The university pays directly or reimburses individuals for expenses that are necessary and appropriate to conduct university business. Key considerations and associated processes are found in Business and Travel Expense Policies Fundamentals. The university outlines its guiding principles and the IRS regulations for business and travel expenses in Administrative Guide Memo 5.4.2.
Individuals traveling on university business are expected to use ground transportation options that are necessary and reasonable. The cost of ground transportation should be kept to a minimum and consistent with a reasonable level of comfort, convenience and security for the traveler. Specific guidelines and maximums are detailed on the Ground Transportation Policy page.
In order to be able to more effectively support university travelers, Stanford requires the use of a centralized travel booking program, Stanford Travel, when faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars and students are booking airfare for university-sponsored travel unless it is specifically exempted from the booking policy. Travelers may also use Stanford Travel when booking hotels and rental cars for university-sponsored travel.
Stanford Travel automatically sends booking updates to the registry when itineraries change, supports compliance with reimbursement policies and procedures and offers discounts, waivers, and perks to travelers. Stanford Travel also provides booking channels for rental cars and offers optional travel services, such as Uber for Business and Lyft for Business, to book ground transportation.
More booking policy details are available in the Business and Travel Expense Policies overview.
The Stanford Travel Card (TCard) is the recommended payment option for any travel costs that will not be reimbursed through the per diem method. Alternatively, personal funds may be used, and a request for reimbursement can be submitted after the trip. For more information on reimbursement methods, see the Topic Overview: Business and Travel Expense Policies page.
Charter services, such as tour or shuttle buses, require a contract and are payable through a purchase order as a standard non-catalog requisition in iProcurement; and should not be paid with personal funds or the Stanford Travel Card.
More information about payment and reimbursement methods and associated policies and guidelines is found on the Ground Transportation Policy page.
