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Last Updated / Reviewed: February 23, 2024

NFFPC.org

Northeast AD Hub Program

The Northeast AD Hub Program sponsors 200+ Administratively Determined (AD) Casual Hire Emergency Responders consisting of both U.S. Forest Service and State sponsored individuals. U.S. Department of the Interior agencies do not currently participate in the AD Hub. The Northeast AD Hub is one of four AD Hubs within the Eastern Region AD Program. Casual Hires are utilized locally, regionally, and nationally to help support incident response.

AD Paperwork Walkthrough

  • .pdf 2.34 MB

AD Paperwork Walkthrough

DOI - AD Pay Plan

  • .pdf 360.68 KB

DOI - AD Pay Plan

Forest Service AD Pay Plan

  • .pdf 332.36 KB

Forest Service AD Pay Plan

Forest Service Casual Hire Travel Process

  • .pdf 628.45 KB

Forest Service Casual Hire Travel Process

Incident Payment Procedures 2021

  • .pdf 739.54 KB

Incident Payment Procedures 2021

Job Aid 2024

  • .pdf 375.89 KB

Job Aid 2024

Northeast AD Hub Program Formal Letter 2024

  • .pdf 255.17 KB

Northeast AD Hub Program Formal Letter 2024

Northeast AD Hub Sponsorship Guide 2024

  • .pdf 901.57 KB

Northeast AD Hub Sponsorship Guide 2024

Casual Hire Forms

7100-184 driver's application.

  • .pdf 56.72 KB

7100-184 Driver's Application

Casual Hire Form (PMS934)

  • .pdf 372.8 KB

Casual Hire Form (PMS934)

Defensive and Distracted Driving Training

  • .docx 12.99 KB

Defensive and Distracted Driving Training

Direct Deposit

  • .pdf 140.79 KB

Direct Deposit

Emergency Notification Information Form

  • .pdf 104.14 KB

Emergency Notification Information Form

  • .pdf 477.5 KB

I-9 - 2024

Incident Behavior Form (PMS935)

  • .pdf 23.17 KB

Incident Behavior Form (PMS935)

LastName_FirstName_Defensive_Drivingfillable

  • .pdf 150.19 KB

LastName_FirstName_Defensive_Drivingfillable

OF-288 Incident Time Report

  • .pdf 580.58 KB

OF-288 Incident Time Report

  • .pdf 167.23 KB

OF-306

Sponsorship Application 2024

  • .pdf 124.47 KB

Sponsorship Application 2024

Vendor Code Form

  • .pdf 74.88 KB

Vendor Code Form

  • .pdf 184.29 KB

W-4 2024

Mobilization Forms

Ad travel worksheet 2024.

  • .xlsx 26.52 KB

AD Travel Worksheet 2024

CTR Fillable

  • .pdf 86.8 KB

CTR Fillable

Extension Form

  • .pdf 998.05 KB

Extension Form

2024 Northeast AD Hub Refresher

  • .pptx 10.65 MB

2024 Northeast AD Hub Refresher

2023 Northeast AD Hub Refresher

  • .pptx 9.18 MB

2023 Northeast AD Hub Refresher

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Travel Advisers: When to Let a Professional Plan Your Trip

An illustration of a person sitting on a folded-out map with books, papers and coffee laid out around the area. That person is inside the head of a beige-colored person wearing a teal telephone headset, and drawings of the Eiffel Tower, a compass, a signpost, a jet plane, mountains and other travel imagery are all around the head.

By Julie Weed

Decades ago, your vacation most likely began with a visit to a travel agent, who relied on a combination of expertise and connections to find the best deals on plane tickets, hotels, tours and more. Since then, the internet has turned most of us into our own travel agents, and artificial intelligence software is making research and self-booking even easier. But for some trips, that special insider knowledge can still make a big difference.

So when should you hire a professional, and how does it all work? Here are some tips.

Why should I consider a travel adviser?

It’s easy for a traveler to do the research for a standard trip, said Chris Anderson, a professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, “so they should look for a specialist for the type of tour they are looking for, say a bike trip in Ireland, who can really add value.”

The insider knowledge offered by a travel adviser can add the most value to trips that have multicity itineraries, involve a wide age range of travelers , are very significant (like an anniversary vacation) or are to destinations you are unfamiliar with, said Gary R. Johnson, who has run the travel agency Woodside Travel in Seattle for nearly 30 years. An adviser could help you decide, for instance, in which order to visit European cities based on local events and transportation options.

What can an adviser give me that a booking site can’t?

Travel advisers can help you research the best destinations, lodging, or activities for your particular group and travel goals, offering up specific advice that might be hard or time-consuming to find yourself. Those specializing in cruises might know which cabin to choose if you are prone to seasickness, while a safari planner could help you decide which park would be best for bird-watching or seeing specific animals, like rhinos.

Travel advisers typically have relationships with tour companies, hotels and cruise lines, sometimes through networks. Those connections can allow advisers to offer extra perks such as late checkout, free breakfast, airport transfers, a welcome basket or a credit to spend on a cruise ship.

