NEW: Travel booking and support services - 2/7/24

We are excited to announce that UVM has partnered with Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP) to provide our affiliates with travel booking and support services. The use of CTP also allows UVM to fulfill our duty of care for our travelers by offering risk mitigating features and improved reporting compared to our previous internal travel authorization process.

UVM and CTP’s contracted rates and UVM’s Travel Policy are built into Lightning, the online booking tool, providing cost savings and an efficient booking experience. CTP offers discounted rates on airfare and rental car bookings, and peace of mind with 24/7 live agent support to travelers while underway.

There are many benefits of using CTP such as:

  • Fulfilling UVM’s duty of care requirements and enabling the discontinuation of the Travel Authorization process in PeopleSoft effective 4/1/2024.
  • Providing our faculty and staff with personalized assistance, 24/7 support, and a dedicated account manager to address any travel-related inquiries or concerns.
  • Allowing employees to enter their frequent flier information and earn points for flights booked through CTP.
  • Offering reduced fares. NOTE: When booking online, the only cost for CTP services is a $5 per ticket administrative fee.
  • Ensuring compliance with the Fly America Act for those using federal funds
  • Facilitating group travel reservations.
  • Allowing UVM employees to use this booking tool to arrange travel for visitors, guest speakers, applicants, etc.
  • Tracking unused tickets and transferring the ticket to another UVM employee.

Contact Information for CTP

Online Support Team:
Phone: 877-208-1396
Email: na.online@travelctm.com
Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM ET, Monday – Friday
CTP’s online support is complimentary.

To work with an agent, they may be reached at:
Phone: 888-491-6735 / 531-242-6605
Email: uvm@ctptravelservices.com
Hours: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM ET, Monday – Friday
After Hours: 7:00 PM – 9:00 AM ET, Monday – Friday, Weekends & Holidays

To call or email your agent team during normal business hours is complimentary. We do assess a CTP service fee when you ticket a reservation with a CTP agent ($25 domestic and $27 international), and there is a service fee to call the After Hours emergency team ($16 per call).

For questions about UVM’s interaction with CTP and UVM Travel policy, email Travel@uvm.edu

Timeline and Training Information

  • UVM's partnership with CTP went into effect as of 2/7/2024.
  • Please note that using CTP to purchase all UVM airline tickets and rental car reservations is mandatory as of 5/15/2024.
  • View the full recording of the CTP training below:

How to Use CTP

  • Access the online booking tool, Lightning, with your UVM netID and password
  • Download the CTP Mobile app from the Apple Store or Google Play and login with your UVM netID and password to book, manage, and get travel updates on the go
  • Use the Lightning portal to book travel needs including airfare and car rentals
  • Arrange and book group travel
  • The traveler or their delegate (e.g., department administrative staff) is responsible for booking travel using the new CTP travel agency.
  • See the Travel Policy for a definition of "Eligible Travelers" for expense reimbursement and full details of allowable and unallowable expenses for airfare, lodging, car rentals, and other ground transportation.
  • See the Automobile Rental University Operating Procedure (PDF) and UVM's contracted suppliers for more details about car rentals.
  • A University Purchasing Card (PurCard) should be used whenever possible.
  • For conference registrations, if a PurCard is not accepted or available for payment, please submit a Check Request Form to the Disbursement Center for pre-payment. Payments made with personal funds will be reimbursed after the conference has occurred.
  • If a traveler chooses to pay for travel arrangements personally instead of using a UVM PurCard, they will be reimbursed only after returning from the trip.

Flights - Seat Selection and Boarding Passes

  • Seat Selection with CTP Lightning Tool - As the arranger, you may select specific seats for your travelers on the seat map; OR you may skip selecting specific seats, and CTP will automatically select seats based on the requests notated in their profile.
  • Boarding Passes - On the itinerary in CTP Lightning, there is a Check In Now button, available 24 hours before departure.  Clicking this link will bring you to the airline’s website, where you can proceed with obtaining boarding passes.  Alternatively, you can download the specific airline’s mobile app to obtain boarding passes.

