ORCA Business Passport Area KCM CS 175i

User Manual: CS 175i

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Business Passport
King County Metro
ORCA Business Passport is a comprehensive, annual transportation pass program for
employers. Standard pricing and elements are available for employers with 20-499 employees
or as few as 5 employee for employers in downtown Seattle, Belltown, International District and
downtown Bellevue. Employers with 500 or more employees receive custom pricing and the
option to include vanpool/vanshare subsidies and the Home Free Guarantee program.
Standard elements include:
• Access to regular bus services on Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit, Metro
Transit, Pierce Transit, and Sound Transit.
• Access to regular service on Sound Transit Link light rail.
• Access to regular service on Sound Transit Sounder commuter rail (including Rail Plus
partnership with Amtrak Cascades).
• Access to regular service on Seattle Lake Union Streetcar.
• Access to regular service on King County Water Taxi. (Vashon and West Seattle routes)
• Access to regular service on Kitsap Transit Foot Ferry. (Port Orchard and Annapolis routes)
• 100% vanpool fare subsidy on Community Transit, Kitsap Transit, Metro Transit, and Pierce
Transit vanpool vans.
• 100% vanshare fare subsidy on Community Transit, Kitsap Transit, Metro Transit, and
Pierce Transit vanshare vans.
• Emergency guaranteed ride home service. (Up to eight rides per employee.)
Benefits to employers include ability to:
• Offer employees an annual comprehensive transportation pass program within a single card
• Reduce administrative costs – the Passport annual program does not require monthly online
administration or knowledge of what type of passes employees need
• Manage employee cards online by serial number, by branch or by group
• Can be used in combination with an ORCA Choice program to cover ferry riders at
additional cost.
• Provide equitable transportation benefits to all employees
Benefits to employees include ability to:
• Have daily flexibility in choosing how to commute to work
• Receive low cost or fully subsidized commute benefits
• Use a single, easy-to-use card to access many different modes of transportation
How much does Passport cost?
Cost varies depending on the location(s) of your company's work site(s). The program requires
that a pass be purchased for every benefits-eligible employee. If you already subsidize
transportation for some employees, we recommend that you compare your current
transportation expenditure to the cost of Passport for all your employees. Passport is available
to individuals only through their participating employer.
Business Passport
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King County Metro
Frequently Asked Questions
(For more information see http://metro.kingcounty.gov/cs/employer/empcommute.html)
Q: What is the value of the transit portion of the Passport?
A: The Passport is valid for full fare on all regular Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap
Transit, King County Water Taxi, Metro Transit, Pierce Transit, and Sound Transit routes.
The full annual retail value of Passport is over $2,200.
Q: What is the difference between a vanpool and a vanshare?
A: A vanpool group is not limited in the distance of their commute but it must begin at or near
the driver’s home. Vanpools require a minimum of 5 participants including 2 drivers and a
bookkeeper. Vanpool fares are based on the length of commute and the size of the van.
A vanshare group is limited to 20 miles round trip and the group must connect to some form
of public transportation, such as bus, ferry or commuter rail. Vanshare groups require a
minimum of 5 participants, including one driver. Metro’s vanshare fare is $175 per month.
Van fares include insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, and fuel.
Q: Can our company share the cost of the Passport with our employees?
A: Yes. The employer agrees to pay for a Passport program based on the full number of
benefits-eligible employees at the company. The company can then choose to have
employees who receive the pass co-pay up to 50% of the cost of an individual pass.
Q: Is the Passport transferable outside the company?
A: No, the Passport program is an employee benefit and cannot be transferred to friends or
family. The Passport program is purchased by the company and must be relinquished to
the company upon request. The employee signs a user agreement.
Q: Can a company reuse a pass?
A: Yes, once the passes are purchased they can be transferred by the company to employees
within the company. Example: an employee who quits or is terminated surrenders the pass.
That pass can be given to a new employee.
For answers to your questions or to get started with Business Passport, please contact King County
Metro Employer Commute Services, 206-263-3444, employer.services@kingcounty.gov

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