Policy: 201.B-Travel: Fleet Vehicles vs. Privately Owned Vehicles Including Mileage, Parking, and Gas
Date: 02/21/05 (Updated
9/17/09)
Statement of Policy:
Driving a Fleet Vehicle
If you are a new employee or have never driven a fleet vehicle, you will need to be authorized to drive by the Office of Risk Management. Please refer to the Risk Management website regarding driver authorization guidelines and forms: http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/risk_mgt/drivetable.html
Remember that you must be listed on the website in order to even reserve a vehicle, so advance planning is advisable.
Mileage Reimbursement Rates for Use of a Privately Owned Vehicle
Break-even mileage for the Madison campus is 300 miles, which means if the round trip mileage is 300 miles or less per trip the traveler may receive $0.485 per mile. If the round trip is over 300 miles, and the traveler takes his/her privately owned car the reimbursement is only $0.365 per mile. To receive $0.485 per mile reimbursement for round trips over 300 miles, attach non-availability slips from both the UW Car Fleet Office and the DOA Car Fleet Office.
An additional 1¢ per mile may be reimbursed to an employee for the use of a personal vehicle when used as an emergency vehicle, or when the installation of special equipment is required, such as the pulling of trailers, or under conditions which cause excessive wear or depreciation.
An additional 1¢ per mile may be reimbursed to an employee for transporting two or more passengers in addition to the driver in a privately owned vehicle, provided the passengers are also engaged in UW business. The names of employee passengers must be listed on the expense report of the driver when seeking reimbursement in excess of the standard reimbursement rate.
An additional 4¢ per mile may be reimbursed to an employe when a privately owned vehicle is operated off the roadway (construction areas, etc.).
Persons with disabilities who use a privately owned, specially equipped van on UW business, shall be reimbursed at the rate of $0.66 per mile. When a state-owned van, specially equipped for disabled employees is available, the reimbursement rate shall be $0.61 per mile unless a certification of non-availability is provided or blanket approval has been granted under the ADA procedures. Please contact your Human Resources area for information on ADA accommodations.
Employees may be reimbursed for the use of privately owned motorcycles on UW business at the rate of $0.285 per mile. Only one individual (the driver) shall be transported on a motorcycle. Reimbursement for use of privately owned mopeds or bicycles is not authorized.
Additional Information for Use of a Privately Owned Vehicle
Charges for repairs, tow service, locksmith services, jump starts, lubrication, traffic citations, parking tickets, etc., are the employe's responsibility and are not reimbursable.
The daily originating location and destination location should be stated on the expense report. An explanation must be provided for mileage in excess of normal map mileage. Travelers using rented or fleet vehicles may not claim mileage.
When a supervisor determines that an employee's vehicle is required for travel to a work site other than the permanent work site, the employee shall be reimbursed for mileage from home to the work site or the assigned headquarters to the work site, whichever is less.
When the supervisor determines that an employee's vehicle is not required for travel to a work site removed from the assigned headquarters, the employee shall be reimbursed for mileage from the employee's home to an approved pickup point which is in excess of the mileage from the employee's home to the assigned headquarters. However, mileage between work sites is reimbursable.
Mileage between the employee's residence and assigned headquarters is not reimbursable except on days when the employee also uses the automobile for transportation between a commercial transportation terminal (air, train,or bus) and the office for an official trip, and provided the mileage cost is less than taxi fare between office and the terminal, including allowable tip.
Round-trip mileage between the employee's home and airport to drop off and pick up the employee on both the day of departure and day of return is allowable when the total mileage cost does not exceed the cost of one round-trip mileage between office and airport plus airport parking cost that would have been incurred had the employee left the vehicle at the airport.
When two or more employees are going to the same destination, additional mileage required to pick up and drop off employees at their homes may be reimbursed provided it is more time/cost-efficient for the UW.
Parking
Parking charges incurred at the employee's permanent work site are not reimbursable. Other parking charges, tolls, etc., incurred while on authorized official business are reimbursable. Receipts required for parking claims in excess of $25.00.
Gas
At the employee's request, reimbursement for gasoline cost in lieu of using the mileage rate will be allowed if the total claim does not exceed the mileage rate that would have been allowed. Receipt required for expenses claimed in excess of $25.00.
Related Procedure(s):
Related Procedures for e-Reimbursement Users:
Use expense type Gas when purchasing gasoline for:
- personal vehicle in lieu of claiming mileage
- refueling car rentals
- fleet vehicles when State/UW gas card is not accepted
How to enter gas expense (see Policy: 201.T-Travel: Entering Expenses in e-Reimbursement):
- Receipts are required for gas purchases exceeding $25.
- Enter gas purchases to match the transaction or payments/receipt.
