Contract City-Pair Fares and non-refundable
tickets.
301-10.303 – Incorporates policy previously issued in interim directive (ID) 6509.33-2006-1 on
mileage reimbursement rate for use of privately owned vehicles on official travel.
WO SUPPLEMENT 6509.33-2006-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2006
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301-10
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FSH 6509.33 - FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
STANDARD POSTING INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION, FSH 6509.33
(For further direction on organization and posting of parent text (white pages) see the Foreword
to the Federal Travel Regulation beginning on page i.)
ORGANIZATION. The Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) is divided into chapters, parts,
subparts (if applicable), sections, and paragraphs. The numbers 301, 302, 303, and 304 connote
specific chapters of Title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The number before the
decimal point indicates the part within each chapter; the number after the decimal point indicates
the section. For example 301-1.1 refers to:
Chapter
301-
Part
1.
Section
1
Pages within each part are consecutively numbered beginning with Arabic number 1. Each page
number is preceded by the part number; for example, the third page of Part 301-2 is numbered
2-3. Individual pages are identified by chapter in the running header.
TRANSMITTALS. Transmittals accompany parent text, Department supplements, and Forest
Service supplements. File transmittals at the front of the Handbook in numerical sequence with
the highest amendment or supplement number first. Group the transmittals in the following
order by issuing Agency and unit level:
- Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) (white transmittals);
- Agriculture Travel Regulations (ATR) supplements (yellow transmittals);
- Forest Service Travel Regulations (FSTR) supplements (buff transmittals);
- Region, Station, or Area Supplements (blue transmittals); and
- Forest Supplements (green transmittals).
SUPPLEMENTS AND INTERIM DIRECTIVES. Post supplements to the parent text of the
Federal Travel Regulation (white pages) at the end of each part (for example, at the end of part
301-1, 301-2, and so on) by color in the following order:
- Agriculture Travel Regulations (ATR) supplements (yellow pages);
- Forest Service Travel Regulations (FSTR) supplements (buff pages);
- Washington Office ID's (pink pages);
- Region, Station, or Area Supplements (blue pages);
- Region, Station, or Area ID's (pink pages);
- Forest Supplements (green pages); and
- Forest ID's (pink pages).
WO SUPPLEMENT 6509.33-2006-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2006
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301-10
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FSH 6509.33 - FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
Table of Contents
301-10.7 – How should I route my travel? ................................................................................. 4
301-10.107 – When must I use a contract city-pair fare? ....................................................... 6
301-10.303 - What am I reimbursed when use of a POV is determined by my agency to be
advantageous to the Government? .............................................................................. 8
WO SUPPLEMENT 6509.33-2006-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2006
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301-10
Page 4 of 8
FSH 6509.33 - FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
Subpart A - General
301-10.7 – How should I route my travel?
The Forest Service shall adhere to the following prescribed policy on a new form of
compensatory time off under Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, section 550.1404 for time
spent by an employee in travel status away from the employee’s official duty station when such
time is not otherwise compensable.
To qualify for compensatory time off, one or more of the following conditions must exist:
1. The travel must have been for work purposes and must be officially approved by an
authorized agency official.
2. Hours spent in travel status in which compensatory time off can be claimed are limited
to time actually spent in traveling between the official duty station and the temporary duty
station or between two temporary duty stations and the usual waiting time that precedes or
interrupts such travel. The term “usual waiting time” has been determined to include normal
check-in time required for domestic or international flights at the point of origin or on a
connecting flight.
3. An employee in travel status is caught in a delay situation that is outside the
employees’ regular working hours where the airline advises passengers to stay within the
boarding area since departure could be any minute, the time is compensable; even if the time
stretches into several hours. However, if the flight is cancelled and the employee has to book, or
the airline has booked the employee, on the next available flight that is several hours wait time,
the employee is now free to rest, sleep, or otherwise use the time for their own purpose, the
employee is now only entitled to a maximum of 3 hours of compensatory time for the extended
waiting time spent at the airport.
If an employee experiences an unusually long wait prior to their initial departure or between
actual periods of travel during which the employee is free to rest, sleep, or otherwise use the time
for their own purposes, the extended waiting time that is outside the employee’s regular working
hours is not creditable time in travel status. In addition, employees cannot earn compensatory
time off for bona fide meal periods during travel or claim time spent traveling to or from an
airport that is within the limits of their official duty station.