“A good travel agent will be a better steward of your travel budget than you are,” said Guy Rubin, managing director of Imperial Tours , which arranges travel in China.

When bad weather or other circumstances disrupt your itinerary, travel advisers often have direct lines of communication with providers and can do the work of rebooking and changing plans, saving you time and stress.

OK, let’s say I need help. How do I find an adviser?

Networks like the American Society of Travel Advisors and Travel Leaders have websites that can help you start your search for a travel adviser by answering a few questions about your desired trip. Once you have a handful to choose from, get on the phone with them to talk about what they might do for you, how they charge and the level of service you can expect. Special trips can cost thousands of dollars, so it’s worth investing time up front, Mr. Rubin said.

Make sure to read over the travel agent’s reviews and any user-generated social content that mentions them, Dr. Anderson said. “If there is no external validation, that’s a red flag.”

How do advisers get paid, and how much will it cost me?

Advisers receive commission from suppliers, typically 10 to 15 percent of the price, when selling cruises, lodging and tours. They also sometimes charge travelers a planning fee, from a few hundred dollars, which may be credited to the final bill if the booking is completed, all the way up to tens of thousands of dollars annually for a luxury concierge travel planner they can call on all year. Mr. Johnson said that he charges a planning fee the first time he works with customers. If they return for other trips, he waives the fee.

Advisers may be tempted to sell you something that will earn them a higher commission, Dr. Anderson said. But, he points out, the same is true for the large online services, which promote hotels that pay them larger commissions. Travelers can ask advisers about specific commissions they receive or how they are affiliated with the products they are recommending, he said.

Sometimes a local tour company will package transportation, lodging and experiences for an adviser, who tacks on a percentage before passing it along to a client. But a bill that is not itemized can make it harder to make trade-offs — between a more expensive hotel and a special experience, for example. If pricing transparency is important to you, discuss it with the adviser up front.

How are A.I. and other technologies affecting travel advisers?

While new technologies are allowing do-it-yourselfers to create their own itineraries online based on individual preferences, and to type questions directly into travel websites, advisers are also taking advantage of those technologies to improve their services. Joan Roca, chief executive of the upscale travel planning company Essentialist said his team “uses technology to enhance the human touch,” employing artificial intelligence to choose options from a database of travel offerings selected by a human team. If a couple wants to take an after-dinner stroll, for example, Essentialist’s app will offer up ideas of where to go, based on what part of the city the travelers are in and conversations they’ve had with their travel adviser.

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

Italy :  Spend 36 hours in Florence , seeking out its lesser-known pockets.

Southern California :  Skip the freeways to explore the back roads between Los Angeles and Los Olivos , a 100-mile route that meanders through mountains, canyons and star-studded enclaves.

Mongolia : Some young people, searching for less curated travel experiences, are flocking to the open spaces of this East Asian nation .

Romania :  Timisoara  may be the most noteworthy city you’ve probably never heard of , offering just enough for visitors to fill two or three days.

India: A writer fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Darjeeling, in the Himalayan foothills , taking in the tea gardens and riding a train through the hills.

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

IMAGES

  1. FS AD Travel Worksheet

    ad travel worksheet

  2. WAYS OF TRAVELLING

    ad travel worksheet

  3. Travel Plans (at a travel agency)

    ad travel worksheet

  4. Air Travel

    ad travel worksheet

  5. travel

    ad travel worksheet

  6. AD Word Family Cut-and-Paste Worksheet

    ad travel worksheet

COMMENTS

  1. PDF DOI AD Travel Process

    Hiring Officials/Units should process travel reimbursement requests on the OF-288 whenever possible. Hiring Officials/Units will process travel expenses that require a receipt (e.g., lodging, gas, etc.) through ETS. All receipts must be attached to the casual's OF-288 and submitted to and processed by the hiring unit.

  2. PDF Casual Payment Center Casual AD Travel Reimbursement Process

    first OF-288 only. It is not necessary to document travel reimbursements on each OF-288. TRAVEL WORKSHEET: A Travel Worksheet can be attached to either the Batch Memo (crew reimbursement) or an OF-288 (individual reimbursement). When listing crew names, only indicate ECI number if you have ADs with the same or similar last names, or common names.

  3. Constructed Travel

    The Pre-Travel Worksheet provides your Authorizing Official (AO) with cost comparison information when creating your DTS authorization. Unless your business rules dictate otherwise, this worksheet is required for en-route transportation mode (s) other than Commercial Air or Government transportation. Your AO will determine whether the travel ...

  4. XLSX National Geographic Area Coordination Center Website Portal

    • Verify the totals on your travel worksheet match your invoice and receipt totals. • Email your Casual Hire Form, RO, OF-288s, Receipts, and ... • It is the UWF's preference the Incident process AD pay and UWF Travel Worksheet (.xlsx Excel File) to your hiring official. Author: bdeberg Last modified by: Bobzien, Kayla M -FS Created Date ...

