Government agencies are faced with reduced budgets in recent years due to the economy. At our agency, employees have been asked to submit suggestions to improve processes and save money during this time of limited resources. Several suggestions have been submitted that relate to government travel. One suggestion that was submitted was that the agency should require travelers to park their privately owned vehicles (POVs) in airport economy lots rather than daily parking lots when they are on TDY. In the Washington DC area, the current price for parking at Dulles Airport is: $36 maximum for 24 hours at an hourly parking lot; $17 maximum for 24 hours at a daily parking lot; and $10 maximum for 24 hours at an economy parking lot.
While the regulations do not dictate where the travelers should park, there issue has already been addressed in the travel regulations. Per the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) C2192 and the Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR) U3320, parking fees at an air terminal may not exceed the cost of one round-trip taxi fare from home or duty station, including tip. Travelers and Approving Officials should be aware of this policy and be good stewards when it comes to using taxpayer dollars. To increase awareness of this regulation at our agency, we are creating a digital sign to be posted in electronic message boards located throughout the complex.
In addition, the internet offers a variety of useful tools, such as http://www.bestparking.com/, which compares prices at airport parking lots all over the country. Sites like this can inform travelers of the best parking options available that is less than or equal to amount that they will be reimbursed per regulations. A traveler may choose to park at a more expensive lot, but if they do, they need to be aware that their reimbursement may not cover the full amount of their parking fees.
K. Barnoski, 2012. Disclaimer: The contents of this message are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency.