Vehicle Use/Rental

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Policy Number:
UW-3019
Old Policy Number:
314
Responsible Office:
Accounting Services, Division of Business Services

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

The university has a managed travel program. Travel policy is established to ensure prudent use of university resources while ensuring the safety of travelers and minimizing the administrative burden on travelers and support staff.

Definitions:
Headquarters Location
The official location where the work of an employee’s position is performed on a permanent basis; this is typically the campus or institution office. The headquarters location is determined by the needs of the University and is assigned at the time of hire or upon entering into a remote work agreement.
Commute mileage
Mileage between the employee’s home and the employee’s assigned headquarters location.
Fleet vehicle
A vehicle owned by the state that may be used by employees for business use.
Managed travel program
Established policies, procedures, and best practices—universally applied to all travelers—designed to protect travelers, reduce costs, and allow for effective reporting while minimizing administrative burdens on travelers, travel arrangers, and travel approvers.
Non-employee
An individual traveling on behalf of the university who does not have a current employee appointment. Non-employees include contractors, volunteers, former employees, and students, among others. Travel policies apply to non-employees the same as employees.
Standard rate
Established by the federal government, the rate at which travelers are reimbursed for personal vehicle mileage.
Traveler
An individual (employee, student, or non-employee) who has been authorized to travel on behalf of the university on official university business or sanctioned purpose. All university travelers are required to comply with university policies and procedures.
University-sponsored travel
Travel that is any of the following:
  • Paid for in full or in part by the university
  • Paid directly or indirectly by the university
  • Organized by the university with participants or sponsors paying
  • Organized by others outside the university and paid for by the university
  • Sponsored by the university in the form of name, organization, communication, management, staffing, transportation, or space provision.
Scope:

Applies to faculty, staff, students, and non-employees traveling on or arranging university-sponsored travel.

Policy:

  • Policy Summary

    The university will pay or reimburse for business use of a vehicle. Employees must be authorized drivers prior to using a vehicle on university business. Vehicle options include using a personal vehicle, renting a vehicle, or utilizing the university’s fleet of vehicles. Travelers are expected to utilize the most cost-effective option when traveling by vehicle.

    Policy Detail

    1. Driver Authorization

      University employees who operate a vehicle on UW business—whether utilizing a personal vehicle, fleet vehicle, or rental vehicle—must be authorized to drive by UW–Madison Risk Management. Non-authorized drivers will not be reimbursed for vehicle-related expenses. Non-employees are not required to be authorized drivers unless they are: 

      1. A current UW student; or
      2. A volunteer on behalf of UW.

    2. Personal Vehicle Mileage

      Personal vehicle mileage is reimbursable at the federal mileage rate:

      Table 1. Personal vehicle mileage reimbursement rate
      Type of Vehicle Standard Rate (as of 1/1/24) Standard Rate (as of 01/01/25)
      Automobile $0.670 $0.70
      Motorcycle $0.650 $0.68

      1. Documentation

        Mileage reimbursements must be documented by a MapQuest or Google Maps printout or screenshot. A 10% tolerance may be used to account for detours, incidental miles, etc. An explanation must be provided for mileage claims that exceed the direct route by more than 10%. Mileage reimbursement requests for roundtrips of 1,000 miles or greater must be supported by an airfare cost comparison obtained during the trip-planning process. All associated costs must be considered (e.g., additional nights’ lodging, per diem allowance) when determining the final reimbursement amount.

         

    3. Mileage Reimbursement

      Commute mileage is non-reimbursable. Mileage reimbursements which depart from or return to a traveler’s home may be reduced accordingly. For purposes of this policy, the assigned work location of an employee who telecommutes from home shall be considered the UW–Madison campus on all days when that employee engages in any work activity on the UW–Madison campus.   

      1. Commute mileage:

        Commute mileage is non-reimbursable. 

      2. Local travel from/to assigned headquarters location:

        Business-related mileage is fully reimbursable when traveling from and returning to the assigned headquarters location.

      3. Local travel from/to an employee's home on a regularly scheduled workday:

        Reimbursement for business-related mileage which starts or ends at the traveler’s home cannot exceed what the mileage reimbursement would have been had the traveler started or ended at their assigned headquarters location. Travelers are reimbursed the lesser of:

        • Mileage between an employee's personal residence and their business destination; or
        • Mileage between an employee's assigned headquarters location and their business destination.

