Travel Training Frequently Asked Questions

Students can access the online registration system by visiting Travel Training or by logging on to Blackboard (nongovernment website).

Please contact the Travel Training Program Office immediately at travel.training@gsa.gov

A list of available courses, core hours, locations, and course fees can be found on the Travel Training website and in the 2017 Travel and Transportation Training Catalog [PDF - 1.11 MB].

Students are encouraged to contact the Travel Training Program at travel.training@gsa.gov to check on the status of their training course.

No, GSA courses are open to government contractors and the general public.

Students will receive registration confirmation three weeks prior to the start date of the course session. The student's confirmation letter will include the course location, course date(s), course hours, the directions to the training facility and lodging information. If you do not receive a confirmation letter, please contact the Travel Training Branch at travel.training@gsa.gov.

The Travel Training Program is available to conduct onsite training at any government facility or government contractor’s facility. GSA will prepare a training quote based on a fixed price to include one instructor, course manuals and certificates. Cost will vary based on the course and location. For more information regarding, please contact the Travel Training Program Office at travel.training@gsa.gov. (Note: There is a minimum requirement of 20 students).

Some courses have prerequisites, others do not. Students can view specific courses on the Travel Training website and in the course catalog [PDF - 1.66 MB] or contact the Travel Training Program Office at travel.training@gsa.gov. (Note: Work experience may be substituted in lieu of a course; however, you will need to obtain approval from the Program Manager).

For after hour emergencies, students can contact Diane Hawkins at 703-389-9657 or diane.hawkins@gsa.gov. Please be advised that the Travel Training team is on Eastern Standard Time (EST).

GSA accepts all major credit cards as well as the Government issued Purchase Credit Card. The GSA Travel Training Program accepts the SF-182, Purchase Orders, Requisition for Services, GSA Form 3701, Interagency Training Form, Military Interagency Purchase Agreement etc. All training documents must contain their Agency Location Code (ALC) in order for GSA to complete and process your registration. Contractors may pay with a company check and/or money order (payable to the GSA Professional Development and Training Section). (Note: GSA does not accept personal checks, nor can you use your Government-Issued Travel Charge Card to pay for training.)

The Travel Training Program does not recommend students mail their checks using standard mail delivery. GSA suggests using mail service with a tracking capability such as UPS, FedEx, DHL or U.S. Postal Service Express or Priority Mail.

Please mail your check to: GSA, Professional Development and Training Section, Attn: Diane Hawkins 1800 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20405, phone: 703-605-2897.

If you registered online, GSA will not have a copy of your online transaction receipt. We recommend you use the email notification tool in the payment section. You can enter up to three email addresses to receive the Pay.gov confirmation notification.

If you registered and paid with a credit card online, you will receive your Pay.gov transaction receipt electronically. This will serve as your invoice. GSA will not have a copy of your Pay.gov transaction receipt so students must print and/or save a copy electronically. For other payment methods, you can send an electronic request to travel.training@gsa.gov to obtain an invoice.

Students must cancel at least 45 business days prior to the start date of the course in order to receive a full refund. Refunds will only be issued for students who inadvertently registered for an incorrect course. To initiate a cancellation and refund for the course, students must contact the Travel Training Branch at travel.training@gsa.gov for additional information. (Note: GSA reserves the right to cancel any sessions with insufficient enrollment). Additional cancellation policy information specific to classroom and online training can be found at, GSA's Travel Training Cancellation Policy webpage.

Students who will need to cancel a class must do so 45 business days or more, prior to the start date of the course. Students must send a cancellation notice to the GSA Travel Training Program, travel.training@gsa.gov. If you’d like to send someone in your place, please email the Travel Training Program Office with the student’s contact information so that the student can receive credit for the course and a training certificate.

If a student becomes ill or has a personal emergency and cannot attend or complete the course, a written explanation from their supervisor must be sent electronically to travel.training@gsa.gov. The student will have one year to reschedule their training session.Substitutes are permitted. The agency must send an email to the Travel Training Program Office identifying the substitute’s name and his/her contact information in order to receive the course credit and training certificate.

Please contact the Travel Training Branch at travel.training@gsa.gov.

The GSA Travel Training Program Office follows the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) adverse weather policies and announcement. When OPM issues a government-wide closure due to adverse weather conditions, training will be suspended until further notice. Training will be rescheduled at a later time. If there’s a “delayed opening” announcement, training will begin at 9:30 a.m. Please contact the Travel Training Program Office at travel.training@gsa.gov to hear special announcements related to weather, governmentwide delays and/or closures.

If you need to contact the Travel Training Office during a weather or government closure and/or delay, a team member can be reached at: Diane Hawkins .703-389-9657 (Note: GSA will not be responsible for any additional travel expenses incurred by the student or his/her agency due to adverse weather, federal emergency, governmentwide delays or related closures.)
 

Yes. The agency must notify the Travel Training Program Office of any special needs students and is responsible for providing the necessary equipment or interpreter based on the student’s needs. We will make every effort to ensure that the student will be accommodated in the classroom. (Note: Braille and/or large print manuals will be provided for vision impaired students.)

Because the Program Office does not receive facility/room assignments until 20 business days prior to the start date of each course, students should contact the Travel Training Program Office at travel.training@gsa.gov to check on the facility/training room assignment. (Note: Students will also receive a confirmation letter containing the address, lodging information and directions (when available) to the training site a minimum of 15 days prior to the course start date).

GSA recommends flying into the Ronald Reagan Washington National airport. However, if your agency designates a specific airport, you must comply with your agency’s internal travel directives.

GSA recommends using the Fedrooms Program (a nongovernment website). You can log on or contact the Help Desk on 800-226-1741. Students can contact the GSA Travel Training Office at travel.training@gsa.gov, to request a list of hotels near the training facility. Before you finalize your hotel arrangements, please check with the hotel concerning the proximity of the lodging establishment to your training site. Students will receive a confirmation letter and a list of hotels in close proximity to the training facility.

The dress code is business casual for both civilian and uniformed service personnel.

Students should be prepared to attend class with a pen and a writing tablet to take notes. (Note: Students enrolled in Course REL-TAX 202, Relocation Income Tax Allowances (RITA), you will need to bring a hand held calculator.)

Classes start at 8:30 a.m. and finish at 3:30 p.m.

The instructor will provide one 10-minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Lunch is scheduled between 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. However, the instructor and the students can agree to an alternative lunch schedule. To ensure that GSA classroom facilities are well maintained, there will be no eating in the classroom facility. The instructor will provide information on local eateries.

If you are running late for class, please contact the Travel Training Office at travel.training@gsa.gov. A team member will notify the instructor so you will not be marked as absent or a “no show”.

If you need to leave early, you will need to notify the Travel Training Program Office. You will also need to make arrangements with the instructor. If you miss two or more hours of the course lecture, you will not receive credit for the course or a training certificate. You can make arrangements to audit the section that you missed to receive credit for the course.

Students will be required to show a current and valid state or federal Identification to gain access to the building. We also suggest you bring your confirmation letter which will validate your visit.