The GDS houses the necessary information that will allow travel agents to book and sell airline tickets, book hotel rooms, make rental car reservations, and reserve rail reservations and more. The first GDS, Sabre, was created by the airlines in the 1960s.  Sabre has been around a lot longer than its competitors; Amadeus was created in 1987, Worldspan in 1990 and Galileo/Apollo in 1993.

These complex systems have numerous capabilities.  Besides what was previously mentioned, the GDS can even allow a traveler to select a particular seat on an aircraft.  The GDS will also allow a traveler to enter their frequent flyer number, so that the traveler can receive rewards for flying with a particular airline.

Sabre also provides a website that gives the travelers the latest information concerning their reservations.  This site is very helpful to my agency as some of our travelers neglect to electronically attach their invoice/itinerary to his/her voucher.  We can easily go to the Sabre’s Virtually There website, print a copy of the traveler’s invoice, and attach it to their voucher.

Federal Government travelers must use their E-Gov Travel System or book the traditional way by calling their travel management center (TMC).  Even though Federal Government travelers are not allowed to use a commercial used on-line booking engine, Sabre owns Travelocity.com, which is the leading on-line travel website.

No matter which GDS is used in connection with your agency’s E-Gov Travel System, one factor to keep in mind is that not all airlines participate in a GDS.  Currently the following airlines do not participate:

• AFRIC AIR CHARTER
• ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY
• AIRTRAN AIRWAYS
• AIR NORTH
• BERING AIR INC
• BIG SKY
• CANADIAN NORTH/AIR NORTERRA INC.
• CAPE AIR
• EXPRESS JET
• FRONTIER FLYING SERVICE
• FRONTIER FLYING
• FORTY MILE AIR
• FJORD FLYING SERVICE
• FS AIR SERVICE / TRANS AIR BENIN
• GREAT LAKES
• HAGLAND AIRLINES
• HOMER AIR
• ISLAND AIR
• JET BLUE
• KENMORE AIR HARBOUR INC.
• LAB FLYING SERVICE
• LARRY’S FLYING SERVICE
• OLYMPIC AIRLINES
• PACIFIC COAST AIRLINES
• PAN AM CLIPPER CONNECT/BOSTON MAINE AIRWAYS
• PENAIR/PENISULA AIR
• PROMECH
• SOUTHWEST
• SPERNAK AIR
• SPIRIT AIRLINES
• VIRGIN AMERICA
• WARBELOWS AIR VENTURES
• WINGS OF ALASKA
• WRIGHT AIR SERVICE

by Pam Morton

The contents of this message are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency.

By Olivia Tautkus

By: Lorie Henderson

By:  Theresa L. Hollowell

If your trip is CONUS, then you must rent the vehicle from a vendor that participates in the Defense Travel Management Office’s (DTMO) U. S. Government Car Rental Agreement.  This is because DTMO has negotiated rental car agreements with certain vendors that include benefits such as unlimited mileage, free collision damage insurance, no fee for additional drivers or underage drivers, fixed rates, a variety of vehicles, and liability coverage for personal injury, wrongful death and property damage.

Federal employees can get the negotiated rates under the agreement by making their reservations through an approved booking channel such as the E-Gov Travel System, Commercial Travel Office, Defense Travel System or Travel Management Center.  A government issued credit card or official travel orders may be required by the rental company to complete the reservation.  No advance reservations are required and the vehicle contracts are at the rental agency.

The rental car program provides rentals through 17 companies at over 10,000 rental locations.  In addition to agreeing to the negotiated rental car agreement, the rental companies are also selected for their convenient location and easy access.  If the size or class of the vehicle reserved is not available, then the rental company will offer the added benefit of an upgraded vehicle at the same cost. 

Some  of the participating rental car companies also offer discounted rates for federal government employees and military personnel when they are on leisure travel or traveling without official travel orders.  Of course, the rental companies will not offer the benefits received under the government’s rental car agreements when on leisure travel.

 By Dean Cox

 “The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency.”

The process for you or your clients was trying because the rental car locations were not all at the airports and getting a rental car was a chore. Thru the SDDC program for US government personnel traveling on official business about 5,000 rental car locations

with over 2.25 million vehicles available. The rental car offer special incentives such as fewer restrictive clauses, widespread availability and fantastic rates.

Use of the government issued Visa and MasterCard charge cards is the preferred method of payment by rental card companies in Alaska and Hawaii. This makes the rental process much easier whether it is booked thru the GDS system or the Government traveler books at the car rental counter. The use of the credit card also makes it easier for the data reported by the car rental companies to be compared to the charge data, thus saving money with the reconciliation process, time, and tracking of usage for budget analysis/planning.

The travelers are taking advantage of all  the rental car programs which shorten the time it takes to get your car once you arrive at the car counter.