Vehicle Rentals

The University’s auto rental contracts are for domestic vehicle rental only.  If you need to rent a vehicle when traveling abroad, you do not need to go through CTP.

International Travel

  • International Travel with Multiple Stops - 
    • CTP encourages travelers / travel arrangers to utilize the CTP travel agents to book complex international travel (complex is defined as more than one destination / multiple stops). This is because CTP agents are able to creatively fare and ticket which an online booking tool cannot do (such as; around the world, point-to-point, through fares, open jaws, ticketing in different currencies, etc.).
    • In addition, CTP agents provide consultation. For instance, if you are connecting through Johannesburg, South Africa, the airlines cannot legally ticket a schedule that is under 50 minutes connection time. However, our agents would advise a schedule with at least a 2.5 hour layover, as the customs in Johannesburg can often get messy and time consuming. They will also advise you if you are using multiple carriers when the baggage will be tagged all the way to your final destination, and when you will need to pick-up your baggage and re-check them.
    • Furthermore, when you book an international travel reservation with the CTP agents, it is automatically sent to their International Rate Desk (IRD). IRD is made up of only CTP’s most senior and experienced international agents, and they quality control the original travel agent’s work to ensure that a more creative faring or different routing was not available that would save additional time and dollars.
  • Intra-Country Flights Abroad – If you traveling abroad, and need flights within that country, please contact a CTP travel agent to assist you with those in-country connections.  They work with partner agencies in other countries to be able to meet these needs.
  • Vehicle Rental in CTP – The University’s auto rental contracts are for domestic vehicle rental only.  If you need to rent a vehicle when traveling abroad, you do not need to go through CTP.

FAQ

Is there a mobile app I can use?

CTP rolled out a new proprietary travel app, CTM Mobile, developed by our trusted travel management partner, Collegiate Travel Planners. This innovative mobile app is designed to streamline and enhance the travel experience for all faculty and staff.

Key features and benefits of the new CTM Mobile app include:

  • The app uses your UVM single sign-on – sign in with your UVM netID and password.
  • Seamless Booking: Easily search, compare, and book flights, hotels, and domestic rental cars directly through the app. Enjoy access to the University's negotiated rates and preferred vendor discounts.
  • Effortless Itinerary Management: Details displayed for every part of your trip, so you never waste time looking for a confirmation code, gate number or rental car drop-off address again.
  • Real-Time Updates: Receive instant notifications about flight changes, gate updates, and other important travel details to keep you informed on the go.
  • Traveler Support: Get the urgent assistance you need in one tap thanks to our integrated Click-to-Call functionality that connects you directly with your designated agent team, 24/7.

To download the new travel app, simply search for CTM Mobile in your device's app store. When prompted, log in using your University Single Sign-On credentials to access all the features and benefits.

Resources:

The CTM Product Guide for Mobile Sign-in can be found here:

https://elysian-prod.azureedge.net/companies/01HCWDK2B0M7WFABDZXS882E48/resources/CTM Mobile Sign in for SSO clients 8Mar2023_01HHHSYMV14ZGHXJYS9BFAHGSC.pdf

Download App Links:

· Apple Store:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ctm-mobile/id1396829738?platform=iphone

· Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.travelctm.us.mobile&hl=en_US

Video: https://travelctm.wistia.com/medias/qjguqbn0zt (less than 2 minutes)

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact the CTP Online Support team

I have a complex airfare request and I'm struggling to use the CTP Portal. Is there a form I can fill out instead?

This form can be used by UVM employees to begin the process of requesting airfare which may be more complex than can be easily accomplished using the CTP online Lightning tool. This will allow our CTP travel agent to review flights and provide options when replying to the request.

If your CTP profile has frequent flyer program information already entered, you will not need to add this information again.

There is a section for Travel Request Details. Clicking on any of the boxes opens additional fields. Checking the Air One Way/Multi-destination provides the opportunity to enter multiple cities and dates. There is a box to enter Additional Flight Details for more specific information – for example: need in-country flight between Beijing, China and Nanjing, China.

There is another box for Additional Notes. This can be used to enter information such as:

  • Available for a call, M/W/F between 1pm and 3pm.
  • Must have information by Thursday noon – email is OK.
  • Call any morning this week.
  • Contact by email is best.