The National Finance Center (NFC) has established two new transaction/prefix codes to be used
on time and attendance reports to distinguish this type of compensatory time. Record
compensatory time off earned for travel as Transaction Code 32, Prefix 78. Record as
Transaction Code 64, Prefix 78 when the compensatory time off is used.
WO SUPPLEMENT 6509.33-2006-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2006
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301-10
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FSH 6509.33 - FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
Compensatory time off for travel may be earned in 15-minute increments. Compensatory time
off for travel must be used by the end of the 26th pay period after it was earned or be forfeited,
except when the employee is performing active military duties for the armed service or is on
leave without pay due to an on-the-job injury.
WO SUPPLEMENT 6509.33-2006-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2006
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301-10
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FSH 6509.33 - FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
Subpart B – Common Carrier Transportation
301-10.107 – When must I use a contract city-pair fare?
The Forest Service shall adhere to the following prescribed policy stated in the Federal Travel
Regulation (FTR) as it relates to non-refundable airfare tickets.
You must always use a contract city-pair fare for scheduled air passenger transportation service,
unless one or more of the following conditions exists:
1. Space or a scheduled contract flight is not available in time to accomplish the purpose
of your travel, or use of contract service would require you to incur unnecessary overnight
lodging costs which would increase the total cost of the trip; or
2. The contractor’s flight schedule is inconsistent with explicit policies of your Federal
department or agency with regard to scheduling travel during normal working hours; or
3. A non-contract carrier offers a lower fare available to the general public, the use of
which will result in a lower total trip cost to the Government, to include the combined costs of
transportation, lodging, meals, and related expenses;
4. Rail service is available and such service is cost effective and consistent with mission
requirements; or
5. Smoking is permitted on the contract flight and the nonsmoking section of the aircraft
for the contract flight is not acceptable to you.
These exceptions will be reviewed periodically for compliance.
In addition to meeting one of the requirements listed above, when the fare is non-refundable, the
employee must know or reasonably anticipate, based on the planned trip, that they will use the
ticket. If a non-refundable ticket is appropriately purchased and the official travel is canceled for
official reasons, for example, conference canceled, agency work priority, and so forth, the
employee will be able to claim the cost of the ticket using the Forest Service Travel System. In
the remarks section of the travel voucher worksheet add the following statements: Nonrefundable ticket not used on (give dates and reason(s)). Non-refundable ticket will be used on
the next travel voucher.
When the ticket is used, the employee may not claim the cost of the ticket, but may claim the
change fee and any additional cost on the new travel voucher. In the remarks section of the
worksheet add the following statement: Used a non-refundable ticket claimed on travel voucher
dated, mm/dd/yyyy.
WO SUPPLEMENT 6509.33-2006-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2006
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301-10
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FSH 6509.33 - FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
If a non-refundable ticket is inappropriately purchased and the official travel is cancelled for
non-official reasons, for example, employee no show, personal leave taken, and so forth, the
employee will not be able to claim the ticket price on their voucher and will be personally liable
for the cost of the ticket.
WO SUPPLEMENT 6509.33-2006-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2006
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301-10
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FSH 6509.33 - FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
PART 301-10 – TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
Subpart D - Privately Owned Vehicle (POV)
301-10.303 - What am I reimbursed when use of a POV is determined by my
agency to be advantageous to the Government?
The Forest Service shall adhere to the established mileage reimbursement rates for federal
employees who use privately owned vehicles while on official travel.
The rate of reimbursement when you use your privately owned vehicle (POV) for Government
business is dependent upon the availability of Government-owned vehicles (GOV). The rates for
the use of these modes of transportation, are subject to change at any time, therefore, current
POV rates are posted to the GSA Web page at http://www.gsa.gov. The rates are normally in
effect as of January 1, and are normally less if the POV is a motorcycle.
1. No Government Owned Vehicle Available. When it has been determined by your
supervisor/approving official that the use of a POV is advantageous to the Government or when
there is no GOV available.
2. Government Owned Vehicle Available. When it has been determined by your
supervisor/approving official that the use of a GOV is advantageous to the government, a GOV
is available and you are neither personally assigned a GOV, nor committed to the use of a GOV,
and you use a POV as a matter of personal preference.
3. Committed to Use Government Owned Vehicle. When it has been determined by
your supervisor/approving official that the use of a GOV is advantageous to the Government,
you are either personally assigned a GOV, or you would not normally be allowed the use of a
POV, for example, a number of GOV’s are assigned to your office and if available, their use is
mandatory, and you use a POV as a matter of personal preference.