What are Commuter Benefits?

Commuter Benefits can help employees control their transit and/or parking expenses while saving money. If employees commute to work via bus, light rail, streetcar, vanpool, trolley, subway, ferry, or have to pay for parking, you may offer Commuter Benefits. It works by employees setting aside money in their account before paying taxes on it.

Types of Commuter Benefits Available 

You may allow for any or all of the following Commuter Benefits:

Qualified Transit

Qualified Transit includes mass transit, including passes, tokens, fare cards or similar items entitling your employees to ride a mass transit vehicle to or from work. The mass transit vehicle may be publicly or privately operated and includes bus, rail or ferry. Qualified Transit also includes van-pooling fees in a commuter highway vehicle with a seating capacity of at least six adults, excluding the driver.

Qualified Parking

Qualified Parking includes parking fees at/near your place of work or at/near a location from which you commute to work by car pool, commuter highway vehicle or mass transit. For more information on eligible expenses, see our frequently asked questions

Maximum Elections in 2024

  • Up to $315 per month for Qualified Transit Expense
  • Up to $315 per month for Qualified Parking Expense
  • Qualified Transit and Qualified Parking expenses may be combined.

How Does It Work?

Participating in a Surency Flex Commuter Benefits plan is easy.

  1. Once your employees have enrolled and set their election amount, that amount will be automatically deducted from paychecks throughout the year before paying federal, state and FICA taxes on the designated amount.
  2. When an employee is ready to use the money in his/her Commuter Benefits account for a qualified transit and/or expense, they just swipe their Surency Flex Benefits Card when purchasing fare cards or parking.
  3. To avoid losing any money, employees must file claims within 180 days of incurring the expense. 

Why Surency?

We understand your employees may be hesitant to set aside funds pre-tax to use at a later date for approved expenses. We’ve mapped out every aspect of the consumer experience down to the smallest detail to ensure your employees understand the benefit — guaranteeing a positive experience for both employees and employer.