New York → Connecticut · Interstate 95 (New England Thruway)
The night-time return from New York, New York, to Hartford, Connecticut, deserves its own protocol: anti-glare driving glasses on, dashboard light dimmed to the lowest setting, and well-lit truck stops pre-identified as candidate rest stops. The 191 km (119 miles) of Interstate 95 (New England Thruway) and the 1h 49m of driving cross zones with patchy cellular coverage during the small hours. Approximate refuel cost on the way back stays at $16.01 for the 17.4 liters (4.6 gallons) consumed. Forecast reimbursement for the night leg holds at $82.13 applying the prevailing $0.43/km — without an automatic night premium in the IRS standard mileage rate (2025) table. If the company pays night-driving overtime, open a separate line on the Clara receipt: the payroll integration already recognizes the entry. For the US professional driving the 191 km (119 mi) between New York and Hartford, reimbursement of $82.13 stays non-taxable to the employee when the employer follows an accountable plan under Treas. Reg. §1.62-2 and reimburses at or below the IRS standard mileage rate. US employers generally reimburse at the IRS standard mileage rate so the payment stays non-taxable to the employee under Pub. 463. Keep the IRS-compliant expense report (Form 1040 Schedule C, line 9) alongside the fuel receipt from any EIA-tracked retail station network pump used along the leg; Internal Revenue Service (IRS) examiners pull contemporaneous mileage logs first when auditing Schedule C unreimbursed business expenses, and the New York→Hartford corridor must show date, business purpose, and odometer readings.