The US government has a web page that posts the Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) Mileage Reimbursement Rates. You can check this site whenever you need to know the current reimbursement rate. This is where I get the information posted at the top of this website.

You can be automatically informed when this rate changes by subscribing to this RSS feed, which uses wotzwot.com’s RSSxl page to take that information off the GSA website. This rate changes every year or so, but potentially could change more frequently as gas prices increase rapidly (as they did with Katrina in September of 2005, as you can see from the site’s “Previous Automobile Rates”).

If you want to keep track of your vehicle mileage (whether airplane or car) for reimbursement or income tax deduction, use the Mileage program for PalmOS.

I’ve tried to make Mileage as intuitive as possible, but just in case you can’t read my mind, here’s how you can use the program:

1. From the starting screen, press “new” to enter a new trip.
2. This will bring you into the “Specific Trip” screen where you can enter the information for this trip. The date on top will first show the current date, if you want to change this, tap it with your stylus and select a new date. Enter the appropriate information. I usually start with entering the “Purpose,” “From,” “To,” and “Start” odometer reading and come back later to enter the “End” odometer reading.
3. The program will automatically enter the latest ending odometer value as the starting value for each new trip. After you enter a trip, the program will enter the starting odometer reading as the ending odometer, in order to save you graffiti strokes.
4. In this screen, you also have the ability to use cut/copy/paste/undo with graffiti strokes or using the menu. You can also navigate the fields with the previous/ next field graffiti strokes.
5. You can write a brief note for each trip, if you wish. To access this note, from the “Specific Trip” screen select the note button next to the “Purpose” field. This will open a screen where you can enter a brief (255 character) note. Use it for the names of people you met on your trip, directions to your destination, stops you made along the way, tolls or expenses for the trip, or whatever else is useful to you. You can also access this trip by calling the Keyboard function from the menu while the cursor is in the purpose field.
6. Back on the “Specific Trip” screen, press “OK” to keep this information. Press “Cancel” to erase your new information. Press “Delete” to remove this trip from the handheld.
7. Either of these buttons will return you to the list of all trips, and you should see the trip you just entered. This list is sorted by the date (most recent on top) and by the starting odometer reading you entered.
8. If you want to enter more information about a trip or change something simply tap on the trip’s line on the list. This will return you to the “Specific Trip” dialog with the trip’s information ready for updating. Return to the list by tapping one of the three buttons on the bottom.
9. If you want to delete multiple trips at the same time, you can use the Purge function. This will allow you to delete all the trips between the two dates you determine. Presumably, this is helpful to remove trips once they have been reimbursed. To use this feature, look in the menu of the main “Mileage” screen and choose “Purge”. Note: this cannot be undone. Once they are deleted, they are gone forever!
10. You can use the Global Find button to seach the Mileage database.

Mileage2PC, which is described in some of the Mileage software documentation, has been replaced with GetMileage.

Mileage2PC was a conduit program- using the HotSync program it read the Mileage information from you handheld and wrote it on your computer in a readable format. There were some serious limitations with this. For one, it only ran on Windows systems. Two, because it was a Java conduit, it was very large (10 MB) for doing very little. Three, if you are using the conduit the PalmOS will not back-up your data (I guess they figure that you don’t need both). Four, because Microsoft changed its operating system to XP just after I released Mileage2PC, it didn’t work on any XP system. After repeated attempts to fix the problem I had to give up.

Years later, while laying in bed trying to go to sleep, it hit me. I could overcome the XP problem by moving to a purely Java implementation of the program. Not only would this work on XP, but since Java can run on almost any operating system, it would work for my Mac and Linux clients (and there was much rejoicing). Besides, years earlier I had written Mileage to automatically back up its data each time you HotSynced your handheld- so all I would need is a Java program that read this backup file.

Lo and behold, it worked. GetMileage was born and the Mileage users lived happily ever after.

The End.

In order to print the data from the Mileage for Palm program you will have to download a separate program, GetMileage, available only from dizzysoft.com. GetMileage will allow you to print the report from your desktop computer- whether you use a Mac, PC, or Linux.

For more information about GetMileage, select the program’s name on your left.

