Update
ParkChek is here!

If you enjoy the convenience of offering Commuter Checks to your employees who pay for transit, ParkChek offers the same type of convenience to those employees who pay for work-site parking.

ParkChek is a guaranteed bank check that employees use to pay for parking services. The current IRS tax-free parking benefit is $215 per month. Depending on an employee's tax bracket and other withholdings, participants can save up to 40% off of their parking costs. That translates into an annual employee savings of almost $1,000 for employees and over $200 per participating employee in employer savings. ParkChek can be also used in addition to Commuter Checks for those who Park and Ride to save even more money!

Please call 510-704-0859 if you have questions on this program.

For 2007, the tax-free maximum for the transit benefit increased to $110 a month.

All employers should take this as an opportunity to review their Commuter Check program. The higher cap increases the savings available to employees and employers. Employees receive more tax-free money to pay their transit costs, and payroll-related costs that employers pay are thereby reduced. The higher cap will be greatly appreciated by employees paying higher fares.

For the IRS language go to http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-05-70.pdf. These new limits are found under section .12 "Qualified Transportation Fringe" on page 10.

If you have further questions, would like to discuss how the cap affects your use of Commuter Check or have any other concern, please feel free to contact us at (800) 531-2828 or email at info@commutercheck.com.

Electronic Re-order Forms, Automatic Re-order Notices and Invoices by e-mail, and Transit Information and Customer Service Contacts:

Electronic Re-order Forms: Our re-order form is available in two different electronic formats. (Re-order forms are often used to revise an order from an earlier one for which we would have sent a new invoice.) Click on Order/Re-order Forms on the left side tool bar, then click "Re-order Forms again. Here you will find the two versions:

• PDF version that you can save or print and manually complete
  
  
• Excel spreadsheet version that will automatically calculate your order for you. This form avoids calculation errors, and can also be downloaded for future use and e-mailed to accounts payable departments. Let us know what you think of it.

Automatic Re-order Notices by e-mail: We have found that our customers really appreciate another recent enhancement - re-order notices by e-mail instead of regular mail. The Re-order Notices are sent to our "Bill to" contact unless we are told otherwise. Customers using this service told us it allows them to speed payments and order processing. If you have not yet given us a "Bill to" e-mail address, please note it in on your next re-order, or send it to us at info@commutercheck.com, or call us at (800) 531-2828.

Invoices by e-mail: Occasionally, a customer will call us for an invoice to be generated directly by Commuter Check. Previously, we would return this form by fax or mail. Now, we are able to e-mail the form back to you as a PDF file, speeding up your ability process the order and providing a clean original version for your Accounts Payable department. Like the automatic re-order notices, many customers prefer this electronic version. As noted above, provide us with a "Bill to" e-mail address and we'll get you started.

Transit Agency Customer Service Contacts: Now on www.commutercheck.com is a convenient list of information and customer service telephone numbers for major transit operators in the cities we serve. Click here for the page.

Are you ordering too often? A small number of our customers re-order every month. When possible, we suggest that customers order quarterly, as most do. This saves shipping fees ($12 for 8 months or $96 a year), but more important, it minimizes the chance your order will be late. Mail and shipping isn't always reliable, and we can't send Re-Order Reminders for monthly orders. In addition, quarterly orders usually don't need overnight shipping, a further annual savings of up to $180.

Update on Commuter Check Premium Program: The new premium service, Commuter Check Direct, has become quite popular in recent months. Commuter Check Premium meets special needs of medium to large size employers, offering enhanced services that make a Commuter Check program even easier to administer. It provides a state-of-the art on-line enrollment service and at-home distribution of personalized Commuter Checks. It is most appropriate for employers with multiple locations, or any employer that wants distribution assistance.

Using the on-line enrollment element, employees select and change their Commuter Check order at any time. Commuter Check Premium mailings can be done monthly, or quarterly for even greater savings. It's a flexible program and is available at very modest fees - comprehensive support can be provided for as little as $1 per employee per month.

