Jenny writes in:
I just wrapped a production where I had to drive 60 miles to location each day in order to set up breakfast before the crew van arrived, and now it’s time to invoice for all that hard PA work.
Should I charge anything for using my car? Just bill for the gas? Should my day begin when I get in the car or to the location? I don’t want to come off as an asshole, but I’d also rather the wear and tear on my car come out of the production’s pockets instead of mine.
You get reimbursed for mileage, not gas. Don’t worry, unless your car runs on jet fuel, you come out ahead. This year, the rate is 54 cents per mile.
You can create your own mileage form, if they didn’t give you one (which it sounds like they didn’t this time). Be sure to make a copy, before you turn it in.
Be forewarned– technically, they don’t have to pay for your mileage. Which is why you should always ask about mileage ahead of time. Still, at this point, just turn in the mileage form and hope for the best.
If you have to pick something up on the way to set, you start counting your time card and your mileage when you arrive at that place. You don’t get to charge for your daily commute.
2 Responses
My commute to the production office is only 4 miles one way. However, I got sent on a 30 mile run first thing in the morning and had to leave from my house in the opposite direction of the production office. Do I count my mileage starting at my house or from when I arrived at the run location which is much farther than my commute? Or do I count my mileage starting at my house minus the 4 miles it normally takes me to go to the office?
Usually, you start mileage from where your call was. In this case, that was the location of the run you had to do.
However, if it’s really 30 miles vs 4, I’d say go ahead and just subtract the 4 miles.