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Policies and Procedures |
A. | PURPOSE: The
rules and procedures of the program outline the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) Transhare Program and the
requirements for participation in the program as administered
by the NIH, Office of Research Services (ORS), Division of
Travel and Transportation Services (DTTS). |
B. | BACKGROUND: The
NIH Transhare Program is a transportation incentive program
for NIH employees. It was initially implemented at NIH on October
1, 1992, as a one-year pilot open to 2,000 participants who
were willing to use public transportation to commute to the
NIH campus. Based on available funding, the initial program
provided each participant a subsidy of up to $21.00 per month.
As additional funding became available, the amount of the commuting
subsidy increased, and by 1993 the Transhare subsidy had increased
to $44.00 per month. The program has expanded extensively over
the last several years to include a wider variety of alternative
transportation modes such as vanpools, Metrorail, MARC Trains
and public buses. Employees located in off-campus facilities
in Montgomery County became eligible for Transhare subsidies
in 1994. In FY 1998, Congress approved adding Intramural Research
Training Award employees, Fellows, Volunteers and Trainees
to those eligible. Also, at that time, availability of funds
allowed the NIH to raise the participant ceiling from 2,000
to 2,300.
On April 21, 2000, the President signed Executive Order
Number 13150 entitled Federal Workforce Transportation
requiring Federal agencies within the National Capital Region
(NCR) to provide commuting subsidies to all qualified Federal
employees. This expansion of benefits removed the ceiling
of participation and offers qualified employees the option
to receive assistance with employee out-of-pocket commuting
costs incurred through the use of mass transportation and
vanpools, not to exceed the maximum monthly level allowed
by law (26 U.S.C. 132 ) currently up to $110.00. NIH Transhare
Program participants will receive Metrocheks that will not
exceed the authorized amount.
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C. | REFERENCES:
Executive Order 13150
Title 26, United States Code, Section 132(f)
Energy Policy Act of 1992
Federal Employees Clean Air Incentives Act of 1993
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998)
OMB Circular a-11
OPM Decision Letter S001842, August 11, 1998
IRS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking dated January 27, 2000
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D. | RESPONSIBILITY: The
Director, ORS establishes Transhare policies, and the DTTS
is responsible for the management and operation of the established
Transhare Program. |
E. | DEFINITIONS:
- National Capital Region (NCR) - For the purposes of these
rules and procedures, the NCR is identified in the Executive
Order (No. 13150) as follows: the District of Columbia;
Montgomery, Prince George's and Frederick Counties in Maryland;
Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William Counties in Virginia;
and all cities now or hereafter existing in Maryland or
Virginia with the geographic area bounded by the outer
boundaries of the combined area of said counties.
- Double Subsidy Month - The NIH distributes two
months worth of Transhare subsidy at a time (e.g., November-December,
January-February, etc.) in order to alleviate participants
having to collect their subsidy every month.
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F. | POLICY:
- The NIH strongly encourages all qualified employees to
actively participate in carpooling, vanpooling and the NIH
Transhare Program. Information on the NIH Transhare Program,
the NIH Ridefinders Network, and public transportation routes
is available through the DTTS by calling 402-RIDE (7433) or
by visiting the NIH Parking Office in Building 31, Room B3B04.
Additional information is also available on the DTTS
Website at: http://dtts.ors.od.nih.gov/commuter_info.htm
- The NIH Transhare Program is open to qualified Federal
employees of the NIH, including employees who are employed
by other Federal agencies and are located at the NIH (i.e.,
FDA/CBER) and in accordance with special legislative authority
(several non-FTE bearing positions such as summer students,
visiting fellows and volunteers).
NOTE: FDA/CBER employees who are registered with any FDA
transit subsidy program may not participate in the NIH
Transhare Program.
- Participation in the NIH Transhare Program is contingent
upon adherence to all established rules, policies and procedures.
Violations of these rules, policies and procedures will
result in suspension from the program and/or other appropriate
penalties.
- Penalties invoked because of violation(s) or
abuse of these procedures may include suspension of up
to six months from the NIH Transhare Program; removal
from program; criminal prosecution under U.S. Code, Title
18, Section 1001, including a fine and imprisonment for
up to five years; a civil penalty action providing for
administrative recoveries of up to $5,000 per violation;
and/or agency disciplinary actions up to and including
dismissal.
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G. | PROCEDURES FOR PARTICIPATION:
- Complete NIH Form 2705-1 "Transhare
Program Application" and submit the completed form in person to the Parking Office, Building 31, Room B3B04, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Transhare Application forms may be obtained at the Parking Office, you may also phone 301-496-5050 to have the applications mailed or faxed to your office; or you may download the form from the Transhare web page: http://dtts.ors.od.nih.gov/transhare.htm
- The applications must be fully completed to be considered for participation.