Some of the perks I have seen recently include:

• 50% off Weekend rentals
• Free tank of gas
• One car class upgrade
• Double Miles/Points and a free upgrade
• Faster reservations and returns when you join rental car programs
• Earn free Rental Days
• Car rental preferences are stored for your next rental
• Speed and expedited services
• No stopping at any counters or to a special counter
• Instant vehicle returns
• No additional drive charges for spouses

In addition to car rental programs the government has programs and agreements thru the Defense Travel Management Office for Truck Rentals and Bus Transportation. The Truck Rental Agreement enables Federal Government employees and Armed Service

members to rent cargo vans, utility, and straight trucks for official business. Vehicles available under the Program are those vehicles that do not require a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or Class “C” license to operate.

Since we move Government Groups as well as Military groups we are familiar with the SDDC web sites. We use the site to determine Motor Coach buses that have been approved for use by Government and Military and send out the Military Bus

Agreement (MBA) to carriers providing DOD sponsored transportation by van, limousine, and motor coach (bus). These standards affirm carriers provide service are conforming to DOD authorized entitlements. The policies governing bus passenger movements are reference  in Chapter 104, Busses, of the Defense Transportation Regulation, Part 1, Passenger Movements. Transportation Offices and authorized representatives must use DOD approved carriers when arranging charter bus service within their routing authority. The DTMO lists carriers approved for movements of DOD passengers on official travel. Transportation Officers needing information on getting carriers approved to service their activity or installation may contact the DTMO via email at MilBus@dtmo.pentagon.mil or by phone at (703) 696-8436.

by Carolyn Amacker

The Government Rental Car Program creates a competitive environment among the participating rental car companies, which benefits the government.  The program includes significant benefits to the government personnel that are not available to the general public.  Some of the benefits are:  Free collision damage waiver insurance.  Unlimited mileage.  Reduced age restriction to 18 (not 25) for official travel.  No underage driver’s fees.  No fees for additional government drivers.  Quality control of cars and service.  Online booking capabilities in E-Gov Travel Service (ETS) and Defense Travel System (DTS).  Traditional booking capabilities through Travel Management Center (TMC) and Commerical Travel Office (CTO).  Car class upgrade coupons from a variety of vendors.  (Leisure rentals are not part of this government program).

The agreement requires the rental car companies to maintain insurance coverage or a qualified self insurance program which protects the government and its employees from liability for personal injury, death and property damage.   A car rented by other means other than the government travel systems risks not receiving the benefits of the Government Car Rental Agreement.

Renters are advised to contact the car rental company immeditely upon damage or loss of the vehicle.  Any disputes between parties is handled by DTMO .

The government issued charge card is the preferred method of payment to the rental car companies, but the rental car companies are required to accept cash, personal checks or credit cards.  (Where prior arrangements have been made, charges may be put on a centrally billed account).

By: Kathy Runion

The contents of this message are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency.

by Lorie Henderson

You may be asking what are the benefits of the U.S. Government rental car program?  One of the most notable benefits is that the collision damage waiver (CDW) insurance is included in the negotiated rate. Besides the attractive rates, other benefits include unlimited mileage, adjusted rates according to size of car and much more.

These rental cars can be booked using your E-Gov travel system or using the traditional method by calling your Travel Management Center (TMC).  The rental car reservation is booked and charged to the traveler’s individual Government charge card.   If a traveler does not have a Government charge card, some other sort of an arrangement would need to be made such as a contract agreement directly with the car rental company or by issuing the traveler a cash advance.

One disadvantage of this program is that the rental car cannot be used for leisure travel under the official TDY contract.  If a traveler is combining official with personal travel, the traveler needs a separate contract for the personal portion of their trip.   Some rental car agencies may even request that the traveler return the car and check it out again.

While conducting training on our E-Gov Travel System, we advise our travelers to select any of the rental car companies listed, but the rental car company selected should be comparative with the cheapest rate for the size of car selected.  All of the rental car vendors have met the DTMO qualifications.  If a traveler has any questions concerning any of the vendors, they may call their TMC or the DTMO for further information.

The DTMO offers a website with detailed information concerning the car or truck rental programs.  The website is located athttp://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/index.cfm.

by Pam Morton

The contents of this message are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency.

When traveling on temporary duty within the Continental United States (CONUS) your planning can be less extensive compared to the necessary planning for traveling Outside Continental United States (OCONUS). There are basics that do apply to both types of travel, which will now be discussed.

In order to make your home more secure, it is important to suspend any newspaper delivery as a large number of papers on your porch alerts people that you are not home. It is also a good idea to have the post office hold your mail. If you have lawn care to consider, make sure you have automatic sprinklers or ask a friend to come over and water for you. It is a good idea to have timers for your house lights as well, so the house does not sit dark for long periods of time. These precautions help decrease the vulnerability of your home, as well as protecting your identity. Travelers should create a list of everything that is needed for the trip especially legal documents, such as passports.  Make sure to apply for a passport early to be certain it arrives in time for travel.    If you are traveling OCONUS, it is critical to learn a little about where you are going, and any alerts that may prevent problems.  The U.S. Department of State offers assistance with both of these on their website ( http://travel.state.gov/). In order to stay healthy while traveling abroad, immunizations should be current.  The World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/en/) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/) websites are good resources to access in order to get up to date health information on places you are visiting. Include a first aid kit in your luggage for minor injuries and illnesses that do not require medical attention.  A few basic items that are necessary are:  calamine lotion, antiseptic cream, insect repellent, headache medications, and antidiarrhea tablets.

