Defense Travel System adds online reservation tool

An upgrade to the Defense Department's automated travel management system allows federal travelers to make hotel, airline and rental car reservations directly with vendors via the Internet.

The Defense Travel System (DTS), the long-awaited automated system for Defense travelers, is up and running at more than 20 locations and a new program expansion will allow travelers to electronically plan each detail of their travel schedule, including specifics such as choosing a plane seat or rental car size.

The "Enhanced Jefferson," a DTS program upgrade launched on June 21, works in a similar way to online travel reservation Web sites, such as Travelocity and Expedia, said Paul Joyce, chief of the travel reengineering branch for DTS. Defense's 3.5 million active duty service members, reservists and civilian employees file approximately 5 million vouchers for more than $5 billion in travel costs each year.

"It's strictly a Web-based system," said Joyce. "You don't need to load any software on the work station anymore; you simply log on and that's it," he said. The new system also eliminates the need for paper vouchers and the use of a travel agent.

The new program incorporates Defense travel policy rules, so per diem rates are calculated automatically. The program also identifies areas where more information or justification is needed. For example, the system recognizes that travelers must, in most instances, use designated contract carriers to travel between particular pairs of cities. "If a traveler cannot use a city-pair carrier or fare … the system would automatically flag that," Joyce said.

The new program may also help with Defense's effort to reduce its travel card delinquency rate, Joyce said, because travelers can choose to have their reimbursement go directly to the charge card provider. Travelers who want to extend their stay in a particular city can also make arrangements for personal leave using the new program, as well as process group travel authorizations.

Joyce said eventually the system would link to the budgeting and finance systems of Defense agencies, allowing them to access up-to-the-minute information on their travel expenses and project future costs.

Defense employees are warming up slowly to the new system, which has been deployed in 21 locations, including Ellis Air Force Base, S.D. and Fort Campbell, Ky. But Joyce said that the lukewarm reaction was expected.

"People had started reservations prior to that conversion and they have to complete them, but so far, so good," Joyce said.

The online reservations feature is expected to be available departmentwide by 2006.