GSA lowers mileage reimbursement rate for 2003

Federal employees who travel in their own cars on government business will receive 36 cents per mile in 2003, half a cent less than they got in 2002.

The new 36-cents-per-mile rate affects all travel from Jan. 1, 2003 on, according to a General Services Administration announcement in the Jan. 6 Federal Register. Under federal travel law, GSA was required to lower the rate when the Internal Revenue Service lowered the mileage rate for tax purposes from 36.5 cents to 36 cents per mile.

The IRS hires a contractor each year to study the costs of operating a vehicle, including gas prices, oil, tires and general maintenance costs.

Under federal travel regulations, employees may use personal vehicles for official travel if authorized by their agency. If an agency authorizes travel by other means, such as travel by air, and employees drive their own cars instead, reimbursement rates are limited to the cost of the authorized means of travel.

Employees may also use personal motorcycles and airplanes if they get approval. The reimbursement rate for motorcycles in 2003 is 27.5 cents per mile, down from 28 cents per mile last year. Personal airplane travel can be reimbursed at 95.5 cents per mile in 2003, down from 97.5 cents per mile in 2002.