Two days late, DoD postpones travel card deadline

The Defense Department announced March 3 that employees will not be required to use charge cards for travel expenses until May 1. DoD had previously announced that travel charge card use would be mandatory on March 1.

Under the 1998 Travel and Transportation Reform Act, military and civilian defense employees and other federal employees must use the travel charge card, which is issued to employees through their agencies. Travel charge cards must be used for everything but minor expenses such as dry cleaning, parking and tips, under the act.

According to DoD, the agency needs more time to work out the details of its travel charge card program. "Within DoD the primary reason for the delay is that we were so late receiving the guidance," said Nelson Toye, DoD's deputy chief financial officer.

The original deadline for implementing the law was Jan. 1, 2000, but that was pushed back governmentwide to March 1 earlier this year. The Defense Department was granted a last minute grace period on March 1. The General Services Administration made it clear that the agency doesn't get any more extensions, Defense officials said.

The Defense Department's new travel card rules will be included in Volume 9, "Travel Policy and Procedures," of the DoD Financial Management Regulation (DoD 7000.14-R).

For answers to common questions about the new travel law, click here.