WE MAKE sustainable transportation accessible and affordable.
DOTS offers a variety of discounts and programs that make sustainable commutes feasible for different lifestyles and budgets.
Pre-tax transit deduction is available for employees, including graduate assistants and teaching assistants, who use transit for commuting purposes.
We work with Benefit Resource, Inc. (BRI) to administer the Pre-Tax Transit Benefits program. BRI issues participants a MasterCard debit card or credit that is accepted only at transit agencies. Pre-tax funds that are deducted from your paycheck are loaded directly onto your assigned debit/credit card. You may then load your WMATA SmarTrip card (at a kiosk or online), purchase MARC Train tickets or any other transit fare media as you would with your own debit/credit card. Transit benefits are for the exclusive use of the employee.
To enroll in the Pre-Tax Transit BenefitS program
- Complete the Pre-Tax Transit Benefits Initiation Form. DOTS will then verify that you are an eligible employee and submit your information to BRI.
- Read email from DOTS confirming eligibility with instructions for creating an account on the BRI website and selecting deduction amount.
- Receive debit/credit MasterCard at the address provided.
- DOTS processes payroll deduction and transfers funds to BRI.
- BRI loads deducted funds onto debit/credit card.
- Use debit/credit card to purchase transit fare.
Payroll deductions are taken only 20 pay periods per year (pay periods 5 through 24).
There are no deductions taken from your pay for pay periods 25, 26 and 1 through 4 (summer months) and therefore no benefit is provided for non-deducted pay periods. If you are in need of transit benefits year-round, then you should increase your deduction during the 20 pay periods to accumulate funds during the year for use during summer months.
If you are dropped from payroll deduction for any reason (including no pay), which results in your benefits not being deducted, you are responsible for any missed payments.
COVID-19 Precautions
Per local mandates, taxi and ride-hail drivers commissioned by Guaranteed Ride Home are required to wear protective personal equipment (face coverings/masks, and/or gloves). For the protection of drivers and yourself, passengers should also wear a face covering.
The Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) provides commuters who regularly (twice a week) choose sustainable transportation with a free and reliable ride home when one of life's unexpected emergencies arise. This service is provided through Commuter Connections.
Commuters may take advantage of GRH up to four times per year for unexpected emergencies such as a personal illness or a sick child. GRH can also be used for unscheduled overtime when your employer mandates that you must stay late. Knowing there's a guaranteed ride home allows one to use sustainable transportation options with peace of mind and confidence. Best of all, the Guaranteed Ride Home service is free!
Sign Up For Guaranteed Ride Home.
Some restrictions apply. Please read the participation guidelines.
Carpool and Electric/Low Emissions Vehicle Discounts
Since many employees and students will continue to work or learn from home, we will suspend our carpool permits and electric/low emission vehicle permit discounts this year, and introduce new benefits for carpoolers and drivers of EPA Certified SmartWay Elite vehicles in the future. We welcome your feedback as we re-envision our carpool and green vehicle permit incentives.
The Bike Commuter Incentive Program provides secure bike parking and shower facilities for those who choose to commute to campus via bicycle.
To sign-up for the Bike Commuter Incentive Program, UMD affiliates must:
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Send an email to bike@umd.edu with your request to join the Bike Commuter Incentive Program.
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You’ll receive a usage agreement document, and instructions on how to access the Bike Commuter parking area. Once you return the document with your electronic signature you’ll get swipe access to the secure, covered bike parking pen inside Regents Garage.
Due to COVID-19, shower facilities will not be available during Fall 2020. You will be notified via email when the showers are reopened. All bike commuters will then have access to a RecWell shower facility, located inside the Regents Garage adjacent to the bike commuter parking area.