Board of Contract Appeals General Services Administration Washington, D.C. 20405 ____________________ April 7, 2000 ____________________ GSBCA 15191-RELO In the Matter of TANYA CANTRELL Tanya Cantrell, Stockton, CA, Claimant. Susan R. Sheely, Chief, Travel Management Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, appearing for Department of the Interior. NEILL, Board Judge. Claimant, Ms. Tanya Cantrell, an employee of the Department of the Interior, has asked this Board to review her agency's ruling on two items included in her overall claim for expenses incurred in conjunction with a recent permanent change of station. The first is the cost of a rental car which she used at her new permanent duty station (PDS). The second concerns the amount of her daily allowance for temporary quarters subsistence expenses (TQSE), which was reduced when the original authorization for thirty days was extended at her request. Ms. Cantrell believes that the rental car expense should be paid since it was originally authorized. She also objects to the reduction in the TQSE allowance since the agency provided her with no advance notice that this would occur. Ms. Cantrell believes that the agency should be more flexible on these items particularly since, in her opinion, her entire transfer was managed in an extraordinarily inept fashion. Background Claimant's transfer from her agency's offices in Menlo Park, California, to Reston, Virginia, came about as a result of her agency's decision to close its Western Region Office of Equal Opportunity in July 1999. She explains that she accepted reassignment to avoid losing her job and being separated from federal service. Ms. Cantrell complains that lack of advice and poor communication were to become the "hallmarks" of her relocation. Information regarding the movement of her household goods was mailed to her at her office after it had officially closed. The contract movers retained to assist her in her move were wholly unsatisfactory. Packing was done in a careless fashion, and her automobile, which was also shipped, was seriously damaged. Printed information provided to her regarding relocation was outdated and in conflict at times with that being used by agency officials who dealt with her on relocation matters. Her travel authorization was issued three times. In its final form it authorized round-trip, as opposed to one-way, transportation and also provided for the use of a rental car at the new PDS. Ms. Cantrell also complains that she received no assistance in locating or securing affordable temporary housing and that the information given to her regarding health service was incorrect. In addition, her Government credit card was accidently terminated rather than transferred. The agency has assured Ms. Cantrell that, as a result of her unfortunate experiences, relocation procedures are being revised to ensure that in the future reliable information and advice will be provided to transferred employees. She contends, however, that this is not enough. She asks to be made whole for the damage done to her as a result of the many problems encountered before, during, and after her transfer to Reston, Virginia. Discussion The agency's disallowance of the cost of a rental car for Ms. Cantrell is in accord with regulation. The Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) states that TQSE does not include local transportation expenses incurred during occupancy of temporary quarters. 41 CFR 302-5.2 (1999) (FTR 302-5.2). An exception to this rule, of course, can be made when the employee is performing local official business travel. Id. 302-5.18. Apart from this exception, however, local transportation expenses incurred after arrival at the new PDS are the responsibility of the employee. We have specifically held that this applies to the cost of rental cars. Jacqueline Williams, GSBCA 15026-RELO, 99-2 BCA 30,538; Brian P. Gariffa, GSBCA 13798-RELO, 97-2 BCA 29,033; Thomas S. Ward, GSBCA 13825-RELO, 97-1 BCA 28,955. Indeed, we have affirmed this, even in a situation such as that presented in this case, where a rental car was mistakenly authorized for use until the arrival of the employee's personally owned vehicle. Andrew Parr, GSBCA 14058-RELO, 98-1 BCA 29,426 (1997). As for the agency's reduction in TQSE allowance after the first thirty days of temporary quarters, this too is in accordance with published regulation. See FTR 302-5.100. Claimant is charged with knowledge of the regulation and the inconvenience resulting from her not being aware of it can do nothing to enlarge her TQSE entitlement under the FTR. Ms. Cantrell, herself, appears to realize that these regulatory barriers stand in the way of her being paid for her rental car and at an unreduced daily TQSE rate after the first thirty days of temporary quarters. Nevertheless, she suggests that the applicable restrictions should be waived in view of the inconveniences and stress she was subjected to during her transfer. Unfortunately for her, this is not possible. It is well established that, absent a specific provision in statute or regulation which might permit it under certain circumstances, neither an agency nor the Board has the authority to waive the applicability of travel statutes or regulations for any individual federal employee who is subject to them. Michael J. Kunk, GSBCA 14721, 99-1 BCA 30,164 (1998); Defense Intelligence Agency Employee, GSBCA 14745-RELO, 99-1 BCA 30,117 (1998); Gordon D. Giffin, GSBCA 14425-RELO, 98-2 BCA 30,100; Murray Lumpkin, GSBCA 14513-RELO, 98-2 BCA 30,042; Thomas D. Thompson, GSBCA 14496-RELO, 98-1 BCA 29,799; Kelly A. Wells, GSBCA 14205-TRAV, 98-1 BCA 29,603; Thomas T. Matteson, GSBCA 14111-RELO, 98-1 BCA 29,413 (1997). Ms. Cantrell has indicated no authority, nor are we aware of any, which in circumstances such as those described in her case would justify waiving the regulations which preclude the agency from reimbursing her as requested. The agency's determination denying these claims is, therefore, affirmed. _____________________ EDWIN B. NEILL Board Judge