September 8, 2011

New travel program for VU faculty, staff debuts in October

New travel program for VU faculty, staff debuts in October

TravelVU, a new travel program for Vanderbilt University faculty, staff and students will become effective Tuesday, Oct. 4.

TravelVU is a comprehensive initiative that encompasses all aspects of the travel planning, booking, reporting, and reimbursement processes. The foundation of this program is based upon three elements specifically tailored for the Vanderbilt traveler:

• New Relationship with FROSCH, a travel management company that operates in 44 countries;

• New TravelVU Website designed to lead travelers through the planning, booking and reimbursement process; and

• New Online Travel Authorization, Expense Reporting & Reimbursement Tool, which will be launched next year.

The TravelVU program will offer these benefits each time you travel:

• Vanderbilt-dedicated travel agents or customized online booking tool for reserving flights, hotel accommodations, car rentals and more. (The online tool, for business use only, provides convenient booking options similar to those provided by commercial travel Websites);

• Around-the-clock traveler assistance and no booking fees for those travelers using FROSCH Travel for Vanderbilt business travel;

• Online, electronic submission of travel authorization and expense reimbursement requests with visibility into status and approval processes and a direct deposit option; and

• Travel planning guides to lead travelers through the process, access to the electronic travel tools and links to other valuable travel resources.

To find out more about the new travel program, attend the supplier fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, in the Student Life Center Commodore Ballroom.

FROSCH agents will be on campus Oct. 4 and 5 to provide training on their services and the online booking tool.

To sign up for training, visit the Learning Exchange at http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=The%20Learning%20Center&doc=30172 and search for TravelVU.

For more information, contact Kathryn James at kathryn.james@vanderbilt.edu or 322-4375.