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Transportation Plans

A Transportation Fringe Benefits Plan is an employee benefit plan offered by your employer that allows you to save up to 40% on transit and parking costs. These are costs incurred so you can commute to and from work or for parking while you are at work.

Use the tax-free money you set aside in this account to pay for eligible transportation expenses to and from work. Paying with pre-tax dollars allows you to save on transit passes, tokens, fare cards, vouchers, etc., when riding on mass transit, or when riding with someone in the business of transporting people for hire (it must be in a vehicle that seats six or more adults, excluding the driver).

You can also set aside pre-tax funds and save in a parking account to pay for qualified parking expenses.

Monthly maximum election amounts are set each year by the IRS. You save both federal income tax and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes by participating in the Plan.

Here’s how to purchase your transit and/or parking passes:

  1. Online – Discovery offers WiredCommute, an online service offering thousands of transit authorities and parking establishments. Access is provided through a seamless link within your account login screen. Passes are paid directly from your transit and/or parking accounts. In most cities, you will be required to purchase your transit passed through WiredCommute because of the IRS Readily Available Rule.

  2. Benefits Debit Card — The debit card may be used to pay for parking expenses only beginning in 2009. It will no longer be available to purchase transit passes. If the debit card is provided by your employer, WiredCommute will not be available as it may result in duplicate payment. Effective January 1, 2009, you will not be able to purchase transit passes using a debit card.

  3. Pay Direct and Submit Reimbursement for Parking Passes – If you choose to pay your parking expenses direct, you may submit your parking expense via fax, mail or email using the Reimbursement Request form. You may receive reimbursement via the following two options:

    1. Direct Deposit — funds are sent directly (via ACH) to your checking or savings account, but you must be enrolled in direct deposit. It's a free service. To sign up, complete the Direct Deposit form.

    2. Check — a check is mailed to your home.

Claims are processed every day, with a two business day processing maximum on checks and direct deposit. Note: cash reimbursement is not available for transit passes.