Travel

• Applying for a Corporate Travel Card ("Card") - You may initiate an application at any time. Departmental approval is required prior to submitting the application to Accounting.
  • Go to the controller's office website for the PNC Travel Card Application.
  • Return the completed application either via email (travel@rit.edu) or interoffice mail; University Card Administrator (UCA), 100 Park Point 2nd Floor @ RIT, for processing.
  • Cards are usually available for pick-up from the Controller's Office within five to ten ;(5-10) business days after the completed form is received by Accounting.
  • Sign the PNC Travel Card Cardholder Agreement and send it with your application. RIT identification is required for card pick-up. You are expected to read and comply with all terms stated in the disclosure agreement accompanying the Card.
  • Only one Card will be issued to each employee. RIT will not provide a second (spouse) Card.

• Delinquent Accounts - You, the cardholder, are responsible to pay for all charges incurred on the Card.
  • An account becomes delinquent when a payment has not been received by the bank and credited to your account within 25 days. If an account is not paid within 31 days, RIT will send an email notifying you that the account is past due.
  • If you do not make payment within 61 days of the billing date, your Card will be suspended. The cardholder and supervisor will receive an email stating the card will be suspended and balance due is expected to be paid in full by end of business day. The cardholder's procurement card, if applicable, will also be suspended.
  • If you do not make payment within 91 days of the billing date, your Card will be cancelled. The cardholder and supervisor will receive an email stating the card will be cancelled and balance due is expected to be paid in full by end of business day. The cardholder's procurement card, if applicable, will also be cancelled. You will not be reissued another Card at any time in the future.
  • The RIT travel card is a personal liability credit card; therefore, delinquent balances will affect your personal credit. In addition, delinquencies such as this jeopardize the viability of the travel card program and it has a potentially serious impact on RIT. If you need assistance or guidance regarding resolution of delinquent debt on your RIT travel card, you may contact your HR Services Manager who will provide you with information regarding RIT's Employee Assistance Program.

Leaves of Absence - If you are granted a leave of absence without benefits, you must surrender your Card before beginning the leave. If you are granted a leave of absence with pay, you may retain and continue to use your Card.

• Lost or Stolen Cards - If your Card is lost or stolen, call:
  • PNC Bank: 1-800-685-4039

Reimbursement for Expenses - Complete a RIT Travel Expense Report online to be reimbursed for business travel or hospitality expenses charged to your Card; RIT will not remit payment for your bill directly to your Card provider.

Responsibility for Payment - You, the cardholder, are responsible to pay for all charges incurred on your Card in a timely manner. Card statements are mailed directly to you and are also available online the first day after statement date. You are responsible for remitting payment directly to the bank. The amount owed for all charges is due by the payment date indicated on the statement. A late fee and finance charge will be assessed when payments are received after the due date. Cardholders are responsible to pay any late fees or finance charges. RIT will not reimburse cardholders for late fees and finance charge.

• Termination of Participation - Your participation in the Card program will be terminated under any one of the following conditions:
  • When you are no longer employed by RIT.
  • If your account becomes delinquent (past 30 days) more than six times in any 12 month period.
  • If your account is 61 or more days past due.

• Other
  • You may not use the Card for personal use or delegate the use of your Card to another individual.
  • Misuse of the Card may result in disciplinary action.
  • The Card may not be used to purchase equipment or supplies. Follow RIT purchasing policies and procedures for such purchases.
  • If you cancel your Card for any reason, cut it in half and return to Accounting, 100 Park Point 2nd Floor @ RIT
  • Since the Card is for business use only, it is imprinted with RIT's tax exempt number. All qualified purchases made with the Card are sales tax exempt.
    • Inform the vendor of RIT's tax exempt status before the transaction is processed. You will be asked to present a New York State Tax Exempt form; forms may be obtained from the Controller's Office at 475-2383.
    • Refer to the Controller's Office web page for a list of states that recognize RIT's tax exempt status; call the Controller's Office at 475-2383 to obtain the tax exempt form for the state you are traveling to.
    • Note: Travelers will not be reimbursed for sales taxes paid if they have not asked for the exemption.