If you paid for the Mileage program, you will have these features available to you:

• From the starting screen, you can save yourself a lot of graffiti strokes by using the Duplicate button. Tap this button and you will see two, overlapping boxes in the lower, right corner – the duplicate trip indicator. This means that the next trip you select from the list will be copied again into the database. Once you select the trip you want to duplicate, you will be brought to the “Specific Trip” screen displaying the duplicated trip. Notice that the date has changed to the current date. Also, the starting and ending odometer readings have been erased – since, presumably they are now incorrect – although the total distance remains. Under “Preferences” you can duplicate a trip without switching to the “Specific Trip” screen.
• The paid version also calculates the total distance of a particular trip for you. From the “Specific Trip” screen all you have to do is enter the “Start” and “End” odometer readings and tap “OK.” The program will calculate and enter the “Total” odometer reading for you.
• You can set various Preferences for the program. From the main “Mileage” screen, go to the “Prefs” menu and select “Preferences” to gain access.
  • You can decide whether or not you want to Use Decimal. Some vehicle odometers account for a tenths digit while others do not. You can decide whether or not you want the Mileage program to consider this in displaying and calculating odometer numbers. Note: If you have entered data using decimals, but later decide to not use them, the program will remember them so long as you do not view the trip again. If you do, the total distance will be recalculated without considering decimals. In viewing odometer numbers without decimals, the tenths digit is truncated (cut-off) rather than rounded.
  • You can also decide whether you want to View Duplicated Trip after selecting a trip to duplicate. The default setting opens a “Specific Trip” screen for the duplicated trip. This preference allows you to duplicate the trip without seeing its details.

Mileage automatically backs-up your data each time you HotSync your device. In the event of a data loss, you can restore your data by installing the database on your system like you installed the original program. You can find the backup by searching for “MileageDB-DZMI.pdb” on your computer.

You might also read this article.

Here is the version history of the Mileage program for Palm.

1.9

• Automatically enters starting odometer as ending odometer to save graffiti strokes.
• More trips viewed in newly formatted list on Main screen.
• You can now purge trips BETWEEN particular dates, rather than just to a specific date.
• Added a status bar for lengthly functions (such as purging the database).
• Can use the 5-way navigation button on Treo Handhelds.
• Added Global Find support.

1.5

• Registration code now required to unlock certain features.
• Date is formatted according to preferences set by PalmOS – for my international customers.
• Note feature is now free.
• Fixed “Purge” bug on PalmOS 5. Purge feature is now free.
• Added Preferences to consider tenths or show duplicated trip.
• Trip entry screen uses larger font for odometer values.
• Completely PalmOS 5 compatible.
• DEPRECIATED: Support of PalmOS less than 3.5.
• DEPRECIATED: Conversion of database format from version 0.9beta.

1.2

(Paid only but free version still available)

• Added the Purge feature to allow deleting of multiple records at one time.
• Program now enters latest ending odometer value as the starting value for new trips.

1.1

(Paid only but free version still available)

• Extended the purpose field to hold a 255 character note per trip.
• Minor changes made to truncating cells in table.

0.99/1.0

Completed version.

• Fixed blinking cursor in table and added recognition of date changed in the “Specific Trips” form.
• Separated versions: 0.99 is a fully functional program lacking the features of 1.0 (calculated totals and duplicate button).

0.9beta2

Not available to the public.

• Added advanced features including calculated total distance, sorted table, and the duplicate button.

0.9beta1

• Cleaned up some problems with the table including gibberish on early OS and scrolling problems.

0.9beta

Completely re-written Mileage program (incompatible with previous versions).

• Now works on Palm OS above 3.0 and including 4.0.
• DEPRECIATED: Checkboxes for “Reimbursed” and “Round-Trip” and unit selector-box.

0.9

Not available to the public.

• An unsuccessful attempt to update the program for use on OS 3.5.

0.526

The original Mileage program.

Vehicle mileage logbooks are often a hassle. If you are like me, you only remember to write something in your logbook when you arrive back from your destination. That’s a shame because vehicle mileage can be worth a lot of money.

If you are a small business owner, your vehicle mileage logbook is a very important document. Not only do you keep track of vehicle mileage in your logobook but it is also a diary of the different things you’ve done or places you’ve gone in your vehicle.

Perhaps the solution for the troubles with your vehicle mileage logbook is Mileage. This Palm software runs on Palm handhelds like the Centro or Treo 680 and 650. This vehicle mileage logbook is fully functional as a free program- it records your starting and ending mileage for your vehicle and records them in a digital logbook. The desktop program, GetMileage, is also free and converts your vehicle mileage logbook into a HTML or CSV document (that can be read by most spreadsheet programs).

If you pay for Mileage, you will receive extra features to make this vehicle logbook one of your most popular programs.

Download Mileage today and try out this vehicle mileage logbook for yourself.

http://www.dizzysoft.com/…DrivingTips.xml

I have created an RSS feed that contains all the best driving tips in one place. This feed includes safe driving tips and ways to save gas. I hope you will find it useful. If you drive a lot- for work or pleasure- you will find the information in this RSS feed to be useful. I will also keep this feed updated with the current mileage reimbursement rate.

There were some coding errors in this feed that I have corrected. I hope, now, it is easier to read and more helpful

Here is where you can download a free version of the Mileage program for Palm OS. This program is a fully-functional mileage tracking program that even works with the free GetMileage companion program to allow you to print your data from your desktop computer. If you pay to register the program, you will receive additional features.

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