  5. PDF Travel Worksheet

    Travel Worksheet Traveler Name_____ Incident Name_____ Management Code _____ Traveler Signature_____ (you are legally signing this document, stating the information ...

  6. PDF National Park Service Administratively Determined (AD) Hiring Guide AD

    hours over 3 days, the AD employee will only be reimbursed for the 4 hours on day 3, rather than the guaranteed 8 hours. Reference the section on AD Employee Travel for any questions specific to travel to and from training. Hiring AD Employees to Instruct AD employees are capped at 120 hours per calendar year for instructing regardless of agency.

  7. AD Forms

    AD-1083 (back) Instructions for Completing Form AD-1083: PDF, 146KB: AD-1102: Retirement Processing Transmittal: PDF, 420KB: AD-1128: Request for Electronic Downloading of Software from NFC: PDF, 53KB: AD-1143: Corporate Systems Access Request Form: PDF, 190KB: AD-1173: CD-ROM Request: PDF, 59KB: AD-1209: Enterprise Content Management (ECM ...

  8. For Commonwealth Travelers

    Ground Travel Worksheet. Travel Policies & Memos. Preferred Hotel Program. Out of State Travel. Corporate Travel Card. Agency Lodging Card. Travel Forms & Resources. ... Travel Reimbursements Phone: 800.824.0626 Email: co-travelau [email protected]; Travel Planning Phone: 717.265.8409 ...

  9. Eastern Area Coordination Center (EACC)

    USFS AD Travel Policy; DOI AD Travel Process; DOI Travel Reimbursement Worksheet; COMPENSATION FOR INJURY. CA-1 Traumatic Injury Claim; CA-2 ... AD Travel Worksheet; Change of Address Form; FS-6500-229 Request for Reimbursement . EASTERN AREA COORDINATION CENTER; 626 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 500;

  10. PDF TRAVEL VOUCHER (Temporary Duty Travel)

    All travel and reimbursable claims were incurred on official business of the United States Government. All tickets, coupons, promotional items and credits received in connection with travel claimed on this voucher ... FORM AD - 616 (USDA) (Rev. 11/96) $ AUDITED BY (Examiner's initials) TOTAL DIFFERENCE 51. SOCIAL SECURITY NO. 52. DATE ...

  11. NFFPC.org

    The Northeast AD Hub Program sponsors 200+ Administratively Determined (AD) Casual Hire Emergency Responders consisting of both U.S. Forest Service and State sponsored individuals. U.S. Department of the Interior agencies do not currently participate in the AD Hub. The Northeast AD Hub is one of four AD Hubs within the Eastern Region AD Program.

  12. XLSX gacc.nifc.gov

    • It is the BNF's preference the Incident process AD pay and to return travel time will be processed by the home unit. ORANGE CELLS - USE THE DROPDOWN ARROWS IN THE PER DIEM ALLOWANCE SECTION TO SELECT THE M&IE RATE FOR YOUR LOCATION. within five-days of returning from the incident. BNF Travel Worksheet (.xlsx Excel File) to your hiring official

  13. Electronic Forms

    AD: 202: Travel Authorization/Advance: FILL IN PDF (PDF, 224 KB) AD: 202M: Travel Authorization/Advance for multiple travelers: FILL IN PDF (PDF, 53.1 KB) AD: ... AD: 2047S: Customer Data Worksheet (Spanish version) PDF (PDF, 315 KB) AD: 2106: Questionnaire to Assist in the Assessment of USDA Compliance with Civil Rights Laws: PDF (PDF, 105 KB) AD:

  14. PDF National Headquarters (Washington Office) Washington, DC

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5102(c)(19), 7 U.S.C. 2225 and 2226, 16 U.S.C. 554e and 43 U.S.C. 1469, there is hereby established, effective for 18 months or until superseded, beginning on April 11, 2023, the following Administratively Determined (AD) Pay Plan. In the event there is an emergency in progress on the effective date of this pay plan, the ...

  15. Planning a Trip? Tips and Tricks for Working With a Travel Adviser

    Decades ago, your vacation most likely began with a visit to a travel agent, who relied on a combination of expertise and connections to find the best deals on plane tickets, hotels, tours and more.

  16. PDF Travel Voucher (Temporary Duty Station)

    All travel and reimbursable claims were incurred on official business of the United States Government. All tickets, coupons, promotional items and credits received in connection with travel claimed on this voucher ... FORM AD - 616 (USDA) (Rev. 11/96) Upon completion and approval, submit original voucher to: USDA . National Finance Center, P.O ...

  17. PDF Dispatch Type name

    Daily travel information . goes here. For mileage, enter whole numbers, mileage will calculate for you. Tab into the next field to generate calculation. DO NOT change mileage rate. Dispatch will determine your travel method. Enter per diem rate, by day. If meals were provided, enter the dollar value for each type of meal. Enter dollar value as ...