• Use of the Corporate Travel Card
  • Use the Card for official RIT travel-related expenses including the following:
    • Automobile Rental and other transportation services, excluding air and rail tickets that should be charged to the CTA account through one of RIT designated travel agencies. Refer to the Designated Travel Agencies section for more information.
    • Food service establishments
    • Fuel
    • Lodging

While international flights should be on U.S. air carriers whenever possible, the Act permits flights on foreign air carriers when there is a code sharing arrangement. Code sharing occurs when one air carrier leases space on an aircraft of another airline. Under certain conditions a code-share flight on a foreign air carrier is considered the same as one operated by a U.S. air carrier and allowable under the Act. For example, if United Airlines (UA) has a code sharing agreement with British Airways (BA) and the ticket or boarding pass identifies the flight as UA ## Operated by British Airways, the requirements of the Act would be met since the designator code (UA) indicates that United Airlines provided the service. However, if the ticket documentation identifies the flight as BA ## Operated by United Airlines, then the requirements of the Act would not be met because the service was provided by the foreign air carrier.

Another possible exception is transportation provided under a bilateral or multilateral air transportation agreement to which the U.S. Government and the government of a foreign country are parties, and which the U.S. Department of Transportation has determined meet the requirements of the Act. See the Federal Travel Regulations at the following link for detailed information related to Airline Open Skies Agreements.

In 2007, the U.S. entered into an “Open Skies” Agreement with the European Union (“EU”). The current Agreement gives European Community airlines (airlines of Member states – see list below) the right to transport passengers on flights funded by the U.S. government, when the transportation is between: (1) any two points outside the United States; or (2) a point in the United States and any point outside the United States that the EU airline is authorized to serve under the “Open Skies” Agreement.

If you are scheduling international travel that is federally funded, you must ensure that all flights, where possible, are on U.S. air carriers or foreign air carriers that code share with a U.S. air carrier. Because of the complexities related to the interpretation of and compliance with the Act it is highly recommended that when traveling internationally on a federally-funded grant or contract you book your international travel through the University’s travel management company, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT). The travel agents at CWT are well versed in the Fly America Act requirements. Please be sure to advise them that your trip is federally funded.

Sponsored Programs Accounting (SPA) reviews all international travel on federally sponsored projects and may disallow the cost of any air travel that does not appear to be in compliance with the Act or other sponsor requirements. When you send your Travel Expense Report (TER) to SPA for approval, your SPA Representative will look at the designator code next to the flight numbers. The TER and actual flight documentation must show a U.S. air carrier’s designator code next to the flight number or a Fly America Act Waiver Checklist must be attached. If the SPA Representative is unable to verify the air carrier’s designator code or if an appropriately completed Fly America Act Waiver Checklist is not provided, the TER will be returned to the traveler with a request for additional documentation. If no additional documentation exists, the traveler is responsible for providing an alternative account (not federally-funded) to charge the portions of the trip that are not compliant with the Act.

If you are ever in doubt, please call your SPA Representative for assistance.

In order for a flight to be in compliance with the Act, the code of a U.S. flag air carrier must be noted as part of the flight number on the flight documentation. Each airline has a two letter alpha code. For example, United Airlines has a code of “UA”. On an airline ticket, boarding pass, or passenger receipt, this code is designated just to the left of the flight number. The list below identifies designator codes for most U.S. air carriers:

In order to claim the Airline “Open Skies” Agreement exception specifically for the European Union, you must complete the Fly America Act Waiver Checklist and submit documentation with your TER reflecting a European Union Member State air carrier’s designator code. The list below identifies designator codes for most European Union air carriers:

*Varies based on hotel rating and/or location.

A chip and PIN card is a credit card that includes microchip technology and a personal identification number (PIN) to securely verify a cardholder during a transaction. The embedded microchip is encrypted and the cardholder must enter his/her PIN for each transaction to be approved if the transaction is processed through a chip payment terminal that requires a PIN.

