Dept. of Transportation
Metro Transit Division

King Street Center
201 S Jackson St
Seattle, WA 98104
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Employer Bus Pass Programs

Puget Pass sample

Bus passes are the mainstay of many commuter benefit programs. They are highly valued by employees and can be low to no-cost for the company. You can offer employees the convenience of obtaining bus passes at work and at the same time take advantage of the commute tax benefits now available to workers who commute using public transportation.

Here's how to provide employee bus passes:

  • Pass Sales Program - monthly bus passes or ticketbooks delivered to your workplace to give (tax-free up to $230) or to sell (pre-tax up to $230) to your employees.
  • FlexPass Programs - available to new customers in downtown Seattle, downtown Bellevue, Belltown and the International District until the new ORCA smart card is available in 2009. All areas of King County will have a product similar to FlexPass called ORCA Business Passport when ORCA becomes available.
  • Commuter Bonus Vouchers - new customers can order vouchers through December 31, 2008. Watch for the replacement E-vouchers with ORCA in early 2009. Current customers can order until ORCA E-vouchers are available.

Who pays for the passes or vouchers?

The company decides whether to subsidize any part of the bus pass cost. Any company-paid subsidy is tax-free to eligible employees up to $230 per month. The individual employee would pay any balance not covered by a company subsidy.

When the employee is responsible for any or all of the cost, the amount can be collected directly from the employee or it can be recovered through a pre-tax payroll deduction of up to $230. A pre-tax deduction will save payroll taxes for both the company and the participating employees, effectively increasing the employees' take-home pay.

How much do the passes cost?

The number and types of passes you order and the amount your company decides to subsidize per pass will determine your final cost. There are no service charges.

See PugetPass (retail) fares.

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.