 The Lab has successfully deployed TREX to all divisions. TREX has replaced Gelco (Travel Manager) to manage your business travel expenses. TREX has been designed to better meet the diverse LBNL travel requirements.
Please visit the Travel Office website to get more information about the system.
TREX is to be used for all your new travel authorizations and expense reports.
TREX Help
Majority of Users Report Satisfaction with TREX
"Do TREX users consider the system to be an improvement over Gelco?" "Are they satisfied with the overall usability of the new system?" The TREX implementation team was eager to get answers to these questions early in the rollout of the Lab's new travel reimbursement system. In August 2008, while some divisions were just implementing the system and others had used it for several months, the first TREX user satisfaction survey was emailed.
The survey was sent to the ~400 people who had used the system: travelers, travel arrangers, approvers and division reviewers. 120 users responded to the survey (a 30% response rate). Approximately half of the respondents were travelers who had entered all or some trip data in the system.
Of the respondents who had used TREX 10 or more times, 83% said they considered TREX to be an improvement over Gelco. 71% of these same respondents reported they were satisfied with the overall usability of TREX.
The implementation team was very interested in knowing what those in scientific/technical positions thought because the system was designed to be used by anyone in the Lab, not just travel arrangers. Given that most of these users had not received training and the majority had only used the system a couple of times, the survey results were not surprising: 55% of those in scientific/technical positions considered TREX to be an improvement over Gelco, 29% did not, 14% said it was too early to say, and 2% couldn't respond because they’d never used Gelco. With the implementation of some of the planned enhancements described below and more experience with the system, the implementation team hopes to see improved satisfaction ratings on future surveys of this group of TREX users.
Many good suggestions were made by respondents. In many instances these confirmed that the list of desired future enhancements to follow the Lab-wide implementation are the right ones. These enhancements were all assigned a priority of “High” or “Medium”. The high priorities are planned for FY09. The medium priorities will be addressed once the high priorities have been completed. For list of high and medium priorities, click HERE.
- Foreign Travel Updates -
Submission Requirement Change
Effective October 1, 2008, the Office of Science is requiring that all foreign travel requests are to be submitted 30 days in advance for travel to a non-sensitive country, 45 days to a sensitive country, and 60 days to a T-5 country.
Information Before Traveling Abroad
The U.S. Department of State urges all travelers to visit the Travel Information web page to obtain the latest information before embarking on international travel.
Foreign Trip Reports
A DOE Foreign Trip report is not required for travel fully funded by the Office of Science or a non-DOE funded project. Foreign Trip Reports are required for travel sponsored by the following DOE Program Offices:
- Environmental Management (EM)
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)
- Fossil Energy (FE)
- National Nuclear Security Administration/NNSA (NA)
- Nuclear Energy (NE)
- Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability (OE)
- Radioactive Waste Management (RW)
Please visit the Travel Services website for more information on how to create a Trip Report and where to send it once completed.
When preparing an expense report in TREX, an abstract of major highlights, benefits, and results will be required for all trips regardless of funding source.
Foreign Trip Reminders
- Travelers are encouraged to contact Health Services as well as visiting the CDC's (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) website prior to embarking on a trip to a foreign country.
- Please remember when applying for a foreign visa to contact Sarah Lyons (925-422-1345). She is a Carlson Wagonlit employee who holds the application forms and requirements for each country. Carlson has an agreement with the Center for International Business Travel (CIBT) located in San Francisco. When applying/processing a visa this way, we receive a 60% discount off the regular processing fee.
For more information on foreign travel, please visit the Foreign Travel Wiki.
- Air Travel News -
Important Move for United at Heathrow Read On >>
And Not So Good United News! Read On >>
Are Paper Tickets a Thing of the Past? Read On >>
Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bags Available Soon Read On >>
American Air Changes Ticketing Requirements for Refundable Fares Read On >>
US Airways Now Charging for In-Flight Beverages Read On >>
- Travel Tips -
Traveling Domestically When ID Has Been Lost
On June 21, the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) policy on identity verification officially changed. The new system requires that if ID is lost, the traveler should arrive at the security checkpoint early and explain the circumstances to the officer at the document-checking location. The officer will then request that a form with full name and address be completed, which will be checked with publicly available databases. The traveler may then be interviewed by local law enforcement and TSA behavior-detection officers, and may possibly be required to go through additional screening.
According to TSA officials, establishing identification is as important as having a passenger go through a metal detector; it takes an average of six minutes to verify identity. Persons with ulterior motives would not want their name and address entered into a government database or to be interviewed by police or behavior-detection officers. Prior to the policy change, domestic travelers without ID were required to submit to the regular screening process, a full-body pat-down, and a complete check of luggage before they could board.
