Commuter & Transit Accounts
Though mass transit has always been eco-friendly and a great way to get to work, employees have to cover costs from bus passes and tokens. With a Transit and Parking Account — also called a Commuter Account — participants can use a tax-favored vehicle to cover the costs associated with their commute.
What Is a Commuter Transit Account?
A commuter account is an employer-sponsored benefit program that allows an employee to set aside pre-tax funds in separate accounts to pay for qualified mass transit and parking expenses associated with your commute to work.
Qualified expenses include:
- Mass Transit: Get reimbursed for transit passes, tokens, fare cards, vouchers, or similar items entitling you to ride a mass transit vehicle to or from work. The mass transit vehicle may be publicly or privately operated and includes bus, rail, or ferry.
- Van-Pooling: Van-pooling is not to be confused with carpooling. Van-pooling requires a commuter highway vehicle with a seating capacity of at least 7 adults, including the driver. At least 80 percent of the vehicle mileage must be for transporting employees between their homes and workplace, with employees occupying at least one-half of the vehicle’s seats (not including the driver’s seat).
- Parking: Get reimbursed for parking expenses incurred at or near your work location or a location from which you continue your commute to work by car pool, van-pool or mass transit. Out-of-pocket parking fees for parking meters, garages and lots qualify. Parking at or near your home is not an eligible expense.
- Ride Sharing: uberPOOL, Lyft Line and Via rides associated with a participant’s daily commute qualify as a commuter eligible benefit. Simply request a ride from via the appropriate app, select The Difference Card as the payment method and start saving.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determines the maximum amounts members can contribute to their Commuter Account.
| LOCATION | TRANSIT MANDATES | EMPLOYER SIZE MANDATES |
| San Francisco Bay Area, CA | Mandated | 50 or more full time employees |
| Los Angeles, CA | Mandated | 50 or more full time employees |
| Seattle, WA | Mandated | 20 or more full time employees |
| Washington, D.C. | Mandated | 20 or more full time employees |
| New York, NY | Mandated | 20 or more full time employees |
| New Jersey | Mandated | 20 or more full time employees |
| National | Available in all states, mandated in select cities & states | Available to employers of any size |
Is there a limit to how much I can contribute?
Yes. Monthly limits are set by the IRS. Currently, contributions for transit and vans pooling are limited to $315 per month. Parking contributions are limited to $315 per month. Any monthly expenses above these limits cannot be exempt from taxes and cannot be applied to future months.
