Employer Commute Services
Why offer transportation benefits to employees?

Many employees consider commuting an extension of their jobs. How they feel about their commute in terms of time, cost and/or stress can affect morale, job satisfaction, productivity and even absenteeism. Transportation benefits such as bus passes or subsidized vanpool rides are an inexpensive way to increase job satisfaction - and busy workers appreciate the convenience of receiving bus passes at work.

Here are some of the reasons why many King County companies provide commute benefits to their employees:

Provides tax savings for both employer and employee
Companies and their employees can take advantage of tax-free and pre-tax commuter benefits.

Attracts and retains good employees
Adding transportation benefits enhances the company's overall benefits package. Transportation benefits cost less than other regular benefits but employees often use them more regularly, making them highly valued. Even if employees don't take advantage of these benefits, they remind employees that commute options are available. Given the cost of hiring and re-training even a single employee, this low-cost benefit could easily pay for itself as a factor in employee retention.

Reduces parking needs
Whether you pay for off-site employee parking or offer free parking, finite parking can limit company growth potential, use up customer parking space and add maintenance costs. Paying for outside parking is expensive for the company or the employee. Encouraging public transportation use can reduce these expenses.

Boosts wages by lowering transportation costs
Transportation benefits are a low-cost wage enhancement. Where wage increases are limited, transportation benefits effectively provide a monthly salary boost by reducing transportation costs through either a company subsidy or an employee-paid pre-tax option, or a combination.

Enhances company reputation
Traffic congestion, air pollution and environmental degradation are major topics of concern in our region. Companies that address these issues by providing commute benefits become known as leaders, good companies to work for, and good neighbors.

Lowers number of employees driving alone
If your company is one of the 600 companies in King County required by Washington State's Commute Trip Reduction law to reduce the drive-alone rate among your employees, offering bus passes at work can be a very effective element in your transportation program.

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.