Commuter Bonus Voucher Program
Looking for a simple way to provide a set amount of transportation benefits to employees, without the commitment of ordering and distributing monthly passes? Consider the Commuter Bonus Voucher, which can be redeemed at transit systems in King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Island and Thurston counties, the Washington State Ferry system and the Kitsap Ferry Co. The voucher also can be applied to vanpool fares.
Even if a business is already providing bus passes to some employees, vouchers can assist those workers who ride in a vanpool, use other transit systems besides Metro or ride the ferry. The vouchers also help those employees who pay some or all of their own public transportation costs, since employers can offer employees an option to purchase vouchers through a pre-tax payroll deduction. (See Tax Benefits for more detail.)
What does a Commuter Bonus voucher look like?
Available in any whole dollar amount of $5 or more.
Employees can use the voucher only to purchase passes or ticketbooks for public transportation (transit, train, ferry or registered vanpools). It is not redeemable for cash.
Voucher characteristics:
- Available in any whole dollar denomination of $5 or more.
- Printed with serial numbers.
- Can be used by employees like cash to purchase public transportation passes or ticketbooks or to apply toward vanpool fares, except that change cannot be given.
- Can be redeemed at sales outlets throughout the Puget Sound region.
- Good for 96 months.
- Easy to use with a pre-tax payroll deduction program.
- Vouchers can be ordered in quantity at one time to cover several months' need.
How does an employer buy Commuter Vouchers for employees?
Print the order form [ .PDF 6 kb] and send it via regular mail with your company check for the full value of vouchers ordered. Make sure to allow for a processing time of 10 working days. To request voucher order forms be mailed to you, contact employer.program@kingcounty.gov by e-mail.
If your web browser does not have a viewer defined for .PDF formatted files, please download the appropriate reader [external link], courtesy of Adobe.
- If a business has decided to allow a pre-tax payroll deduction from employee wages, it should order vouchers in denominations equal to the cost of the bus pass or other transit option desired by the employee. Up to $115 a month can be deducted pre-tax from employee wages (less any company-paid amount) while amounts over $115 are taxable to the employee. As a result, some employers cap their voucher purchases at $115 per employee.
- If a pre-tax option is not offered to employees, order vouchers for the amount of the company-paid subsidy.
To help companies determine the best course of action, King County Metro has prepared examples for each circumstance.
Are there any discounts available?
Employers who are offering a public transportation subsidy for the first time may be eligible for financial assistance for their Metro commuters during the first year.
For additional assistance fill out the company information form or contact Employer Services by e-mail employer.program@kingcounty.gov or by phone 206-263-3444.
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