- Bring the completed forms to the NIH Parking Office (Building 31, Room B3B04).
- Individuals must present a valid NIH identification card at the Parking Office.
- Transhare participants cannot retain NIH on- or off-campus parking privileges while participating in the NIH Transhare Program. Applicants must surrender whatever parking privileges they have (i.e., permits, hangers, access cards, etc.)
- Once all information is verified, participants are eligible
to receive Metrocheks based on the declared commuting cost
and enrollment date, during the double subsidy month. Distribution
of Metrocheks will take place at the Recreation & Welfare
Association (R&W) store in Building 31, Room B1W30
(open 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.) or Executive Plaza South, lobby
level (open 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.).
Recipients must appear in person to pick-up Metrocheks at the R&W store during the designated double-subsidy month.
Recipients must present to the R&W a valid NIH identification badge to receive the subsidy. Without a valid NIH ID badge, the subsidy will not be disbursed.
Recipients must pick up Metrocheks prior to the end of each designated double-subsidy period.
If a participant fails to pick up their Metrocheks for any
given subsidy period, that double month subsidy will be
forfeited. Partial pickups are not allowed and only the current double-subsidy period Metrocheks will be disbursed.
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H. | PROGRAM CONDITIONS:
- Annual Renewals - Transhare participants must renew their membership annually by recertifying their information during an assigned Recertification month, either online or at the Parking Office.
- Withdrawal - NIH Transhare participants may elect
to withdraw from the program at any time. To withdraw, the
participant must submit a completed form NIH 2705-5
"NIH Transhare Program, Termination of Program Participant" at
the Parking Office.
If the participant was issued a Satellite parking permit, it must be returned when
withdrawing from the program.
If a participant elects to withdraw after receiving and using any portion of the NIH
Transhare Metrocheks for the current double-subsidy period, the participant will not be
eligible to receive an NIH parking permit (on- or off-campus) until the next double-subsidy
period.
- Temporary Parking Permits - NIH Transhare participants
who are located on-campus and must drive on a given day can
be issued a temporary dashboard parking permit. These
Temporary permits can be obtained from the NIH Parking Office
in Building 31, Room B3B04 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday (excluding Government Holidays). Temporary parking
permits will not be issued for more than five consecutive
days. If
the
Parking
Office
is closed, you may request a temporary one-day dashboard parking
permit from the NIH Police Desk located in Building 31,Room
B3B17. Off-campus Transhare participants may obtain a one-day
validation sticker for parking from their Facility Manager
or IC representative.
Temporary
permits/stickers
will be available to each NIH Transhare
participant not to exceed 6 days per quarter, or 24 days per
calendar year.
- Employee Certification Of Commuting Costs - Employees participating in the NIH
Transhare Program must certify their monthly cost(s) of commuting to work by completing NIH
Form 2831 "NIH Transhare Program Commuting Cost Declaration." The completed commuting cost
declaration form must be submitted by the employee at the time of joining or renewing
Transhare participation at the NIH Parking Office. An employee may only receive Transhare
subsidies equal to the amount of their actual commuting costs. For assistance in calculating
your public transportation cost, see the "Monthly Public Transportation Calculator" in
Paragraph N of this document.
- Disbursement of Metrocheks - Transhare members pick-up Metrocheks during
2-month, "double subsidy periods" at authorized R&W locations. The 2-month periods are as
follows:
May - June
July - August
September - October
November - December
January - February
March - April
When an employee joins Transhare, the subsidy amount for that employee's first disbursement
is based upon when they became eligible for the program during a current 2-month
"double subsidy period". For example, if an employee joins Transhare in June, no subsidy
will be provided for the month of May.
The subsidy amount for the first eligible month will be prorated as follows:
- 100% if the day of enrollment in the program is the first through the fifteenth of that month.
- 50% if the day of enrollment in the program is the sixteenth through the last day of that month.
For example, if an employee joins Transhare on June 20th, for the "double subsidy"
period of May - June, that employee will be ineligible for subsidy for the month of
May and eligible for 50% of their cost for the month of June.
After the first disbursement, a Transhare member may pick-up their certified allotment for two months of commuting costs anytime during the two-month "double-subsidy
period."
- Renewal of Transhare Membership - Employees must renew their Transhare
membership during the designated renewal months of May and November. Employees, who
renew during a renewal month, may pickup their full 2-month subsidy anytime during that
double-subsidy period. Employees who fail to renew during the renewal months will be
removed from the Transhare program. Employees are eligible to rejoin the Transhare
program at any time following their removal from the program.
