4007. HEAVY RAIL AND INTERCITY BUS

HEAVY RAIL AND INTERCITY BUS 4007.1 If heavy rail or intercity bus service is approved by an agency as a mode of employee travel, an agency shall pay for, and an employee shall only be reimbursed for, the cost of the lowest-price coach class heavy rail (for example, Amtrak) or intercity bus service that reasonably meets the travel needs of the employee, unless another class of service is authorized under § 4007.3. 4007.2 To determine and obtain the lowest-price coach class fare that reasonably meets the travel needs of the employee, the employee shall: (a) Compare prices online at the heavy rail or bus carrier website; and (b) Arrange for the purchase of transportation as far as possible in advance in order to ensure that the lowest prices are available. An agency may approve a class of service other than basic, coach-class service if: No basic, coach-class service is reasonably available and the travel cannot be rescheduled in a manner that is advantageous to the government; Use of other than basic, coach-class service is necessary to accommodate a medical disability or other special need; Regularly scheduled heavy rail or bus service between the origin and destination points only provide classes of service that are not basic, coach-class service; or The use of other than basic, coach-class service results in an overall cost savings to the government, for example by avoiding additional travel expenses, overtime, or lost productive time while awaiting or using basic, coach-class service. Mere preference or convenience is not an acceptable factor for an agency to consider. An employee may upgrade to other than basic, coach-class service, or to preferred seating or service in coach-class accommodations, at the employee’s personal expense. The employee shall be responsible for the payment of the cost of any upgrades. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 7860 (June 26, 2020). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Government Personnel 6-B DCMR § 4007