The form can be found by clicking the following link: https://secure-ctp.forms-db.com/view.php?id=143739

In the CTP portal, the link to the form can be found in the Documents and Links section on the left side of the page. By clicking on the Docs and Links icon, a full list of the choices will be displayed:

What are CTP's administrative fees?

Here is the full chart of CTP's Fee Schedule.

What is Lightning?

Lightning is UVM's online travel management system used to book airfare and rental car.

UVM's travel agent, Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP), supports the travel reservations made with Lightning online booking.

Can I use CTP/Lightning for students/non-employee travel arrangements?

Yes.

  • Departments may use the CTP travel agency to arrange travel for students, visitors, guest speakers, applicants, etc.
  • For prospective employees, independent contractors, consultants, foreign visiting scholars, and volunteers, departments may choose whether to arrange travel using a UVM PurCard, or submit a Check Request form which requires departments to receive detailed, itemized receipts from the individual after trip completion.
  • For guest speakers, departments may use a UVM PurCard, a Check Request form (departments will need to include the individual's receipts), or include it on the requisition accompanied by the Speaker Engagement Letter.

Can I use a third party booking site like Expedia?

No. Third party companies are seldom able to provide the additional benefits of a true travel agency, like providing assistance in an emergency rebooking, putting a new employee name on an existing ticket, ensuring compliance with the Fly America Act, etc.

Does Lightning and CTP match lower prices found elsewhere?

Lightning and CTP will price match a lower price from an airline or car renter’s direct website -- not through third party websites like Expedia or Hotels.com -- on the exact identical reservation. Promptly send a screen shot of the two costs to na.pricematch@ctptravelservices.com. They will communicate next steps.

How do I note that I need special accommodations for my travel?

UVM provides reasonable accommodations for disability-related and pregnancy-related conditions. Employees can contact the Human Resources team if they have any questions about accommodations that may relate to travel. When you book travel through Lightning, add a note to the travel agent about what your needs may be (there are a couple options in your profile you can select that the airlines receive directly). The agent will then make accommodations you need on your booking.  Also, after booking you can go directly to the vendor for anything specific.

Why do we have to use this travel agency?

There is a contract with Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP).  The required use, effective April 1, 2024, comes from the President and Provost.  Use of the contract by UVM is true regardless of funding source.  The reporting from CTP is very detailed and fulfills the University’s duty of care for our travelers.  This is what allows UVM to discontinue the required use of travel authorizations in PeopleSoft in most instances.

When do I need to complete a travel authorization in PeopleSoft?

A travel authorization is required when a cash advance is requested.

What services are required to book through CTP?

Airfare and car rental.  The UVM contracted car rental providers are available for selection.

What if I am traveling with others and equipment – I will need a bigger vehicle?

Larger vehicles are available for selection.  Use the dropdown list to select the reason.  The same is true if arriving at an area with inclement weather.

I’m going to a conference and it provides a hotel at a discounted rate.

Please book your hotel through your conference to get the best rate.  Booking hotels through CTP is not required.

How do I get a tax exemption at the hotel if I book the hotel through CTP?

Bring the correct tax exemption form and present when checking in at the hotel.

How do I get help after hours?

Call the toll-free number 888-491-6735.  Even after hours, there will be a support person to provide assistance.

I’m in the airport and need to rebook a flight. What do I do?

Get in the customer service line at the airport and call CTP at the same time.  CTP may be able to help you sooner.  If the rebooking is required due to inclement weather or plane issues, the airlines should be working on rebooking already.

Do I need to have a UVM PurCard to use CTP?

No, you can use your personal credit card and get reimbursed through the current travel expense reimbursement process.  If you travel more than two or three times a year, please consider obtaining a PurCard.

Who books the travel for departmental personnel?

If an employee has always booked their own travel, they can continue to do so.  If a department had someone who supports faculty and staff by booking travel on their behalf, that can continue.

Contact the Travel & Expense Team

travel@uvm.edu
(802) 656-4192
Disbursement Center
205 Waterman
Burlington, VT 05405