- Lost/Stolen/Damaged Metrocheks - NIH Transhare participants are personally
responsible for safeguarding all Metrocheks issued to them. No exchanges or refunds will
be given under any circumstances. If a Metrochek is damaged after being issued to the
participant, he/she is responsible for replacing the Metrochek.
- Failure to Pick-up Metrocheks During Double Subsidy Period - If a participant
fails to pick-up their Metrocheks during any double-subsidy period, that subsidy is
forfeited.
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I. | METROCHEKS: Metrocheks are the only
type of transit pass distributed to NIH Transhare Program participants. These metrocheks
can be used for the Metrorail (Metro). Metrocheks may be exchanged for other modes of
public transportation, e.g., MARC Train, Ride-On, Metrobus, etc. When exchanged,
Metrocheks are not redeemable for cash and change will not be returned. Metrochek
exchange locations are listed on the following Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority web page: http://www.wmata.com/bus2bus/smartbenefits/pages/mcexchangesites.html |
J. |
SATELLITE PARKING FACILITY: NIH Transhare participants may elect to park for free at the New Carrollton parking facility. To park at this location, Transhare participants must request a Satellite parking permit from the NIH Parking Office. This hanger must be properly displayed in your vehicle.
- The New Carrollton Metro Parking East Lot is located at 4201 Garden City Drive
in Landover, Maryland. There are 25 parking spaces available at this location.
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K. | VANPOOLS: Membership in Transhare is
open to Vanpool participants. Vanpools must be registered through the Transhare Administrator
by the designated Vanpool Coordinator. The Vanpool Coordinator will identify eligible
employees as official members of the Vanpool.
- The Vanpool Coordinator may enroll or renew Vanpool participants as a group into
the Transhare program at the NIH Parking Office by submitting Forms 2705-6 "NIH Transhare
Program Vanpool Group Renewal" and Form 2831-1 "NIH Transhare Program Commuting Cost
Declaration - May through October" OR Form 2831-2 "NIH Transhare Program Commuting Cost
Declaration - November through April."
- The Vanpool Coordinator may pick up subsidy for all members of the Vanpool as a group
at the R & W.
- To facilitate timely processing, Vanpool Coordinators may renew Transhare participation
of their members and pick up eligible subsidies starting five days preceding the normal
renewal and pickup months.
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L. | AUDITS AND PENALTIES:The DTTS will audit
a percentage of Transhare participants every double subsidy period. The monthly
Transportation Calculator (Paragraph N) will be utilized to assist in conducting the
audit to determine actual transportation costs. If during the audit it is determined
that information supplied is falsified, appropriate action will be taken. The Director,
DTTS, may revoke the Transhare privileges for violation of these regulations or any of
the requirements of these policies and procedures. Penalties invoked because of violation(s)
or abuse of these procedures may result in removal or suspension of up to six months from
the NIH Transhare Program; criminal prosecution under U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001,
including a fine and imprisonment for up to five years; a civil penalty action providing
for administrative recoveries of up to $5,000 per violation; and/or agency disciplinary
actions up to and including dismissal. |
M. | RECORD KEEPING: The DTTS will maintain all
necessary records and files. |
N. | MONTHLY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CALCULATOR:
- Enter your average round trip cost for public transportation on Line #1. (DO NOT INCLUDE PARKING FEES.) To calculate your daily public transportation cost, you may wish to record your transportation expenses on a normal commuting day in which you have used public transportation to commute to and from work. Other ways to predict your average expense include contacting the individual major transportation providers for a chart or base cost and fares. For example, for Metrorail, see the Metro Trip Planner at http://www.wmata.com/
Example: Jane's total round trip cost from the Bethesda Metro Station and the Medical Center Metro Station is $2.40.
- Enter the total number of commuting days in the month on Line # 2.
Example: The total number of days Jane will be commuting to and from the Medical Center Metro Center is 17.
- Multiply Line # 2 and Line #1. Enter this amount on Line # 3.
Example: $40.80 is Jane's total monthly public transportation cost.
- Line # 1 (Average round trip for public transportation) $ 2.40
- Line # 2 (Number of commuting days in the month) x 17
- Line # 3 (Total public transportation cost) $40.80
- Monthly Subsidy: The maximum monthly amount is $110.00 to subsidize your public transportation cost. This is the amount you would enter in the Form 2831 "NIH Transhare Program Commuting Cost Declaration". When determining your Transhare amount, your subsidy amount will be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. In the example above (Paragraph #3), the monthly subsidy for Jane would be $41.00.
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