Mileage
The Center for Development of Human Services/Research Foundation of SUNY at Buffalo State College will reimburse all trainee travel at a rate of $.21 per mile.

Mode of Transportation
Trainees are required to use the most cost effective mode of transportation. Except when car-pooling is available, trainees are free to choose their mode of transportation (bus, train, automobile, or airplane*) but will be reimbursed up to the personal vehicle equivalent of $.21 per mile only. *Airfare requires prior authorization.

• If your ticket cost less than the equivalent mileage, your reimbursement would be for the ticket amount only. No additional expense such as taxi, parking, or mileage is allowed.
• If your ticket cost more than the equivalent mileage, your reimbursement would be for the mileage equivalent only.

Car-Pooling will be arranged by local district Staff Development Coordinators and authorized Voluntary Agency personnel.

•  Only designated drivers chosen by the authorized coordinators will be reimbursed.
• The designated driver must state this status on his/her reimbursement form submitted to the Center for payment.
• The Center for Development of Human services requires that car-pooling consist of three (3) people per vehicle.

Any questions regarding car-pooling should be directed to the individual's Staff Development Coordinator or agency contact person.

Uniform Distance Rates
The Center for Development of Human Service is using MapQuest to calculate mileage between agencies and training sites. Please specify address as "Satellite Office" on reimbursement form if different from main office address.

Ground Transportation Restriction
There will be no reimbursement for taxis, parking, tolls, and mileage to and from transportation terminals when choosing other than automobile travel. Exceptions would be stipulated in the travel and accommodation policy for a specific event or would require prior approval.

Local Travel
Less than 35 miles from the trainee's agency to the CDHS training location constitutes local travel and will not be reimbursed by the contractor. It will be subject to the local district's reimbursement policies.

Overnight Travel
In order to be eligible for overnight stay, the training program must be 3 or more consecutive days in length; or the trainee must travel 50 miles or more to the training site; or the trainee must travel one (1) hour or more to the training site. (In the NYC metropolitan area, Nassau, Westchester, Rockland, and Suffolk counties, overnight stays will be reimbursed if the trainee must travel more than 1 hour to the training site.) Trainees will be eligible for overnight reimbursement the day before a training if the training will begin at 9:00 a.m. or earlier the following day and if the above criteria apply.

OCFS/ DOH/ OTDA may authorize an exception to this requirement in cases where this represents an undue hardship. Local Districts should request such exceptions in writing to OCFS/ DOH/ OTDA.

Hotel/motel expenses are direct billed to the Center for Development of Human Services. Double room occupancy will be arranged by CDHS. The Center will cover the cost of a single room in "odd-person out" situations (i.e. 13 males, 12 females). If a trainee requests a single room, CDHS will pay the hotel one half of the cost of the double room rate; the trainee will be responsible for paying the rest of the hotel bill. If the trainee’s portion is being paid by the agency, the agency contact should arrange payment with the hotel prior to travel. Some hotels do not accept vouchers in which case other arrangements would need to be made. CDHS does not reimburse for taxes. Trainees staying in single rooms should bring a tax exempt certificate from their agency. (Incidental charges on the bill, such as room service, telephone calls or movies must be paid by the participant at check-out time.)

Last minute cancellations or arrival date changes should be called in directly to the hotel.

Receipts are not required for meal allowances. When arriving the day before training, trainee must leave home before 6:00 p.m. in order to be eligible for dinner reimbursement that night.

Common Core participants staying at the hotel will receive advance meal money upon checking in. The amount received is based on the scheduled arrival date. Trainees are required to return funds to which they are not entitled based on trainee travel policy.

Trainers' Responsibilities Involving Trainees
It is the responsibility of the trainer to pass out the trainee travel reimbursement expense form. Trainers should have the trainees fill out the top, complete and sign at the bottom following the instructions on the form. Trainers should collect and return the forms immediately to Registration Services/Trainee Travel.

If it is a multi-part training, trainees cannot combine their expenses on one reimbursement form. Individual requests must be made for each trip. To expedite payment, reimbursement request forms should be completed at training and given to the trainer prior to leaving. (Tolls will be figured for the roundtrip so receipts are not necessary. If using EZ Pass, trainees should provide the entrance & exit used and CDHS will look up the toll amount. Trainers should instruct trainees to use legible handwriting and include a valid mailing address. Reimbursement checks take approximately 2 to 4 weeks from the date received by Registration Services/Trainee Travel. It is the trainer’s responsibility to verify lodging using the most recent rooming list available. Trainers must notify Registration Services/Trainee Travel of no-show participants and all changes to arrival dates, room type and/or roommate assignments.