On April 9, 2025, the Defense Travel System (DTS) was updated to help clarify when a constructed travel worksheet (CTW) is required, after a recent executive order prompted a reversal in constructed travel policies.
Effective January 31, 2025, the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) have been amended to reinstate previous policies on constructed travel (see UTD-CTD for MAP-CAP 05-25(S), “Implementing Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy” [PDF, 23 pages]). For one-way trips up to 400 miles in a privately owned vehicle (POV), a CTW is no longer required. For one-way trips 401 miles or greater, or round trips exceeding 800 miles, travelers need to attach a CTW to their DTS authorization according to the current process. Per the JTR, travelers taking a private plane, boat, or helicopter to their TDY location are still required to attach a CTW to the DTS authorization, regardless of the distance.
DTS now uses trip dates and POV mileage to determine if a CTW is required. If a CTW is required but not attached, the system prompts the traveler to attach the supporting document to their voucher. Similarly, Authorizing Officials (AOs) will see an alert requesting a required CTW be added before they can approve trip.
DTS also allows AOs to review the CTW Cost Comparison to compare Government preferred against the traveler preferred transportation costs during the approval process and allows travelers to add a mileage expense to their travel document for reimbursement.
See more information on completing a Constructed Travel Worksheet.