Transportation Contracts
Last Updated: September 19, 2008State of California Authorized Travel Agencies
CSUS employees may use State of California authorized travel agencies for official business.
For a complete list of travel agencies and their fees please click here.
Airlines for Official Business
To obtain the best airfare for your Sac State travel, please consider the type of trip you are taking and then look at the following options:
State YCAL and VCAL Rates
The State of California Department of General Services (DGS) contracts with airlines for common routes taken by State employees. Sacramento State is not obligated to use these rates. The rate identifiers are YCAL (unrestricted and fully refundable) and VCAL (capacity controlled – but still fully refundable). Rates on these types of tickets continue to climb each year; but, the major advantage is that they are fully refundable and can be easily changed even on the day of travel. These types of fares are good when a meeting or event is not firm and the date or time may change. You do not have to pay any change fees to cancel or change this ticket.
Click here for a complete listing of city-pairs and fares.
Published Discounted Rates
Many airlines offer special discounted rates that often beat the YCAL and VCAL rates; however, these types of tickets are usually not refundable and have restrictions and change fees associated with them. These types of fares are great when the meeting, conference or event is set in stone and you are committed to the trip. However, if you need to make a change to a restricted ticket and pay an extra fee, provide a short explanation on the Travel Expense Claim Form in Section 8 (Purpose of Trip, Remarks and Details), i.e., that the meeting got out late, event date changed, emergency on campus, and so on. This brief explanation for change is required by the Chancellor’s Office travel policy whether or not the combined fare (original plus fees/penalties) is still lower then the associated YCAL or VCAL rates.
PLEASE NOTE: Although Southwest Airlines does not have state contract fares for 2008/2009, fares are competitive for many popular California routes. Swabiz.com
Commercial Automobile Rentals
When a state-owned vehicle is not available and automobile travel is essential to conduct official business, commercial automobiles may be rented. Each year, the Chancellor's Office and the Department of General Services contract with various car rental agencies to provide state rates for official business trips. Faculty and staff should use the primary vendor, Enterprise unless a vehicle is not available for them and then the secondary vendors, National or Alamo , may be used. Use of the state contracted rates includes necessary insurance coverage. These rates are also available through CRBTA, Car Rental Business Travel Account to avoid making the payment yourself . If the department has agreed to pay for the car rental and provides you with the fund, dept ID, and class (if needed), you may visit Enterprise.com to access the corporate sign on, enter DBCA105 in the field for corporate number and then CSU in the box for the company's first three characters. At the time of rental, you must provide you ID identifying you as a state employee and the identifying fund/dept ID/(class) information.
Employees should not purchase collision insurance (called Collision Damage Waiver or Loss Damage Waiver) or medical insurance (often called Personal Accident Insurance) when renting automobiles for official business. The university will not reimburse for CDW, LDW, or PAI. If an employee sustains any financial loss by reason of their not having purchased a damage waiver, they may claim reimbursement for such loss. If an individual sustains a personal injury while operating a rented vehicle in the conduct of official business, the individual is covered under the provisions of Worker's Compensation Insurance Laws.
Questions concerning insurance coverage should be directed to the Risk Management and Insurance Director in Risk Management Services at 278-7233.
Employees wishing to extend the rental of a vehicle for personal use must make arrangements with the contract vendor to have the rental agreement closed out at the end of their state business and to have a new rental agreement drawn up for their personal use.
Click here for information on state contracted car rental agencies, state rates, and their toll free telephone numbers
Note: Please reference the Corporate ID number when making reservations.
State Vehicles
It is University policy to encourage the use of state-owned vehicles. For questions concerning the use of these vehicles, call the Accounts Payable office at 278-6476.State-owned vehicles are to be used only in the conduct of official state business. Only faculty, staff, student assistants who are in state funded pay status, and authorized volunteer employees may drive state vehicles.
The campus may not loan or lease a state vehicle to any auxiliary organization. Staff members of an auxiliary organization paid by that organization are not considered state employees.
Certain instructional related programs are considered "official university business" and state vehicles may be used for these programs when approved by the appropriate dean or program center administrator.
CSUS students having state or class-related purposes in accompanying a faculty or staff member engaged in official university business may be transported as passengers. No other passenger may be transported unless written approval is obtained in advance from a dean or program center administrator.
A state vehicle may be parked at the faculty or staff member's home only when the vehicle is to be used in the conduct of official state business the same day or before usual working hours on the next succeeding workday and where such later use has been authorized in writing by their supervisor. The vehicle shall be parked off the street in the individual's driveway, garage, or other location that removes it from the street. State cars should not be parked overnight at an airport unless there is no other practical and reasonable way for the individual to go to and from the airport.
The Department of General Services (DGS) charge card must be used for the rental of state-owned vehicles for official university business. Send requests for DGS cards to Susan Johnson, Accounts Payable Supervisor, Sequoia Hall 311, mail code 6004. In the event that the card is lost or misplaced, please notify the Accounts PayableOffice immediately at extension 8-6476.
State Garage Vehicles
State pool vehicles for short term use may be obtained locally at 1416 Tenth Street, Sacramento. Phone 657-2327 for reservations. A DGS charge card is required.Click here for a complete list of State Garage locations and rates throughout California and follow the link to Garage Operations.
