[Minor revision–posted 12/14/21 (replaces 2/21/14 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 79.06: Transportation Requests

DATE: December 14, 2021

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to set forth the policies and procedures governing the use of transportation requests (TR) for airfare for official business travel.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in November of odd-numbered years by the Section Manager of Travel Services with substantive revisions forwarded through the Chief Procurement Officer to the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Transportation requests (TR) are designed to assist employees who do not have a state travel card or personal credit card to pay for their major airline transportation costs. The cost of the airline ticket will be charged to the Texas Tech University Travel Services credit card, and the employee will not have to pay the airfare expense. The employee is required to claim the airfare expense and submit the airfare receipt as documentation when turning in a travel voucher.

2.  An employee does not qualify for a TR if the employee:

a.    Owes an outstanding balance to the university for previous travel; or

b.    The trip includes personal travel outside of headquarters and duty point.

3.  When requesting a TR using the travel application, the employee will be asked to verify that the employee is eligible for the TR and to supply the following information:

a.   The name of the travel agency (a scroll-down list is available) and the agent handling the reservations. If Southwest Airlines is used for the TR, instructions for using SWABIZ are available at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/procurement/resources/training-and-work-aids/documents/travel-services/TTU-Travel-Agencies-and-Transportation-Requests.pdf.

b.   The estimated cost of the airfare; and

c.    The flight's ultimate destination city and state.

4.  When an employee submits an online travel application requesting a TR, Travel Services will receive an automatic notification of the request.

a.    Upon review, Travel Services will approve the request and the travel system will automatically email both the traveler and the travel agency listed on the application.

b.    If there are problems with the application or if the TR request is denied, the travel system will notify the traveler via email.

5.  Only Travel Services may cancel travel applications that include TRs. Travel Services should be contacted immediately if a travel application that includes a TR needs to be canceled or modified.

6.  When Travel Services’ account is charged for the employee’s airfare, the cost will be charged to the FOP listed on the online travel application. The airfare is charged by the travel agency to the Travel Services’ account.

7.  The airfare expense is reconciled by submitting a travel voucher and claiming the exact amount charged, including travel agency fees, even if the TR is the only travel expense claimed.

OP Categories

• 01 Chancellor
• 02 Development
• 04 Audit Services
• 10 President
• 30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
• 32 Academic Policies – Faculty
• 34 Academic Policies – Students
• 36 Academic Programs
• 40 Equal Opportunity
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• 63 General Services
• 64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
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• 70 Human Resources
• 72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
• 73 Data Management
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• 77 Student Services and Registrar
• 78 Traffic and Parking
• 79 Travel
• 80 Vehicles