      4. Non-Workday Travel:

        Business-related mileage which occurs on a day when the traveler would not have otherwise been expected to be at their assigned headquarters location (e.g. weekends, legal holidays) is fully reimbursable. No reduction is made if the traveler departs from/returns to their home.

      5. Mileage to Airport, Train Station or other Transportation Terminal:

        • Travelers may be reimbursed for one round trip and parking at a transportation terminal; or
        • If travelers are dropped off at a transportation terminal, they may be reimbursed for two round trips to/from the transportation terminal in lieu of incurring mileage and parking costs.

    4. Vehicle Rental

      Travelers must use either the Big Ten Alliance contract with Enterprise and National Car rental or State of Wisconsin contract with Hertz when renting a vehicle for business use. If these vendors are not available, a non-contract vendor may be used.

      1. What to Book:

        Vehicle rentals are limited to mid-size SUV vehicle classes and below unless a documented business need requires a larger class vehicle.

      2. Booking Methods:

        Contract rentals through Enterprise, National, or Hertz may be booked through Concur or directly with the University’s contracted travel agency. If Enterprise, National, or Hertz do not serve a particular location and another vendor must be used, travelers are encouraged—but not required—to use the same methods to reserve a vehicle.

      3. Personal Use:

        Refer to the UW System personal use contracts page to view available personal use discounts and booking links. Note: insurance is not included, and travelers must pay additional costs for any insurances elected.

      4. Gasoline:

        The cost of gasoline for a rental vehicle is payable/reimbursable. Travelers are responsible for refueling the rental vehicle prior to returning it. The cost of vendor refueling of rental vehicles or prepay fuel packages will not be paid or reimbursed. Receipts are required for all gasoline reimbursements.

      5. Other Equipment and Services:

        Other equipment and services (e.g., GPS, satellite radio, roadside assistance protection) are not contracted for and will not be paid or reimbursed by the University.

      6. Insurance Provisions:

        • Domestic Rentals:

          The university’s vehicle rental contracts include collision (CDW) and liability (LDW) insurance coverage for U.S. originating rentals. Other or extra types of insurances are not payable/reimbursable and must be declined.

        • International Rentals:

          The Big Ten agreement offers rates and some insurance coverage for international rentals, but travelers are advised that rates and coverages vary by rental location. All insurances made available by the merchant are payable/reimbursable on international vehicle rentals.

        • Non-contract rentals:

          Vehicle rental CDW and LDW insurances must be purchased when renting from non-contract suppliers.

      Travelers and those that arrange travel for others must review the rental vehicle contracts for rates, surcharges and included coverages prior to renting a vehicle. Employees must verify that the Big Ten or WSCA (State of Wisconsin) contract ID number is referenced on the rental agreement to assure contract coverage appropriate terms, and rates. Drivers who reserve and pay for a non-contract rental vehicle with the university Corporate Travel Card have insurance benefits that will cover this insurance requirement. Refer to your benefits guide that came with your card.

    5. Fleet Vehicles

      The university has a fleet of vehicles that can be reserved for business use. See Transportation Services’ website for more information.

    6. Parking

      Parking while traveling for business purposes, including within the headquarters city, is payable and reimbursable. Parking at the headquarter office location is not payable or reimbursable. Short-term parking costs incurred by the driver when a traveler is being picked up or dropped off at the airport/airport terminal are payable and reimbursable. 

    7. Accident Reporting

      Regardless of the vehicle option chosen, travelers must report any accidents to:

      • Risk Management
      • UW–Madison Police Department
      • University supervisor/manager or host

    Consequences for Noncompliance

    Failure to comply with UW–Madison travel policy or procedures may result in disciplinary steps, up to and including dismissal.

    Responsibilities

    • Traveler/Travel Arranger:
      • Research and utilize the most cost-effective vehicle option.
      • Utilize contract vendors.
      • Get authorized to drive by Risk Management prior to travel.
      • Report accidents immediately.
      • Retain all necessary documentation including rental contract and fleet invoice.
Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:
External References:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Business Services and Controller
Policy Manager:
Travel Manager
Contact:
Expense Reimbursement -- Program Manager, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu
Effective Date:
10-01-2015
Revised Dates:

07-01-2020, 03-03-2022; 07-01-2022, 08-31-2022, 06-27-2023, 10-04-2023, 07-05-2024, 10-01-2024

Reviewed Dates:

07/01/2020

Retrieved:
07-08-2025 06:37:15