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Travel Rate Cards & Zones

Travel rate cards define the per-diem, mileage, and board allowances your workers receive when travelling to job sites outside their home area. Each card contains multiple zones based on distance from the worker's union hall, with escalating allowances for longer commutes. This is a critical feature for ICI contractors managing crews across wide geographic regions.

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Overview​

Travel rate cards are linked to employment agreements. Each agreement can have its own travel card — reflecting the travel provisions negotiated in the CBA. Cards are versioned by effective date so historical travel payments remain accurate.

Understanding Travel Zones​

A travel zone system works outward from a reference point — typically the worker's union hall:

ZoneDistance from HallDaily Travel AllowanceBoard (if applicable)Parking
Free Zone0–40 km$0.00——
Zone 141–60 km$25.00——
Zone 261–80 km$40.00——
Zone 381–100 km$55.00——
Zone 4101–120 km$70.00—$23.00
Zone 5121–150 km$85.00$140.00$23.00
Zone 6151–180 km$100.00$140.00$23.00
Zone 7181–210 km$110.00$140.00$23.00
Zone 8211–250 km$120.00$140.00$23.00
Zone 9250+ km$130.00$140.00$23.00
tip

Board allowance kicks in at the distance where a daily commute becomes impractical — the worker stays near the job site instead. This is typically defined in the CBA.

How Zone Calculation Works​

When a foreman enters a timesheet for a worker:

  1. The system looks up the worker's home union hall (e.g., Local 95 — Hamilton).
  2. It determines the job site location from the job record.
  3. It calculates the distance between the hall and the job site.
  4. It maps that distance to the appropriate zone on the worker's travel rate card.
  5. The travel allowance, board, and parking are automatically added to the timesheet.

This eliminates manual travel calculations — a process that typically takes office staff hours per pay period.

Creating a Travel Rate Card​

Card Details​

FieldDescription
NameDescriptive name with effective period (e.g., "Local 95 Travel Rate Card (Ontario) Effective May 2025–May 2026")
Linked AgreementThe employment agreement this card applies to

Adding Zones​

Within a card, add zones with escalating rates:

FieldDescription
Zone NameLabel (e.g., "Free Zone", "Zone 1", "Zone 2")
Travel AllowanceDaily dollar amount for travel compensation
Board AllowanceDaily amount for accommodation (if applicable for this zone)
Parking AllowanceDaily parking reimbursement

Versioning Travel Rate Cards​

When CBA travel rates change (typically annually):

  1. Create a new travel rate card with the updated effective date.
  2. Enter the new zone rates.
  3. Link the new card to the appropriate employment agreement.
  4. The previous card remains for historical reference — timesheets before the new effective date use the old rates.

Example version history:

CardEffective PeriodStatus
Local 95 Travel Rate Card (Ontario) Effective May 2025–May 2026May 2025 – May 2026Active
Local 95 Travel Rate Card (Ontario) Effective May 2024–May 2025May 2024 – May 2025Historical

Multiple Cards for Different Agreements​

A contractor with multiple union locals needs separate travel cards:

AgreementTravel CardZone Structure
Local 95 CBALocal 95 Travel Rate Card10 zones (Free + Zones 1–9)
Local 473 Sheet MetalLocal 473 Travel CardMay have different zone distances and rates
Office EmploymentOffice Travel CardSimplified — may only have free zone + mileage

How Travel Zones Connect to Other Features​

FeatureHow Travel Zones Are Used
TimesheetsTravel allowances auto-calculate based on worker's hall vs. job site
Bulk Crew EntryTravel for the entire crew calculates in one step
Payroll ExportTravel, board, and parking export as separate line items
Job CostingTravel costs allocate to the job they're incurred on
SchedulingDispatchers can see travel zone impact when assigning remote crews