GSA Invests $4 Million in Clean Air, Follows Clinton's Order for Transit Subsidy

GSA # 9723

August 23, 2000
Contact: Viki Reath (202) 501-1231
viki.reath@gsa.gov

Washington, DC -- The U.S. General Services Administration yesterday introduced plans to provide employees with a transit subsidy worth up to $65 a month as part of a mass transit subsidy program for the 5,000 of its 14,000 employees that are estimated to use the subsidies. The program will become effective October 1, 2000.

GSA is rolling out the program in all of its regions, although President Clinton's Earth Day Executive Order is mandatory only in the Washington area.

"It's likely to spread to the rest of the country, so we decided to give GSA a head-start and expand the program to include all regional offices, " said GSA Administrator David J. Barram. "We are contracting with the Department of Transportation, Transportation Administrative Service Center (DOT/TASC) to provide the fare media to employees in regional and headquarters offices."

The program, which covers employees only, is estimated to cost $4 million in appropriated FY 2001 funds. It will cover an estimated 5,000 of GSA's 14,000 employees. The subsidies, which will be paid directly to the participating transit companies, will increase to a maximum $100 a month, starting Jan. 1, 2002, for a total of $5.7 million in FY 2002.

GSA will provide DOT with monthly participant lists. DOT will distribute fare cards and maintain accurate records, subject to audit. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Controller, Program Management Division (BEA) will coordinate the program.

GSA developed the program in response to President Clinton's Executive Order 13150, "Federal Workforce Transportation," signed on Earth Day, April 21. The order requires agencies to use mass transit employee subsidies in the Washington metropolitan area as a means of reducing pollution.