Shared Travel Services

[dimsum]

Folks,

With Shared Travel Services and being OUTCAN, I was told that it shouldn't affect me until I'm actually back in Canada.  I was wondering if that's actually the case, since I'd have to do HHT and the move - but I think that was done by Brookfield.  Does anyone know if I still have to do the STS registration, etc?

Thanks

 

[Dirt Digger]

I'm OUTCAN right now and went through the enrollment.  I just checked an old email that states the service will be used to book, "your Brookfield relocation/posting travel reservations."

The most difficult issue was that the system isn't built for those without access to a forces.gc.ca account - yet requires one for a verification email.  The work-around was to set it up with the common email address for the clerks at CDLS Washington, who in turn forwarded me the email.  You also need to get a few other details, such as your TAN prefix. 

It remains to be seen how easy the new system is to work with, and I'd be curious to know of any experiences/comparisons to Amex.  The Brit and Aussie I work with have to go through online booking and have nothing good to say about their systems. 

 

[dimsum]

I'm OUTCAN right now and went through the enrollment.  I just checked an old email that states the service will be used to book, "your Brookfield relocation/posting travel reservations."

The most difficult issue was that the system isn't built for those without access to a forces.gc.ca account - yet requires one for a verification email.  The work-around was to set it up with the common email address for the clerks at CDLS Washington, who in turn forwarded me the email.  You also need to get a few other details, such as your TAN prefix. 

It remains to be seen how easy the new system is to work with, and I'd be curious to know of any experiences/comparisons to Amex.  The Brit and Aussie I work with have to go through online booking and have nothing good to say about their systems.

I can speak about the Aussie system.  It sucks - I use it to book my domestic work travel. 

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Not much love for it in the PS either, the Amex group were fairly painless to work with, BMO does not have it's act together. Throw in Itravel (I hope the designers burn for eternity in the 12th layer of Dante's hell) and the new requirement to have your Regional Director General approve all travel and the system is pooched. Never knew the RDG had so much time on their hands they can carry out tasks the frontline managers are quite competent to do.

 

[dapaterson]

Not much love for it in the PS either, the Amex group were fairly painless to work with, BMO does not have it's act together. Throw in Itravel (I hope the designers burn for eternity in the 12th layer of Dante's hell) and the new requirement to have your Regional Director General approve all travel and the system is pooched. Never knew the RDG had so much time on their hands they can carry out tasks the frontline managers are quite competent to do.

Two distinct issues there - there is the new travel system that is not quite Expedia (which is where I normally begin my investigations before going in to the official system); and there's the new travel & event policy that's intended to reduce travel by raising the level where it needs to be approved.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

3 really
BMO- is the level of suck temporary or a Feature?
itravel- level of suck constant and annoying
Approval- A sign that senior management is either incompetent or thinks the low level managers are incompetent and is afraid to address the issue. Either way the utter waste of time, money and resources is extremely frustrating.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Not much love for it in the PS either ....

Echoing that sentiment - it feels like some kind of online game, where I marvel at how many levels I can get to THIS time before I get the "please contact STIS for assistance" page. 

 

[Ostrozac]

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