A Commuter Benefits program is a qualified transportation benefit program authorized by the IRS and provided by your employer. For Pre-Tax Benefits programs administered by Surency Flex, eligible expenses are dictated by the IRS, and Surency Flex uses those guidelines in reviewing your claims.

Qualified Transit expenses cover public transportation and vanpools carrying six or more adult passengers (excluding the driver). Any type of transit service, publicly or privately owned or operated, including bus, rail, subway, ferry, shuttle bus, and commuter highway vehicles under contract, which provides to the public and/or employees, general or special service on a regular and continuing basis, is eligible.

Qualified Parking expenses cover parking at or near work or at or near a place where you take public transportation to work.

Under a Commuter Benefits Program, you may have a transit account, parking account, or both depending on what your employer chooses to offer.

Your employer’s Commuter Benefits Program may allow for any or all of the following (please check with your employer as to which options are provided under your plan):

• Parking — Parking fees at/near your place of work or at/near a location from which you commute to work by carpool, commuter highway vehicle or mass transit. Out-of-pocket parking fees for parking meters, garages, and lots qualify. Parking at or near your home is not an eligible expense.
• Vanpooling — Vanpooling fees in a commuter highway vehicle with a seating capacity of at least six (6) adults, excluding the driver, meets the guidelines for a qualifying expense. (See below for the determination of your vanpool’s eligibility.)
• Mass Transit — Passes, tokens, fare cards, or similar items entitling you 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.

The following is a partial list of Commuter Benefits expenses that are not eligible:

• Tolls 
• Traffic tickets
• Fuel
• Mileage or other costs you incur in operating a vehicle
• Taxis
• Payments to a fellow participant in a carpool or to a friend who drives you to work
• Parking at your personal residence
• Parking at your spouse or someone else’s place of work
• Parking at a mall or similar location where you stop on your drive to or from your place of work
• Costs that have been or will be paid by your employer, such as for a business trip
• Parking at an airport for taking an airplane to work

Federal Regulations require claims to be filed and substantiated within 180 of incurring the expense. All claims filed after the 180 day window will be denied and funds will be forfeited.

Commuter Benefits are not tied to a benefit year, so the funds will remain in your account until used or within 180 days (filing limit) after the services were provided. However, if your employment ends, any money remaining in your account will be forfeited. 

Surency Flex offers four ways to access your plan details:

1. The easiest option is to use the Surency Flex mobile app. The mobile app is available for download from the Apple App Store or Google Play. On the mobile app you can view your current account balance, file claims, purchase FSA-approved items and securely contact Surency Flex.
2. Log in to your online Member Account to view your account details, file claims and more.
3. Contact Surency Flex Customer Service at 866-818-8805.
4. You can also sign up to receive electronic updates on your plan via email and/or text alerts. Log in to your Member Account, visit the “Statements & Notifications" tab to select your notification preference.