Green light for bus pass discount program
Posted Oct 28, 2011 05:56:15 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Metro Transit users could save 25 per cent on the cost of their annual bus pass, if their employer signs up for a new pilot project.
HRM’s Transportation Committe approved a cost-sharing plan Thursday, called the Smart-Trip E-Pass. The program would have the passholder pay 75 per cent of the normal cost, but the employer and the city pay 12.5 per cent each to cover the rest.
City staffer Dave McIsaac told the committee the cost of the pass would be deducted directly from the user’s paycheque, meaning participating employee would qualify for the 15 per cent federal tax break for transit passes.
“That’s one of the benefits of doing it through payroll deductions, because they can put that benefit right on the line and it’s a nice simple process,” he said.
The plan is aimed at easing traffic delays and getting more people to take public transit, with early estimates suggesting 10 per cent of the participants would be new transit users.
McIsaac says a few big employers have already shown interest.
“Dalhousie (University) really wants this, so they’re ready to start,” he said. “We’ve had discussions with other employers: Nova Scotia Power, Drugstore.com, Efficiency Nova Scotia, and there’s a couple of others.”
A similar program is used in other cities, such as Ottawa.
The recommendation to support the 750-pass pilot program has been passed along to city council for their consideration at a future meeting.
