[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 240 (Monday, December 15, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69618-69619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30849]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Part 301-10

[FTR Amendment 2003-06; FTR Case 2003-308]
RIN 3090-AH89


Federal Travel Regulation; Privately Owned Vehicle Mileage 
Reimbursement

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule amends the mileage reimbursement rate for use 
of a privately owned vehicle (POV) on official travel to reflect 
current costs of operation as determined in cost studies conducted by 
the General Services Administration (GSA). The governing regulation is 
revised to increase the mileage allowance for advantageous use of a 
privately owned airplane from 95.5 to 99.5 cents per mile, the cost of 
operating a privately owned automobile from 36.0 to 37.5 cents per 
mile, and the cost of operating a privately owned motorcycle from 27.5 
to 28.5 cents per mile.

[[Page 69619]]


DATES: Effective Date: January 1, 2004.
    Applicability Date: This final rule applies to travel performed on 
or after January 1, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Regulatory Secretariat, Room 4035, 
GS Building, Washington, DC, 20405, (202) 208-7312, for information 
pertaining to status or publication schedules. For clarification of 
content, contact Devoanna R. Reels, Program Analyst, Office of 
Governmentwide Policy, Travel Management Policy, at (202) 501-3781. 
Please cite FTR Amendment 2003-06, FTR case 2003-308.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5707(b), the Administrator of General Services 
has the responsibility to establish the privately owned vehicle (POV) 
mileage reimbursement rates. Separate rates are set for airplanes, 
automobiles (including trucks), and motorcycles. In order to set these 
rates, GSA is required to conduct periodic investigations, in 
consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and Transportation, and 
representatives of Government employee organizations, of the cost of 
travel and the operation of POVs to employees while engaged on official 
business. As required, GSA conducted an investigation of the costs of 
operating a POV and is reporting the cost per mile determination. The 
results of the investigation have been reported to Congress, and a copy 
of the report appears as an attachment to this document. GSA's cost 
studies show the Administrator of General Services has determined the 
per-mile operating costs of a POV to be 99.5 cents for airplanes, 37.5 
cents for automobiles, and 28.5 cents for motorcycles. As provided in 5 
U.S.C. 5704(a)(1), the automobile reimbursement rate cannot exceed the 
single standard mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue 
Service (IRS). The IRS has announced a new single standard mileage rate 
for automobiles of 37.5 cents effective January 1, 2004. Additionally, 
based on updated data for the two-tiered reimbursement rates reflecting 
costs to an agency of operating a Government-furnished vehicle (GFV), 
the current reimbursement rate for use of a POV when a GFV is 
authorized decreased from 28.5 cents per mile to 27.0 cents per mile. 
The current reimbursement rate of 10.5 cents per mile for use of a POV 
by an employee when committed to use a Government automobile will 
remain the same.

B. Executive Order 12866

    This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not 
subject to review under section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866, 
Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is 
not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule is not required to be published in the Federal 
Register for notice and comment; therefore, the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., does not apply.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
the FTR do not impose recordkeeping or information collection 
requirements, or the collection of information from offerors, 
contractors, or members of the public that require the approval of the 
Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.

E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final rule is also exempt from congressional review prescribed 
under 5 U.S.C. 801 since it relates solely to agency management and 
personnel.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Part 301-10

    Government employees, Travel and transportation expenses.

    Dated: December 8, 2003.
Stephen A. Perry,
Administrator of General Services.

0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, under 5 U.S.C. 5701-5709, 
GSA amends 41 CFR part 301-10 as set forth below:

PART 301-10--TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES

0
1. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-10 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707; 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 49 U.S.C. 40118.

0
2. In Sec.  301-10.303 revise the last three entries in the table to 
read as follows:


Sec.  301-10.303  What am I reimbursed when use of a POV is determined 
by my agency to be advantageous to the Government?

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Your
                      For use of a                        reimbursement
                                                                is
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                * * * * *
Privately owned airplane...............................         \1\ 99.5
Privately owned automobile.............................         \1\ 37.5
Privately owned motorcycle.............................        \1\ 28.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Cents per mile.


0
3. Amend Sec.  301-10.310 in paragraph (a) by removing ``28.5'' and 
adding ``27.0'' in its place.

Attachment to Preamble--Report to Congress on the Costs of Operating 
Privately Owned Vehicle Mileage Reimbursement

    Paragraph (b)(1)(A) of section 5707 of Title 5, United States 
Code, requires that the Administrator of General Services, in 
consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and Transportation, and 
representatives of Government employee organizations, conduct 
periodic investigations of the cost of travel and the operation of 
privately owned vehicles (POVs) (airplanes, automobiles, and 
motorcycles) to Government employees while on official business and 
report the results to Congress at least once a year. Paragraph 
(b)(2)(B) of section 5707 of Title 5, United States Code, further 
requires that the Administrator of General Services determine the 
average, actual cost per mile for the use of each type of POV based 
on the results of the cost investigation. Such figures must be 
reported to Congress within 5 working days after the cost 
determination has been made in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 
5707(b)(2)(C).
    Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (b)(1)(A) of section 
5707 of Title 5, United States Code, the General Services 
Administration (GSA), in consultation with the Secretaries of 
Defense and Transportation, and representatives of Government 
employee organizations, conducted an investigation of the cost of 
operating a privately owned automobile. As provided in 5 U.S.C. 
5704(a)(1), the automobile reimbursement rate cannot exceed the 
single standard mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue 
Service (IRS). The IRS has announced a new single standard mileage 
rate for automobiles of 37.5 cents effective January 1, 2004.
    As required, GSA is reporting the results of the investigation 
and the cost per mile determination. Based on cost studies conducted 
by GSA, I have determined the per-mile operating costs of a POV to 
be 99.5 cents for airplanes, 37.5 cents for automobiles, and 28.5 
cents for motorcycles.
    I will issue a regulation to increase the current 95.5 to 99.5 
cents for privately owned airplanes, 36.0 to 37.5 cents for 
privately owned automobiles, and 27.5 to 28.5 cents for privately 
owned motorcycles. This report to Congress on the cost of operating 
POVs will be published in the Federal Register.

[FR Doc. 03-30849 Filed 12-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-14-P