Transportation Fringe Benefit Program

Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 07:16:28 -0400
To: "USGS Employees"<distribution>
From: Joyce Pieritz <jpieritz>
Subject: Transportation Fringe Benefit

In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 601
					
						June 24, 1999

				MEMORANDUM

To:     	All U.S. Geological Survey Employees

From: 		Robert Hosenfeld
      		Personnel Officer

Subject: 	Transportation Fringe Benefit Program

Supervisors, Managers, and Team Leaders:  Please ensure that employees
without access to e-mail receive a copy of this message

Employees who use public transportation for commuting to and from work, or
who commute in a commuter highway vehicle (as defined below) on a regular,
ongoing basis are eligible to receive tax benefits for qualifying
transportation expenditures by participating in the Transportation Fringe
Benefit Program.  An occasional or sporadic use of public transportation
does not qualify an employee for enrollment in this program.  The benefit
provides a pretax payroll deduction in the amount of qualified
transportation expenses which is limited to a maximum deduction of  $65.00
per month.

Qualifying transportation expenses may include rail, bus and subway fares
paid for commuting to and from work, fees paid for parking in the vicinity
of the public transportation (e.g., parking provided at subway stations),
and fees paid to individuals who operate a commuter highway vehicle.  A
commuter highway vehicle is defined as having a seating capacity of at
least six adults (not including the driver), and at least 80 percent of the
mileage is reasonably expected to be used for transporting employees in
connection with travel between their residences and their places of
employment. The number of employees transported for such purposes must be
at least one half of the adult seating capacity of the vehicle (not
including the driver).  A van pool meeting these size and usage
requirements would qualify for this program, while a typical car pool
arrangement would not.

You may enroll in the program by forwarding to your servicing personnel
office a completed Form DI-2015, Application for Participation in
Transportation Fringe Benefit Program, certifying that you use public
transportation or a commuter highway vehicle between your residence and
place of employment on a regular basis.  The application must be signed by
your 
supervisor, attesting to the accuracy of the information you provided.
Form DI-2016, Actual and Claimed Transportation Expenses, must be submitted
along with the Application.  These forms as well as the complete guidelines
for participation in the program that have been issued by the Department of
the Interior can be found at http://www.doi.gov/pfm/fam9921a.pdf.  The
forms are also available through your servicing personnel office.

Questions on the Transportation Fringe Benefit Program should be referred
to your servicing personnel office.