- Multiple gas purchases may be combined into one expense line when the total is less than $25, with a brief description of the location and amount of each payment.
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Click on the "Detail" link at the end of the expense type line and enter the required information:
- Location
- Description
Reimbursement for miles driven for UW-related business when the traveler takes his/her privately owned vehicle.
How to enter mileage expense (see Policy: 201.T-Travel: Entering Expenses in e-Reimbursement):
- Enter mileage for each trip on one expense line.
- “Each trip” begins when the traveler leaves their headquarters until they return to their headquarters.
- Receipts are not required but, non-availability slips may be required (see http://fpm-www2.fpm.wisc.edu/ppnew/fleet/NonAvail.htm).

Click on the "Detail" link at the end of the expense type line and enter the required information:
- Transportation ID: choose from drop down menu
Note: Mileage rates are built into the application and are not shown below.
Transportation ID
Calculations/Circumstances
AUTO HI
- round trip mileage is 300 miles or less per trip;
- round trip mileage is over 300 miles and attach non-availability slips from both the UW Car Fleet Office and the DOA Car Fleet Office
AUTO LO
- round trip is over 300 miles
AUTO XTRA HI
- use of a personal vehicle when used as an emergency vehicle, or when the installation of special equipment is required, such as the pulling of trailers, or under conditions which cause excessive wear or depreciation
- transporting two or more passengers in addition to the driver in a privately owned vehicle, provided the passengers are also engaged in UW business
AUTO XTRA LO
- use of a personal vehicle when used as an emergency vehicle, or when the installation of special equipment is required, such as the pulling of trailers, or under conditions which cause excessive wear or depreciation
- transporting two or more passengers in addition to the driver in a privately owned vehicle, provided the passengers are also engaged in UW business
MOTORCYCLE
- motorcycle
OFF ROAD HIGH
- automobile rate with allowance for off road use
OFF ROAD LOW
- privately owned vehicle is operated off the roadway (construction areas, etc.)
PERSONAL PLANE
- personally owned airplane
SP EQ VAN HI
- persons with disabilities who use a privately owned, specially equipped van on UW business
SP EQ VAN LO
- state-owned van, specially equipped for disabled employees is available; apply the turndown rate unless a certification of non-availability is provided or blanket approval has been granted under the ADA procedures
VOLLEYBALL CAMP
- for Athletics Department use only
- Miles: number of miles driven
- Originating Location
- Destination Location
- Description: itinerary (e.g., Madison-Milwaukee and return)
- Amount Spent: automatically calculated based on Transportation ID
Parking charges incurred at locations other than the employee’s permanent work site while on authorized official business.
How to enter parking expense (see Policy: 201.T-Travel: Entering Expenses in e-Reimbursement):
- A receipt is required when the payment or transaction exceeds $25.
- If parking multiple days at one location, such as at an airport or hotel and making one payment, enter on one expense line on the date payment is made.
- Multiple parking expenses may be combined into one expense line when the total is less than $25, with a brief description of each parking expense and amount of each payment.
Scenario 1: Traveler parks at the airport for five days @ $8 per day. Traveler pays the parking fee of $40 in one payment on Day 5. A receipt is required and one parking expense of $40 on Day 5 is entered in e-Reimbursement.
Scenario 2: Traveler parks at their hotel during a three day stay and is charged parking expenses of $18.00 for each of the three days. Traveler pays the parking fee of $54 in one payment as part of their hotel bill checkout on Day 3. A receipt is required and will typically be included on their hotel receipt. One parking expense of $54 on Day 3 is entered in e-Reimbursement.
Scenario 3: Traveler drives to Location 1 in Milwaukee and incurs parking charges of $8, paid upon exit from the parking ramp. Traveler next drives to Location 2 in Milwaukee and incurs parking charges of $6, paid upon exit from the parking ramp. Traveler then drives to Racine and incurs parking charges of $4 which is paid into a parking meter. The three parking charges can be consolidated into one expense line entry of $18, with a brief description of the location and amount of each payment. No receipt is required because the total expenses are less than $25.
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Click on the "Detail" link at the end of the expense type line and enter the required information:
- Location
- Description
Who should know this policy?
Deans, Directors, employees who travel and staff who prepare travel reimbursements
Related Documents:
- Travel Index
- 201.L-Travel: Receipt Requirements
- 201.M-Travel: Non-Reimbursable Expenses
- 201.T-Travel: Entering Expenses in e-Reimbursement
UW Madison Links
Contacts:
Dean/Director’s Business Office may e-mail uwtravel@bussvc.wisc.edu with questions.
Travelers and departmental staff should contact their respective Dean/Director’s Business Office for policy or procedural questions
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