Transportation Purchasing Card

Divisions may apply for purchasing card(s) with transportation purchasing ability (referred to a Transportation Purchasing Card in this policy) to purchase airfare/rail and to arrange and pay for shuttle service between Columbia and the St. Louis and Kansas City airports.

The objectives of the Transportation Purchasing Card are to ensure:

• The trip is a proper University expenditure and complies with University policy and tax laws.
• An administrative superior approved the trip.
• The trip leverages University contracts with travel agencies (see the Accounting Services MU Travel Web site for contracted agencies and airlines).
• The airfare is correctly charged in our accounting system.
• The process simplifies administration for the University and the University's travel agencies.
• The University obtains airfare data to effectively manage our relationships with travel agencies and the airlines.

Procedures

The control points in this process are the cardholder and the approver. Each division fiscal office should establish internal procedures to ensure compliance with the above objectives, including:

• Designate individuals to be issued a Transportation Purchasing Card.
• Have designated employees complete the Purchasing Card Application. Go to Web Applications and select Employee Information then click on Travel/Procurement Card Application.
• Review the Purchasing Card Policy Manual for further information on applying for and using the Transportation Purchasing Card.
• Retain documentation of each purchase (the agency will e-mail, fax or mail the itinerary to the cardholder and will mail the passenger receipt and a copy of the itinerary to the traveler).
• Follow Purchasing Card policies and procedures and clearly document and obtain approval of exceptions.
• Document the business purpose of the trip as part of the filed receipt (business purpose is required for tax purposes as an accountable plan). Spell out any acronyms. The receipt is normally the itinerary invoice.
• Include documentation of administrative superior approval with the filed receipt.
• Verify on travel vouchers that any airfare claimed was not charged to a Transportation Purchasing Card.
• Use the Transportation Purchasing Card only with University contracted travel agencies and the Columbia-based airport shuttles or to purchase airfare on the Internet.
• Designate individuals to review/approve transactions at least monthly.
• Encourage individuals to obtain a travel card since the Transportation Purchasing Card cannot be used for travel expenses (See 4:020).

Guidelines for Use of the Card

The University contracts with travel agencies for services. At the same time, purchasing airfare on the Internet is becoming more common. When evaluating whether to use an Internet site or a travel agency to purchase airfare, consider the following:

• Must obtain the lowest available fare (coach).
• Contracted agencies charge a reduced transaction fee, while fees on Internet sites may be more or less or may not be clearly defined.
• You may be able to obtain a better price over the Internet than through an agency for a specific flight (the same airline, routing, departure/return day and time), for example, the airline may offer discounted fares through its Web site or Web sites it owns.
• The agency does the work that you might have to do in finding a fare you want and booking your trip. You have to decide if this is a good use of your time.
• Our contracted agencies are required to provide the best possible published fare in the computerized reservation system agencies use (they have specialized software to do so). They can also assist with routing to obtain the most economical fare, as well as using consolidators and wholesalers that Internet sites may not use.
• The ticket you buy often comes with rules, such as nonrefundable, that an agency can help you understand and work with. Once you click to purchase a ticket on the Internet, you are committed, regardless of any changes in your circumstances, such as illness or cancellation of a meeting.
• If you buy a ticket through an agency and have problems with your ticket or while on your trip, you can call the agency for assistance.
• The agency tracks unused tickets and assists in obtaining refunds or converting these to future use, where feasible.
• The agency provides free delivery of the itinerary (paper or e-mail).
• If the airline reduces your fare after you buy your ticket, the agency will reissue your ticket at the lower price, less the airline's transaction fee.