For more information, please see www.CommuterCheckPremium.com or send an e-mail to info@CommuterCheck.com

Wanted: Testimonials: We are preparing a new marketing program for the Fall. We often use testimonials from customers that have found Commuter Check greatly appreciated by employees, successful in reducing turnover, etc. Employers providing these testimonials receive free publicity. To offer one, please e-mail us at info@CommuterCheck.com.

Who do you know? Many new customers that enroll in Commuter Check do so due to word-of-mouth advertising. This is especially true for smaller employers. Please help us spread the word. Tell anyone you know about Commuter Check (tell them to go to www.CommuterCheck.com). Here's another idea. Send us an e-mail suggesting that we send information on Commuter Check to anyone in your address book that you think might like to know more about us. Just copy them in the e-mail that you send us, so that they know to look for our response. We'll "reply to all" and send a brief page that highlights the benefits and savings, both for employers and employees. They'll appreciate it, and so will we.

Reminder
The tax-free maximum for the transit benefit is $110 a month.

The higher cap increases the savings available to employers and employees. All employers should review their Commuter Check programs and assess the added savings opportunities. Click here for Tax Code Information. Caution: Some vendors offer transit benefit programs that do not comply with IRS regulations. Click here to download a Cautionary Notice.

Commuter Check Updates
San Francisco: (Click here for full details about Commuter Check in the Bay Area).

BART - As of November 30, 2005, $30 Blue High Value Tickets are no longer issued. Availability of the $45 and $60 High Value Tickets is unchanged. $30 Commuter Checks are still available.

BART offers $45 and $60 Blue High Value Tickets (see below). These tickets include a 6.66% bonus, with $32 tickets selling for $30, $48 tickets selling for $45, and the $64 ticket sells for $60 . High Value Tickets are available at Tickets To Go vendors, located around the region. A brochure listing the vendors and their locations may be obtained at all BART stations. Click here for an updated fare chart.

Some outlets may change the denominations of High Value Tickets that they sell. BART's website includes ticket redemption information, including outlet locations; see http://www.bart.gov/tickets/sales/retailsales.asp for further information. Most BART sales outlets accept Commuter Checks.

The new $60 Commuter Check denomination provides added flexibility to meet employee needs. Along with the existing $20, $25, $30, $35, $45 and $50 denominations, the new $60 Commuter Check allow every $5 level between $20 and $105 to be met using one or two Commuter Checks. Employers can expand the choices they give employees. (For BART Parking, $21 and $63 denominations remain available.)

For BART riders, purchasing the $60 High Value Tickets is easier now. Also, no out of pocket cash is required to meet the $105 level. Purchase one $60 and one $45 High Value Ticket and pay for them with $60 and $45 Commuter Checks. Visit www.bart.gov for a list of locations that sell High Value Tickets.

No Redemption Surcharges - In June 2005, the vendor operating six sales booths in downtown San Francisco BART and Muni Metro stations announced that a surcharge would be applied for the redemption of Commuter Checks.

We worked with BART to address this situation and are pleased to report that the proposed surcharge was postponed and the policy suspended. Our current understanding is that it will not be allowed to take effect. Thus, no surcharges will be applied to the redemption of Commuter Checks.

BART Parking - Commuter Check offers $21 and $63 voucher denominations for use in BART's parking permit program. Depending on the station, two parking options available; Monthly Unreserved and Monthly Reserved which can be paid with Commuter Checks. For Monthly Parking locations and rates, click here for more information.

Parking can be given in addition to the $105 maximum tax-free amount for transit fares. This translates into an additional tax savings of up to $400 a year for using Commuter Checks. Employees can now take up to $84 (on a pre-tax basis) to pay for BART parking. They will save 40% off the monthly cost (up to $400 annually!). The IRS has a separate maximum monthly amount for parking at transit facilities, and it can be given in addition to the current monthly transit benefit of $105. To make this process easy to administer, $21 and $63 Commuter Check denominations are now available.