In addition to preventing serious illness with immunizations, packing a sufficient supply of prescription medication will help to keep travelers healthy. Prescription medications should be stored in their original packaging and stored in carry on luggage.

Check your health insurance policy and confirm the extent of coverage it provides for travel. Investigate a travel health insurance policy, including coverage for changes to the itinerary, emergency repatriation for health reasons, hospitalization, and medical care in case of illness or accident.

Below are some companies who specialize in travel health insurance:

• International SOS Membership (http://www.internationalsos.com/buymembership/index.cfm?dcsCode=travelmed20)
• Passport Health (http://www.passporthealthusa.com/)
• Travel Insurance Center (http://www.worldtravelcenter.com/eng/index.cfm)
• HTH Travel Insurance (http://www.hthtravelinsurance.com/index.cfm)

It is a good idea to research the place you are traveling to prior to going. The CIA World Fact book (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/) can assist in your research. It is best to do research and gather information on the layout of the airport where you will be arriving.  The World Airport guide (http://www.worldairportguide.com/airport/) is a useful website.

Look at a few guide books prior to arrival, in order to find activities, restaurants, and recommended places to visits. A few popular guides that can assist in this planning are: Frommer’s (http://www.frommers.com/), Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/), and Rough Guides (http://www.roughguides.com/).

It is best to arrive during daylight hours.  When using public transportation to go from the airport to the hotel, look at the respective transportation websites.   If you are going to use the taxi as your means of transportation, never take a taxi that seem to be hanging around offering its services, instead use the taxi queue.  If you are traveling by rental car prior to leaving with the rental car complete the following checks:

Start the car and let it idle with the AC on while you are checking it over.

• Current registration — Will it remain valid throughout rental?
• License plates — must have 2 in most countries.
• Burglar alarm, crook lock, or other anti-theft device — how does it work? What is the code?
• Seat belts
• Tires — Check the pressures and tread on all tires including the spare. A patch at the edge of the tread is dangerous and unlikely to last.
• Jack — make sure it works.
• Lug nut wrench & key for lug nut locks
• Headlights, taillights and turn signals
• Brake lights and backup lights
• Air conditioning — Does it cool adequately?
• Heater (cold climates)
• Power steering — If it makes a noise at full lock, check the fluid level.
• Clutch
• Shift linkage
• Brake pedal travel
• Brake fluid level
• Exhaust & muffler — Noisy? Is the rear hanger missing?
• Locking front wheel hubs (4X4) — Engage for 4WD, disengage for 2WD.
• Speedometer & odometer — Do they work?
• Horn
• Doors and locks — Can all doors be locked?
• Windows — Do they work?
• Trunk lock – Disconnect remote trunk release.
• Glove compartment lock
• Wiper blades
• Wiper action
• Add water to windshield washer reservoir.
• Side-view mirrors — Are they present? Do they have original glass that can be adjusted?
• Oil level
• Coolant level — any obvious leaks?
• Temperature gauge — Where is the needle after the car warms up?
• Handbrake
• Idle — rough, surging?
• Check Engine light — should not come on.
• ABS light — should not come on.

Was the car wrecked? Totaled cars from the US are shipped to Latin America, where they are rebuilt (sort of) and put back on the road in unsafe condition. Check for panel alignment, cheap replacement glass and panels, mismatched paint, overspray, and bondo. Missing airbags might be difficult to detect.

• Dents, scratches, chips, and missing trim — make sure they are noted on the delivery survey form.
• Missing anti-roll bars or other suspension parts — should be noted on survey form.
• Cracks and chips in windshield and windows — should be noted on survey form.
• Interior light
• Lighter socket (for 12-volt spot light)
• Radio. If it has a removable face plate, remove the face plate and place in glove compartment.
• Seat adjustment — Do the seats recline? (Essential for sleeping in the car.)
• Bumpers
• Transmission or differential leaks?
• Engine oil leaks? You may see smoke after the car warms up if oil is dripping onto the exhaust manifold.
• Gas gauge — does it work?
• Gas tank cap — does it fit?
• Ask if a duplicate set of keys is available.
• Check clearance and location of the lowest spots.
• Sniff interior for durian odor (SE Asia).

Brazil only: Don’t accept an alcohol-fueled car. It may be impossible to start on a cool morning and may stall frequently.

These are just a few tips that most travelers should follow no matter what the length of their trip or destination.  If you are conscientious in your planning then your trip will go smoothly.

By: G.W. McCurtis