Transit Benefits: A Little Bit Can Go A Long Way

In Arlington County, nearly two thirds of employers offer some sort of commuter benefit to employees, whether it’s a pre-tax program, a direct transit program, or a combination of both. These initiatives encourage employees to take public transit or vanpool in their trip to and from work, which helps reduce traffic congestion in the region and has indirect benefits for both workers and businesses.

While offering any sort transit benefit is a great way to improve recruitment, retention, and employee satisfaction, changing the benefit from a pre-tax to a combination or direct subsidy can have an even larger impact on your company’s bottom line. By providing a greater incentive to take public transit, more employees might consider using an alternative commute mode, which can have significant health and financial benefits. Studies have shown that workers who take public transit to work are physically healthier since they get more exercise during the day, they are less stressed and arrive at work in a better mood, and spend less money on travel expenses than driving. These benefits can ultimately have an impact on employee productivity, which can boost your organization’s output and bottom line.

With many companies approaching open enrollment periods for their benefit programs, now is the time to consider switching from a pre-tax to a combination or direct transit subsidy! If your organization offers free parking for employees and only a pre-tax option for transit, maybe consider offering a subsidy for public transit commuters in the office to level the playing field for both driving and transit options. Or, perhaps you’re a smaller company or a non-profit with limited resources and aren’t able to increase salaries by much – offering a financial fringe benefit for commuters is an affordable option to offer employees instead. Even providing just $50 a month can make a difference to your employees who are taking out money from their paychecks to pay for their commute.

ATP can help your organization make the switch! Contact us today to learn more about how to increase your company’s transit benefit and start improving your employees’ commutes!