Travel Information

CHROME RIVER

ALL employee travel must be submitted through Chrome River – Approvals and Reconciliations.

Click on the link above to go to the Chrome River App.

At Utah Tech University,  the Travel Office is part of Business Services. Sharon “Chris” Alldredge is our Travel Specialist, and her extension is 7617.  Before traveling, please review the University’s updated Travel Policy – 223.  (Travel, Meals, Entertainment and Relocation Policy 223 and the International Travel Policy 224 have been updated and combined in the new policy.)

Request for Travel Authorization

A travel authorization (pre-approval) report must be submitted at least 14 days in advance (45 for international travel)  in order for your supervisor and budget admin to approve them  at least 5 business days (30 for international travel) prior to your trip. This form is used to prepare a budget for your trip, obtain approval to travel, and designate the index code(s) for trip expenses. No purchases related to the trip should be made until travel authorization is fully approved.

Airfare – All air reservations may be made online or through a travel agency. The State of Utah Travel Office is our preferred agency. State Travel will accept a Utah Tech PCard. If you do not have a PCard, please request for State Travel to charge our Travel PCard on file. State Travel will ask for your TA number to book your flight. This number is the last 6 digits of your Report ID found on your Chrome River Pre-Approval Report. To contact the State Travel Office, please email statetravel@utah.gov or call 800-367-3230.

Vehicles – The rules relating to vehicles used for University business trips are rather involved. Please read Policy 223, Section 4.9.1 – 4.9.6 very carefully. The following are some tips to help you prepare for your trip.

• Mileage reimbursement is limited to a maximum of 1,000 miles per trip. As distance becomes greater, you are encouraged to fly or rent a car.  If you are taking your personal vehicle, you will be reimbursed based on the current IRS Mileage Rates. Details of mileage can be reported through Chrome River when reporting mileage cost. A Personal Vehicle Mileage Form is provided here as a tracking resource. Please note that your personal insurance covers you when you are using a personal vehicle for University travel. There is no state coverage for privately-owned vehicles. You should never drive a personal vehicle on University business if you do not have it insured.
• If you would like to drive a UT fleet vehicle, please call Tamara Gentry in Facilities Management at extension 7566 to make your reservation. Your department index code(s) will be charged after you return from your trip. Facilities will need your “Auto Bot (Encumbrance)” POID CR#, found at the bottom of your travel authorization report in Chrome River. There are gas credit cards in UT fleet vehicles for your use. Visit with Tamara about them, especially if you’re traveling out of state. It is mandatory to take the Defensive Driving course before driving any UT vehicle. Facilities has information on this course. Spouses are allowed to accompany you in UT vehicles, but are not allowed to drive them. Minor children are not allowed to travel in UT vehicles. If you’re taking your children, please take or rent your own vehicle.
• If you would like to reserve a UT bus, please fill out the bus request form and contact Don Steck at extension 2051.
• Please refer to the Mileage Rates For Vehicles form for current rates for UT vehicles.
• Rental Vehicles – When you need a rental car, either in St. George or out of town, make the reservations through the State of Utah Travel Office to have state insurance coverage and to take advantage of state contract rates. You may book online under state contract through:
  Enterprise:      Enter code XZ47075 in the promo code box.
  Hertz:               Enter code 2257663 in the promo code box.
  You may also book directly through the State of Utah Travel Office – phone number:  800-367-3230; email: statetravel@utah.gov. Anyone can make the reservation. However, the reservation name and credit card must belong to the driver. You must take the Defensive Driving course before you rent a vehicle for business. You, as the UT employee, are the only authorized driver. Call Tamara Gentry at extension 7566 for more info. If you are able to get a state contract reservation, insurance is included in the rate.  If you are not using a state contract when you rent a vehicle, you will be personally liable for insurance and there will be no state coverage. You must purchase liability insurance with limits (100,000/300,000/25,000) and full Collision Damage Waiver coverage. This matches the coverage we have on state contract rentals and meets with the approval of the State Risk Management Department. When renting vehicles, you must have a credit card for payment.

Meals are calculated based on GSA per diem rates by location.  The per diem rate includes tips and no receipts are necessary. Partial travel days will be calculated at 75% of GSA per diem rate. PCards cannot be used for individual meals while traveling and will result in a PCard violation. Should you have a business meal while traveling which includes paying for individuals who are not employees at UT, you will need to report that separately and deduct the meal from your per diem for that day.  If you are traveling with a UT group and choose to give the group members cash for meals, you will need to complete the Group Travel Meal Receipt form and attach it to your travel expense report.

Travel Advances – Available for student group travel only. If you are traveling with an academic or athletic group of students, you may ask for a travel advance for part of the trip expenses. Please note that we need a minimum of 5 working days to process a travel advance. If you need an advance, please follow the instructions in the Chrome River User Guide.

Pre-Trip Payments –  State travel will accept your UT PCard (or personal card) when booking your trip. If you do not have a PCard, ask State Travel to charge the travel card on file. UT’s travel department will assign your transaction to your Chrome River account so that you can include it in your travel report.  Please use your personal credit card or a UT PCard to reserve and pay for hotel rooms. Any other pre-trip payments fall under the same guidelines of the purchasing policy.

Approvals – Travel authorizations and travel reports will route to supervisor and budget admin for approval.  Supervisors and budget admins are responsible to carefully review all reports. Approvals should be completed as soon as possible.  International trips will also be routed to VP and President. See the policy on International Travel for more information on additional approvals and protocols required.

TRAVEL EXPENSE REPORT

After you return from your trip, complete a travel expense report through Chrome River. This must be done within 15 days of your return. If your trip is late in the fiscal year, please file your report immediately.

If a UT fleet vehicle or UT bus was used, the appropriate amount will be billed to your index code(s) later. There is no need for you to record the amount on the travel expense report. For all other expense types, report actual cost and attach required receipts and documentation.

For private vehicle use, report beginning location (Utah Tech University) and all other business-related travel through the mileage expense tile in Chrome River.

Attach the original itemized hotel folio(s), or enter the amount allowed for alternate lodging accommodations ($20 per night).

To use a meal per diem, simply use the Meals Per Diem Wizard in Chrome River. If you paid for a business meal with a non-employee during your travel,  you will need to report that separately and deduct the meal from your per diem for that day.

Original receipts are required for all trip expenses except small gratuities, personal mileage, meal per diem, private residence stays, and miscellaneous expenses under ten dollars.

The travel expense report will route to your supervisor as well as the budget administrator over the index code(s) being charged for your trip before being reviewed at the travel office.

If there was a travel advance for your trip and you did not use all the advance money, your travel expense report will show a negative balance. Print the cover page of your travel report and provide it to the cashiers office with your payment.  Once paid, report payment and attach receipt on travel report using the Cash Advance Return tile before submitting your report. Your report should have a $0 balance.

If the University owes you money, it will be deposited into your checking account by the Accounts Payable Department after the approval process is completed.