Commuter Benefits


If you are commuting to work using public transportation or paying for parking at work, we want to help you out!  Every month, the amount that you need to pay for your commute can be deducted from your salary on a pre-tax basis, up to the limit authorized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for that year. 

Regular full-time and regular part-time employees are eligible to participate in this program upon completion of a one-time program registration form. Employees may receive a transit subsidy for use of public transportation or a transportation incentive for use of alternate commute modes as described below. The transit subsidy is administered on a monthly basis and the  transportation incentive is administered on a quarterly basis. Eligible employees may elect to receive either the transit subsidy or the transportation incentive for the duration of the quarter, but not both.

Employees who commute to work at least 60% of their scheduled work days using one of the designated commute alternatives will be eligible for quarterly commuter rewards. The following guidelines apply:

1.   Employees who commute by the following means and meet the 60% requirement will be eligible for commute rewards as follows:

•Carpool - $30.00 per month
•Bicycle - $20.00 per month
•Walking - $20.00 per month

2.    The employee who commutes by an alternate means of transportation shall submit the appropriate form to his or her supervisor verifying the commute mode, and declaring the number of days the alternate transportation method was used in the past quarter.

3.    The supervisor shall verify that an alternate means of transportation was used as indicated and sign the form.

4.    The completed form must be forwarded to the Human Resources Department on a Transportation Incentive Program form no later than the 10th day of the month following the close of the quarter (January, April, July, and October).

5.    Since IRS regulations do not allow this to be a tax-free incentive, the  quarterly reward will be added to the· subsequent paycheck.

Through this program, you simply go online to electronically order transit passes and fulfill your commuting needs.

 

 

PRE-TAX MONTHLY LIMITS

ELIGIBLE EXPENSES

Transit

$130

Bus, Ferry, Streetcar, Subway and Train

Carpool/Bike/Walk

$30/$20/$20

Carpooling, Bicycling or Walking to get to work

 

For coverage details, see the guide linked at the left.

City of Burlingame