Federal employees should also consider bike sharing or not traveling at all under new guidance.
Federal employees must proactively take steps to make their work travel more sustainable under new guidance from the Biden administration, which the White House said would save taxpayer money and help take on the climate change crisis. [emphasis, links added]
Workers on official business will have to prioritize taking public transit, renting electric vehicles or even riding bikes under a new memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget and a General Services Administration bulletin that updated the Federal Travel Regulation. Agencies should also consider not sending employees on business trips at all, with GSA noting, “In every case, the trip not taken is the least expensive and most sustainable.”
The federal government spends $2.8 billion on official travel annually, with employees taking 2.8 million flights and making 2.3 million car rentals.
The new guidance stemmed from an executive order President Biden signed in 2021 and will supplement existing policies, with OMB instructing agencies to update their regulations as applicable.
The White House said federal employees will be “leading by example on climate.”
“These new commitments will save taxpayers money by increasing the use of EVs and taking other cost-effective actions on clean transportation associated with business travel for the federal workforce,” the White House said.
When agencies determine employees must still travel—rather than taking advantage of virtual options, as preferred under the new guidance—they should consider rail options, particularly in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, internationally, and between cities less than 250 miles apart.
Federal employees take just 33,000 train trips on official business annually. Otherwise, they should drive using a government-owned EV if possible.
Once in their temporary duty location, employees should use public transportation as their first option.
“Travelers should be familiar with subway/trains and bus routes that are available between meetings, lodging, and other locations at which business is to be conducted,” GSA said.
“When available, employees should use public buses that use alternative fuels, such as electricity or compressed natural gas, rather than gasoline or diesel to reduce [greenhouse gas] emissions.”
If a car rental is necessary, employees should opt for an EV if it is the same price or cheaper than other allowable options. OMB and GSA clarified that charging costs can be expensed as fuel.
If no EV fits the existing parameters, employees should then prioritize renting a hybrid vehicle, followed by a compact car.
Employees should use “green” options on rideshare apps such as Lyft and Uber and consider the feasibility of bike shares.
Agencies should ensure their staff combine travel whenever possible, including by requiring multiple legs, and instructing employees to share rides with their coworkers.
OMB also wants agencies to fly more sustainably, though it acknowledged that sector is still emerging.
It directed GSA to develop and submit within 120 days a strategic plan for sustainable aviation, which should, for example, include examining whether to require airlines to submit information on their fuel usage and operational efficiency.
Read more at GovExec
Biden the Dictator, Despot and Tyrant to all those calling Trump a Dictator please go jump in a lake
Biden and the agencies pushing this should do an anatomically impossible thing (you can fill in the details). They need to just butt out.