TransitChek in the New York City and Philadelphia Areas

This report documents the history and current operation of the TransitCheck programs in the New York City and Philadelphia areas, evaluates their impacts on local commuters and operators, and assesses how well they have achieved the goals of the implementing organizations, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the participating operators and employers. Both programs have made progress toward increasing transit ridership, reducing commuter dependence on the automobile, improving employee mobility, reducing cash fare payment for operators, and fostering cooperation among operators and the transportation and business communities. The programs enable employers to compensate employees with benefits in a more cost-effective manner than a conventional salary increase, because the value of TransitChek vouchers given to employees is a tax deductible business expense. Employees receive a tax-free benefit that subsidizes their commute to work. As more employers enroll, TransitChek has the potential to convert significant numbers of riders to transit in a noncoercive way, and contribute toward regional compliance with the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act.