Regional Agencies Mark Milestone in the Mandatory Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program

Options include a pre-tax benefit that allows employees to exclude transit or vanpool costs from taxable income; subsidies to cover or reduce employees’ month transit or vanpool costs; employer-provided transit; a company-wide telework policy; or an alternative benefit that reduces single-occupancy commute trips.

The Air District and MTC today began mailing thousands of courtesy notification letters of noncompliance to employers whose registration has lapsed and to employers who have not yet enrolled in the program. Annual updates are part of the program requirements. The Air District and MTC developed the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program in response to Senate Bill 1339, which was signed into law by then-Governor Jerry Brown in September 2012. After a two-year pilot program, Air District Regulation 14, Rule 1 was adopted by its board of directors in March 2014. The goal of the program has been to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion by using the federal tax code to encourage employees to commute via alternatives to driving alone.

When the pandemic halted much of the Bay Area commute, the Air District paused notification activities for the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program. A grace period for employer notifications was put in place while enhanced regional outreach activities were conducted to reeducate employers and employer organizations about the program.

To enroll in the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program or to update their status, employers should visit the program website. Registration is free and takes approximately 15 minutes. For additional assistance, the program team may be reached at (510) 285-3183 or commuterbenefits@511.org.

View press release.