Frequently Asked Questions
Contracted Travel Agencies - Traveling Abroad - Lodging - Car Rental - Per Diem - Travel Advances
Contracted Travel Agencies
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Traveling Abroad
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Lodging
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Car Rental
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Per Diem
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Travel Advances
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Contracted Travel Agencies
Q. How were the Contracted Travel Agencies chosen?
A. A Request for Proposal was conducted by the Illinois Public Higher Education Consortium (IPHEC). These agencies were awarded the contracts for the University of Illinois based on the best services and competitive fees.
Q. Which agency is best for my needs?
A. All agencies selected provide the same basic services. The Travel Agency Matrix Contracted Travel Agency Pricing Matrix (MS Excel) provides a summary of each agency's fees and a link to each agency's website where additional information can be found.
Q. Do the Contracted Travel Agencies provide Internet booking capability?
A. Yes, each agency's web site uses web scraper technology to search the most popular web travel sites simultaneously identify the most economical and efficient travel arrangements available.
Q. Can University P-Card (Mastercard) be used to make travel reservations?
A. The contracted method for purchasing airline, rail, and bus tickets is with the P-Card. Units have a designated P-Card holder(s) in their department whose P-Cards are authorized for travel purchases. The traveler is still responsible for retaining ticket stubs or itineraries that are required to process the travel voucher or to reconcile the P-Card travel purchase. The P-Card cannot be used for other travel reservations or purchases, such as hotels, car rental, etc.
Q. Can I use the Contracted Travel Agencies for personal travel?
A. Faculty and staff can use the contracted travel agencies for personal travel. All arrangements must be paid for by personal checks and/or personal credit cards at time of purchase.
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Traveling Abroad
Q. Where do I find information regarding passports, visas, travel announcements and warnings, and background on a specific country?
A. Contact one of the Contracted Travel Agencies or visit the U.S. Department of State's Website at: www.state.gov/travel.
Q. Where do I find information regarding vaccinations, health tips, etc. when traveling abroad?
A. Please visit the Centers for Disease Control's Website at: www.cdc.gov/travel or contact one of the Contracted Travel Agencies.
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Lodging
Q. How do I guarantee my lodging reservation?
A. Your personal credit card number guarantees your lodging reservation. When making your reservation, always request the state/government rate and confirm that it is the lowest rate available.
Q. What are the procedures for canceling a lodging reservation?
A. When making a reservation, ask about the cancellation policy. If you book your lodging through one of the contracted travel agencies, contact that agency to process your cancellation. If you must cancel a reservation, do so before the deadline. The University is not responsible for charges incurred due to late cancellations.
Q. What are the procedures for lodging reimbursement?
A. Obtain the original hotel billing receipt reflecting a zero balance to attach to the Travel/Employee Expense Reimbursement form (ERV). Before paying the bill carefully review to insure that the room charge reflects the authorized rate and that no unauthorized charges have been added. If you utilize a hotel's express or automatic checkout service, verify that the billed amount has actually been charged to your credit card.
Q. Whom should I contact with questions regarding special discount lodging programs such as Club Quarters and the Big 10?
A. Employees on all campuses should contact:
Cathy Young
Travel Programs Coordinator
Travel Management Office
Phone: 217-244-8750
E-mail:
cyoung45@uillinois.eduBack to top
Car Rental
Q. Should I accept the Optional Loss Damage Waiver when renting a car for University business?
A. No, unless you are renting a car in a foreign country while on University business. When the motor vehicle is rented from the University's contracted provider, National Car Rental, the optional Loss Damage Waiver is included at no additional charge to the base rental agreement at all domestic US locations.
Q. What type of insurance should I have?
A. Car rental fees normally include liability coverage and a deductible collision coverage. Any additional insurance purchased for rental cars usually only removes or reduces the deductible on collision coverage. Personal accident insurance is not reimbursable. Any fee which may be necessary to get any additional insurance coverage is not reimbursable.
Q. What should I do in case of a car accident while using a rented car?
A. Follow these steps:
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Stop immediately. Do not accept responsibility.
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Make no comment or statement regarding the accident, except to police or identified representative of your insurance company. You may be entirely blameless, witnesses will help to prove it.
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Get names and addresses of all witnesses and injured persons, names, addresses and insurance companies of the driver, owner and passengers, and the license number of any other car involved.
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Make immediate report to the State Motor Vehicle Department or other comparable administrative authority. It is your responsibility as a motorist to know and comply with the law in the state in which you are driving.
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Make immediate report to the rental company.
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Report the accident to your campus claims management office.
Q. Who is the authorized driver when more than one employee is traveling?
A. All persons who will be driving the vehicle should be listed on the rental contract. This will protect all persons listed and alleviate the question of who is an authorized driver.
Q. Should I inspect the vehicle?
A. Definitely. Do not accept a rental vehicle without first inspecting it for damage. If damage is noted, parts are missing, or functions are non-operational, report it immediately and have the damage or malfunction noted on the contract. This will prevent you from being held responsible for pre-existing damage.
Q. Am I allowed to make repairs on the rented car if necessary?
A. Make no repairs on a rented car without the explicit permission of the rental car agency. Contact the rental office for instructions.
Q. Should I refill the gas tank before returning the car?
A. Yes. Charges are substantially higher when the car is refueled by the car rental company. Please refuel prior to return.
Q. Whom should I contact if I have questions on issues related to renting a car for University business travel?
A. Employees on all campuses should contact:
Cathy Young
Travel Programs Coordinator
Travel Management Office
Phone: 217-244-8750
E-mail:
cyoung45@uillinois.edu
University Payables Customer Service
Phone: 217-333-6583
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Per Diem
Q. How is per diem calculated for foreign travel?
A. Per Diem is calculated at the out-of-state rate from the point of departure until arrival in the foreign country. From that point on, the per diem rates are those published by the U.S. State Department. (Please see Section 15.1, Travel Regulations, Foreign Travel, of the Business and Financial Policies and Procedures manual.)
Out-of-state rates begin again upon departure from the foreign country and continue until arrival in the United States. (Please see Section 15.1, Travel Regulations, Domestic Travel, of the Business and Financial Policies and Procedures manual.)
Q. If paying for a co-worker's meals while traveling, can I claim twice the per diem amount on my Employee Reimbursement Voucher?
A. No. You can only claim per diem for yourself.
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Travel Advances
Q. Can a student request a travel advance in his/her name?
A. Only if the student is also an employee and is traveling on university business (see Section 15.2, Travel Advances and Program Advances of the Business and Financial Policies and Procedures manual for additional information).
Q. Are travel advances limited to a certain dollar amount or other regulations?
A. There is no set maximum, but travel advance requests must provide a reasonable estimate of anticipated expenses and are normally only issued for foreign travel or for domestic travel exceeding 7 days. Exceptions can be made for group/team travel or other special circumstances (see Section 15.2, Travel Advances and Program Advances of the Business and Financial Policies and Procedures manual for additional information).
Travelers should always exercise good judgment and take appropriate precautions when obtaining and carrying significant amounts of cash. The employee is ultimately responsible for the cash advance and repayment of any unused balances.
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Last Updated: October 1, 2009