Airport Baggage Theft on the Rise - BE CAREFUL!
It has been more than a decade since airports stopped manning baggage carousels with attendants. In that time, at many airports, crimes of opportunity have been on the increase.
Police are often stationed around the baggage claim area, in plain clothes, monitoring the activity there. Sometimes they observe repeat offenders, which makes catching thieves a little easier. Some of the thieves walk straight out the door, while others take bags into the bathroom to remove anything they may find valuable. While baggage thieves will intentionally take another person’s property, there are also instances of simple baggage mix-ups, where one traveler mistakenly leaves with another person’s similar-looking bag. Checked bags aren't the only ones at risk of theft. As carry-on baggage is scanned while the traveler’s person is scanned, there is a chance that the traveler could be away from his/her carry-on luggage for a time. It has been noted that thieves take the time, and the distraction, as an opportunity to take items that do not belong to them. It is always critical to be aware of surroundings, get to the baggage claim as quickly as possible, and make sure bag claim tickets match the bags taken. To avoid a mistaken bag, mark your luggage plainly to be sure that neither you nor anyone else mistakes it. As travelers become more savvy, this crime can be exposed and decreased due to knowledge and awareness.
For suggestions on how to improve the Travel Express newsletter, or to be removed from our distribution list, please contact Klara Sebek (x7049). |
|
The most dangerous thing about flying is the risk of starving to death.
— Dick Depew
- YCal Airfare Update -
State of CA contracted YCal Airfares 2008-2009!
The State of CA airfares are finally available and effective immediately!
This year's contracted airfares have been negotiated with United Airlines and Virgin America. The YCal markets are not as plentiful as in previous years, but the new addition of Virgin America brings us additional nonstop service from SFO to Washington DC and New York JFK at a low refundable cost. These fares are specifically for California State Government employees and employees of the California State University system and are effective through 30Jun2009.
The United YCal fare continues to be the allowable airfare/maximum reimbursable ceiling for LBNL employees traveling on official business. Virgin America YCal fares are not yet available via Cliqbook, LBNL's on line booking tool. They will however, be available in the near future. If you would like to purchase a ticket on Virgin America with a State of CA YCal fare, please contact CarlsonWagonlit Travel directly 1-888-243-1125. For a complete list of YCAL airfares, please visit the Travel Office website.
- Important Reminders -
- Please remember that when meals are provided while on travel (conference, meals provided by host, workshops, etc.), you must deduct these meal expenses on your expense report. Our new reimbursements system (TREX), has been designed to make these adjustments on your expense reports.
- How to deduct meals provided in TREX
- Meal cost deduction table
- Travelers are not to leave the U.S. without DOE approval. For all foreign travel, please remember to finish and submit authorizations for approval in TREX within the required advance submission time period.
- Expense reports must be certified by the traveler and approved by the division before the Travel Office can approve for payment.
- Please remember to create all new trips in TREX and only use Gelco to close out trips initiated in Gelco.
- Gelco cleanup: Hard copies of all Gelco vouchers, including those for trips that do not require receipts, must be sent to the Travel Office in order for payments to be made.
Latest Changes/Enhancements
- The Travel Help Desk Ticket System is now accessible off-site. Questions? Contact KSebek@lbl.gov.
- Relaxed dates on authorizations: You may now create and submit for approval a domestic authorization with travel dates in the past.
- TREX Information has been moved from the wiki to the Travel Services website.
- Travel Reports in BRS (BLIS Reporting System) are now available: BRS | TREX Reporting Info
Coming Soon:
The TREX online training tool!
- Around the Travel Office -
The OCFO would like to welcome Jaime Reyna as the Laboratory's new Travel Manager. Most recently, Jaime spent 12 years with World Savings/Wachovia as the Director of Corporate Travel and Events. He has been in the travel industry for over 20 years including working with an airline, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and with a local destination management company. His focus has been working with teams, re-engineering, process improvement, policy enforcement/development, customer service enhancements and vendor negotiations/relations. Jaime's office is located in building 937, fifth floor. His extension is 6012.
Travel Express Archive
Summer 2008
March 2008
November-December 2007
September-October 2007
July-August 2007
May-June 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
Travel Office:
Hours: 8 AM-5 PM
Contacts
Website
Travel Manager:
Jaime Reyna
Travel Staff:
Michelle McCan
Jean Ortiz
Maxine Redfearn
Lonnette Robinson
Klara Sebek
Cynthia Thomas
Elijah Walker |