The PIN will take the place of a signature at merchant locations that provide chip payment terminals that require PINs. A chip and PIN card also has a magnetic stripe on the back of card so your transactions can continue to be processed as signature transactions at merchant locations that have not yet been equipped with new chip payment terminal technology.

Although signature-based transactions continue to be the most common type of transaction in the United States, many other countries are switching to chip and PIN cards. Upgrading your magnetic stripe card with the new chip and PIN card technology is one way we can help enhance your purchase experience when you are traveling outside the United States.

Chip and PIN credit cards are more convenient when traveling abroad, especially when using the chip card at unattended kiosks, such as at train stations or gas pumps that will only accept a PIN to validate a transaction. Additionally, the embedded microchip in the card helps protect cardholders from fraudulent activity because the microchip is extremely difficult to copy and the PIN validation requirement enhances security of the card if it is lost or stolen.

Many features of a chip and PIN card are the same as a magnetic stripe card. Both cards are embossed on the front with the card number, cardholder name and expiration date and provide the three-digit security code on the back of the card. The key difference is the silver colored embedded chip on the front left side of the card.

Today, the United States has very few chip-enabled terminals. Within the next year or two, chip-enabled terminals will become more prevalent across the country. Around the world, chip technology has been used for many years to help protect cardholders from fraudulent activity.

No additional fees apply to your new chip and PIN card.

When you activate your card (via phone), you can set your PIN on the same phone call. Alternatively, you can set or change your PIN by calling the PNC Customer Service number on back of your card.

Each new chip and PIN card will have one PIN that can be used for purchases and allowable cash withdrawals. If your company does not allow cash withdrawals, then cash access will be blocked from usage on the chip card.

If you enter your PIN incorrectly three times, your PIN will become blocked. This security measure is put in place to keep fraudsters from trying to guess a PIN, should the chip card become lost or stolen.

If you remember your PIN after it has been blocked, you may contact the number on the back of your chip card to assist you with unblocking your card. You will be asked to enter your account number and answer several security questions. Then, you will select “0” from the IVR menu to be connected with an operator who will assist you in unblocking your PIN. Once your card is unblocked, you may then continue to use your card normally.

If you do not remember your PIN, see the answers for question #10.

If you attempted your PIN incorrectly three times, your card has become blocked. If you do not remember your blocked PIN, please contact the number on the back of your chip card and select “0” from the IVR menu to speak to an operator about your forgotten PIN. The operator will mail you a new PIN number.

No, it is only applicable when you are present at the chip payment terminal during the transaction.

Yes, advance notification will help to ensure that legitimate purchases are approved.

Please make sure to memorize your PIN prior to traveling. If you forget your PIN prior to your travels, please contact the number on the back of the card and request a new PIN mailer to be mailed to you to avoid the delays that can be associated with having to reset your PIN while traveling. It may take 5-7 business days for a new PIN to be mailed to you.

Chip cards provide a higher level of security in some countries because the encrypted chip uses several measures that create a complex level of security making a chip card difficult to copy or counterfeit.

The magnetic stripe will continue to be on the back of your new chip and PIN card, so that your card can continue to be used at merchants (local and international) that have not been updated to chip technology.

When you make a purchase at a non-chip terminal using your chip and PIN card, either you or the merchant will swipe your card and then you sign a receipt. When you make a purchase at a chip- enabled terminal using your chip and PIN card, you will insert your card into the chip reader and then you will be prompted to enter your PIN.

Note: There could be merchants that have chip-enabled terminals that are not set up to prompt for a PIN and will request a signature even for chip transactions. When you insert your card into the chip reader, it will prompt you for a PIN if the chip reader contains that capability; if not, you will just be required to provide your signature.

1. Insert the chip portion of the card into the terminal with the chip facing up. It’s important to leave the card in the terminal until the transaction is complete. (If you remove the card too soon, the transaction will end and your purchase will not be processed.)
2. Follow the prompts on the terminal’s screen and enter the PIN.
3. The terminal will display the purchase amount.
4. When your transaction is complete, you will be prompted to remove your card. At restaurants, a portable chip terminal may be brought to your table.