Early this week, the General Services Administration (GSA) raised the mileage reimbursement rate for government employees using their personal vehicles on the job to 58.5 cents per mile from the previous 50.5 cents per mile.

Federal employees are allowed to request the use of their own personal vehicle when there is no government transportation available or if it is more advantageous for the government.  When approved, the member fills out a travel reimbursement for the mileage to be paid at the government approved rate.

 
"With the higher costs of gas, I am pleased that GSA was able to move swiftly on increasing mileage reimbursements on the heels of the Internal Revenue Service announcement," said Kevin Messner, Acting Associate Administrator of GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy.

The new 58.5 cents GSA mileage reimbursement rate for federal employees will be effective Aug. 1, 2008.

The mileage reimbursement proposal does not apply to employee transfers or relocations. Those are designated as transportation expenses rather than allowances for the cost and operation of a vehicle, according to GSA.

For those hoping for more relief, a bill was recently introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. that would raise the rate to 70 cents per mile for both private sector and federal employees.  The bill has not yet moved from committee to the Senate floor for voting.

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