Rental Cars

The Big Ten has contracted with National Car Rental to be the sole supplier of car rental services to all Big Ten institutions, including Penn State. Penn State employees are also eligible for no-fee membership in National’s Emerald Club. Travelers are encouraged to book their National car rentals at Travel Services Online or through Travel Services’ direct link to National Car Rental.

National’s corporate or promotional rate, whichever is lower, is available for both business and personal use. If National is not available in the area where you will be traveling, you may use another vendor for car rental. You must print the search results screen from Travel Services Online and attach it to your Travel Support form as proof that National is not available at your location.

National car rentals can be direct-billed to the Purchasing Card only if the card is in the traveler’s name.

If you are involved in an accident with a National rental car, you must file a police report and also contact National Car Rental to report the accident. You are required to take these steps to ensure we have not violated the terms of our contract with National Car Rental. You should also contact Penn State Risk Management to report the accident when you return from your trip.

• Get more information on the National Car Rental contract.

Insurance

The University requires insurance coverage on all cars rented for University business.

National provides free Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) insurance for the full value of the car at all National locations within the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Asia, and the Pacific Basin. National also includes Single Limit Liability coverage for domestic rentals only in the amount of $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. This coverage is provided at no extra charge. To get these no-cost insurances, be sure to use Penn State’s corporate discount number (5160279) and decline all insurances when booking with National. When comparing National’s corporate and promotional rates to other car rental rates, the cost of insurance should be included in the noncontract rates to give a true comparison.

Car rentals charged to a Diners Club card include free LDW coverage worldwide with all car companies—not just National. Liability coverage is not included.

Travel Tip: When renting a car, always refuel prior to returning the car to avoid excessive fueling charges.

Marriott Hotel Government Rate Policy

Marriott Hotels has changed its policy regarding those who are entitled to book the government rate at their family of brands, which includes, Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, Renaissance, Townplace Suites, and Springhill Suites. This change occurred in 2007 but was never communicated directly to us.  Only U.S. and Canadian Federal Government employees, active duty U.S. and Canadian military personnel, and employees of Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC's) will be eligible for Federal Government per diem rates at Marriott brands throughout North America.  State and Local Government employees will be eligible for State and Local Govrnment per diem rates.  Cost Reimbursable Contractors (CRCs) will not be eligible for Marriott's government rates.  Penn State is viewed as a CRC.

Travelers booking a government rate will be required to provide one of the following forms of ID at time of reservation and/or check-in.

For Federal Government Per Diem Rates:

•    Federally issued personnel badge or ID card (with official travel order document in hand)
•    Common Access Card (CAC Card)
•    SmartPay Credit Card
•    Active military personnel badge or ID card (with official travel order document in hand)
•    FFRDC identification card (with official travel order document in hand)
•    Travel orders
• ]  Canadian government or military issued ID or credit card

For State and Local Government Per Diem Rates:

•    State or Local government issued personnel badge or ID card (with official travel order document in hand)
•    Travel orders on original state or local government letterhead

No other forms of ID will be accepted.

Choice Hotels Policy Change

Choice Hotels' family of brands which includes Quality Inns, Comfort Inns, Clarion Collection, Comfort Suites, Econo Lodge Hotels, Cambria Suites, Rodeway Inns, Sleep Inns, Mainstay Suites, Flag Hotels and Suburban Hotels, has also changed it's government rate policy and is no longer extending their government per diem rate to Cost Reimbursable Contractors (CRCs).

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Purchasing Airline Tickets with a Purchasing Card

If your department has migrated to the Employee Reimbursement System you are eligible to purchase travel with your purchasing card. However, even if you previously used your purchasing card for airline tickets, before you can now use the purchasing card for travel you must take the purchasing card test and sign the document acknowledging your responsibility for the charges on the card to have your purchasing card limits established. This process can take up to a week to be updated in the PNC system before the card can be used for travel. If you have not re-taken the test and signed the document, you can no longer use the purchasing card for travel. Please be certain you have established your purchasing card for travel before booking on Travelport with the purchasing card. Should you book after hours and the card is not valid, the ticket will not issue and you run the risk of loosing a fare.

Club Quarters

As a reminder to our travelers, Penn State has a volume requirement to meet at the various Club Quarters properties where we receive discounted rates. Because we did not meet our volume committment at the property in Chicago, our rates in Chicago have increased $20/night. The new rates are being posted on the Travel Services website. Please consider Club Quarters when possible for your travel needs. They offer Penn State a very competitive rate in cities where demand and pricing are high. However, if we do not support our agreement with Club Quarters, we are at risk of loosing these very compeitive corporate rates.

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