Muni Pass/Token Sales - Sales booths in the BART and Muni Metro Stations along Market Street have, at least temporarily, suspended sale of Muni FastPasses and tokens. Muni suggests that riders who can should buy their pass or tokens at an outlet at the "home-end" of their commute, such as a Safeway or Albertson store. For a full list of sales outlets, please visit www.sfmuni.com/fares/passvend.htm.

We regret any confusion or inconvenience this issue has caused. Please inform your employees of this development.

Translink - The TransLink® smartcard program will change the way some people pay for transit in the Bay Area. We'll have details soon on how Commuter Check customers will be able to use this new system. Let us know if you're especially interested. For more information visit Commuter Check's San Francisco information page.

Caltrain Parking -Caltrain riders using station parking lots can now use Commuter Checks to pay for station parking. For more information visit Commuter Check's San Francisco information page

BART Parking for SFO or OAK - Save yourself traffic and parking hassles -- take BART. Now you can park long-term at most BART parking lots. For reservations, visit www.BART.gov/parking or call 1-877-700-7275.

Boston:
Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) now accepts Commuter Checks.

Click here for full program details and a Denomination and Values Chart to help decide which denominations to order.

Colorado:
On January 1, 2006, RTD in Denver changed its monthly pass and ticketbook prices. Commuter Checks will be available in seven denominations (the existing $15, $21, $30, $31, $35, $49) and a new $54 denomination that we are introducing to match the new price of RTD's local service monthly pass. Click here for full details and a Denomination and Values Chart to help decide which denominations to order.

Commuter Checks are now accepted by Front Range Express (FREX) and Springs Transit accept Commuter Checks at the Springs Transit Downtown Terminal in Colorado Springs, Fountain, Monument and Castle Rock area grocery stores and at the Downtown Denver FREX sales outlet at the Downtown Denver Partnership offices at 511 16th Street, Suite 200 in Denver.

They are also accepted in Aspen by Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) for purchases of passes. They can be redeemed at the Rubey Park Transit Center and the RFTA Bus Barn. Click here for more information.

Greater Philadelphia:
Click here for full program details.

Lousiville:
Click here for full details and a Denomination and Values Chart to help decide which denominations to order.

Minnesota:
Click here for full program details and a Denomination and Values Chart to help decide which denominations to order.

Ohio:
On January 1, 2006, COTA changed its fares and monthly pass prices. These changes appear below, along with matching Commuter Check denominations. As a result, new $36 and $45 Commuter Check denominations are being added to the existing $20, $25, $30, $32, & $35 denominations which are most commonly needed for COTA fares. These new denominations provide added flexibility to meet employee needs. Employers can expand the choices they give employees. Click here for full details and a Denomination and Values Chart to help decide which denominations to order.

Commuter Checks are accepted in metropolitan Cincinnati at:

Rhode Island:
Click here for full details and a Denomination and Values Chart to help decide which denominations to order.

Virginia:
On July 1, 2005, HRT increased the price of its 10 Ride Card to $14 and its7 Day Farecard to $17. All other pass prices remain the same.

Two new Commuter Check values - $17 and $28 - are available along with the $25, $40 and $15 voucher used in the past. The $17 voucher matches the price of the 7-Day Farecard. Employees that use vanpools can easily reach the $105 tax-free maximum now allowed by the IRS.

Commuter Checks are accepted in Richmond by GRTC for purchase of SuperSaver and Commuter Express Tickets. They can be redeemed at GRTC's Commuter Store at City Hall and Ridefinders at Bank of America Plaza. Click here for full details.

Press Releases:
6/17/03: Commuter Check Program Expands to BART Parking
8/19/02: Commuter Check and TransLink offer Integrated Service
4/14/02: Tax Tip: Ride Transit, Save Taxes
4/5/02: Commuter Check Enrollment Soars
1/2/02: Increased "cap" and Commuter Check's 10th Anniversary in the Bay Area