If you have 20 or more employees, you must offer access to one or more transit benefit options under DC's Commuter Benefits Law. Smart Benefits is the qualifying benefit option that most employers choose.
Commute for Less with Smart Benefits
Smart Benefits is a fee-free way for employers to save on payroll taxes while allowing employees to commute tax free in DC, Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland.
Employees can use Smart Benefits to pay for transit and parking tax free, anywhere Metro's Smart Trip card is accepted, including at Metro Rail parking lots. They can also use Smart Benefits to pay for MARC, VRE, and MTA Commuter Bus passes, as well as Metro Access. Hundreds of vanpool operators accept Smart Benefits, too.
You can offer Smart Benefits as a direct employee benefit, a pre-tax deduction, or a combination of both. But no matter how you offer it, Smart Benefits is a powerful tool for helping your recruit, retain, and motivate employees.
It's easy to enroll and there are no ongoing fees.
Smart Benefits advantages for your company
Your company receives tax advantages with Smart Benefits.
- For-profit employers: You can reduce your payroll taxes by about 11% on the value of the Smart Benefits your employees elect as pretax benefits.
- Nonprofit employers: You can reduce your payroll taxes on your employees’ pretax benefits, and deduct the value of the Smart Benefits you offer to employees directly.
Letting employees commute tax free with Smart Benefits can help make you a preferred employer. Smart Benefits can be used anywhere a Smart Trip card is accepted as well as on MARC, VRE, MTA Commuter Bus, Metro Access and many vanpools.
If your company is based in Maryland or Virginia, you can save even more money by taking advantage of local programs like Commuter Choice Maryland and Montgomery County FairShare Program.
Learn more about Commuter Choice Maryland
Learn more about Montgomery County FairShare
Learn more about Plu$50 by Fairfax County and Loundon County
Smart Benefits advantages for your employees
Employees who take advantage of the maximum transit and parking benefit can save thousands over the years. By using Smart Benefits, employees can save nearly $1,800 in payroll and income taxes annually.
Smart Benefits are delivered to your employees’ existing Smart Trip accounts, and they can use their benefits to pay per ride or to buy Metro passes. They can also reallocate their transit benefits for use on Metro Access, MARC, VRE, MTA commuter buses, registered vanpools, and independent bus services.
For employees who live in Fairfax County or Loudoun County, the county offers a $50 Smart Trip card for free to employees who enroll in your Smart Benefits program, via the Smart Benefits "Plu$50" incentive.
To encourage your employees to participate in Smart Benefits, the Commuter Connection Guaranteed Ride Home program provides a free and reliable ride home when one of life’s unexpected emergencies arise and they can’t take their normal transit trip home.
Get started now
Ready to get started? Submit an application and an account representative will contact you to discuss Smart Benefits with you. Participating in Smart Benefits costs your company nothing, and there’s no risk or commitment to apply.
For more information
Have questions? Email our Smart Benefits account team at smartbenefits@wmata.com or call us at 202-962-2784 to learn more.
For more information about Smart Benefits, browse our employer resources.
Commuter Connections’s city and county transportation advisers also provide free information to help you find the best commuting benefits for your organization and employees.