Transportation - Vehicles

Office of Financial Services

Please note that this page contains summary information.  Please refer to the Travel Program Policies and Procedures guide for additional information on these topics.

Rental Vehicle

All employees are REQUIRED to choose from the following car rental companies: Enterprise Rent-A-Car/National Car Rental, Avis/Budget Group and Hertz Corporation. When traveling by automobile, employees must use a rental unless the department’s budget authority approves the use of a personal vehicle prior to travel (see "Personal Vehicle'' below). Car reservations are reserved using the car rental agency's online website or with UT Tyler's travel agencies (CTP or ATI) when making flight reservations. Car reservations will be charged to a university direct-billed travel credit card or a personal credit card. All 12-passenger vans are centrally billed and reserved through UT Tyler's travel office. As a reminder, 12-passenger van specific training is required; please contact Campus Police for details.

Non-Compliance Policy

Rental Vehicle Non-reimbursable Expenses
-Additional Optional Insurances (i.e.: Personal Accident/Effects, Safe Trip)
-Any Prepaid Service Charge (i.e.: Toll, Fuel)
-Parking Violations/Moving Citations
-Non‐Business Essential Service (GPS, Frequent Flyer Credit, Satellite Radio, Vehicle Delivery Fees)

Reservations

A reservation made 24 hours or less prior to pickup time requires a phone call to the rental company to ensure availability.  Please verify location of rental car business and times the business is open prior to departing to make your pickup.

NOTE: The UT Share/PeopleSoft® Travel Authorization (TA) is a numerical "Authorization ID" that is entered within your reservation. The TA is usually created by a departmental administrative assistant.

Avis/Budget
Additional fees assessed for one-way rentals - see UT System Car Company Contract link below.
Membership Setup - Avis (One time only.)
Membership Setup - Budget (One time only.)
Member log-in (Enter your TA in the Cost Control field.)

Enterprise/National
Membership Setup and Member log-in (Enter your TA number on the online registration form.  Note: Enterprise will not deliver to campus.)  

Hertz
Membership Setup (One time only.)
Member log-in (Enter your TA in the Company Order/Billing Reference Number field in the Arrival/Flight Information section.)

Policy Exception for Rental Cars
UT System has mandated the use of the car rental vendors noted above, and has mandated that they must be used unless none of the vendors are able to provide the vehicle type necessary at the location and date required.

UT System Car Company Contracts (For informational purposes only.)

Personal Vehicle

• When using a personal vehicle, budget authority approval must be obtained prior to travel and documented in the “Comment” section in the expense report.  For conservation of University funds, the most cost effective manner of travel must be taken into consideration to include but not limited to: mileage, airport fees, one way rentals, and gasoline. 
• The 2024 mileage rate for Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 is 67 cents per mile.  The 2023 mileage rate for Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 is 65.5 cents per mile.   
• Point-to-point mileage may be documented by MapQuest (UT Tyler's designated online mapping service) or by an employee's vehicle odometer reading. When using MapQuest the shortest distance option must be selected and maps must be dated with the current fiscal year.
• Travel when using a personal vehicle to conduct official university business is strongly discouraged since the employee's personal auto insurance will be primary at all times and includes the employee owner and all additional occupants., see UTS157, Section 3.4.
• UT Tyler strongly discourages two or more employees traveling together in a personal vehicle because of the liability carried by the vehicle owner.
• Mileage between a traveler's personal residence and place of employment is never reimbursable.

Reimbursable Expenses

Parking: A receipt is not required, but date and amount must be listed for each day parking was incurred. Valet parking is reimbursable if the traveler is staying at the lodging establishment or attending a conference at the establishment.

Tolls: Toll expenses incurred for business purposes are reimbursable. A state agency may not reimburse a state employee for tolls paid if none of the mileage or rental cost is reimbursable.

Mass Transit, Taxi or Limousine: A receipt or an itemized log is required. Documentation must show the date and the fare charged for each trip.