Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits FAQ

Open All

All full-time Faculty and Staff commuting to a USF campus are eligible to set aside pre-tax dollars for qualified commuting expenses.

Please review the Pre-tax Commuter Subsidy section on the Commuter Benefits page.

You can receive up to $85 per month for “transit” orders. It does not apply to “parking” orders.

If you are eligible to receive the subsidy, the first $85 of your transit order is subsidized. Any amount exceeding $85 will be pre-tax dollars deducted from your paycheck. Please ensure that your order amount covers the subsidy and any additional pre-tax amount you wish to contribute.

Our vendor, Edenred.

Please first review the information on the Commuter Benefits page. It contains information on how the program works and subsidy eligibility criteria.

Once you have reviewed this information and you are eligible to enroll, please submit a Commuter Plan and Subsidy Enrollment Form. There is one form for full-time faculty and staff to fill out regardless of subsidy eligibility, as subsidy eligibility is determined when applications are processed.

Once the Benefits Team has processed your enrollment, you will receive an email with your login details for Edenred. You can then log in and place your order (one-time, multi-month or recurring). You can choose for the funds to go onto a Clipper card or an Edenred Commuter Check Prepaid MasterCard.

The deadline to place an order is 10th of the month (9pm PT), which will be loaded on the 1st of the following month. For example, to receive Commuter Benefits in April, you need to place your order by March 10 (9pm PT).

Due to Edenred and Clipper’s strict order deadlines, the order deadline cannot be extended. For example, if you miss April 10 (9pm PT) deadline to place an order for May, you will need to place your order between April 11 and May 10 to place an order for June.

Please see the Managing Your Edenred Account section on the Commuter Benefits page.

You are responsible for managing your Edenred account. This includes ensuring that:

  • You place an order for the amount needed for the month
  • You place your order before the deadline of 10th of the month
  • You frequently review your Clipper card / Edenred Commuter Check Prepaid MasterCard balance
  • You frequently review the Commuter Benefits page for updates
  • The Clipper card account number you enter during the order process on Edenred matches the number on the back of your Clipper card. This only applies to transit order onto a Clipper card.
  • Please note: USF does not manage your Clipper account

Yes, only if you wish for your transit order to go onto a Clipper card. Please have it available when you place your order because you will be required to enter the Clipper card account number (printed on the back of the card).

Parking orders cannot go onto a Clipper card, only onto an Edenred Commuter Check Prepaid MasterCard.

If you do not have a Clipper Card, visit a Clipper Card sales location.

Please note: USF does not provide Clipper cards.

You must register your Clipper card with Clipper at https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/create-account-load.html  

You need to ensure that the Clipper card account number you enter during the order process on Edenred matches the number on the back of your Clipper card.

For more information, please see the Managing Your Clipper Card section on the Commuter Benefits page.

Clipper cards can hold a maximum of $300.

If the value of the order causes the value of the card to exceed $300, the order may not load and you will lose any subsidy, if applicable. USF does not issue refunds for a lost commuter subsidy.

Please reach out to Clipper at 877-878-8883 as soon as possible for a replacement card to be issued to you. The balance on your lost card may be transferable to the new card, if applicable.

Once you receive your new Clipper card, you must update your order on Edenred with your new Clipper card number, otherwise your order will not go through.

To protect your Clipper account, please ensure that you register your Clipper card at https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/create-account-load.html  

Once you place your order, the Prepaid MasterCard will be mailed to you.

It is your responsibility to ensure your mailing address is correct on your Edenred account.

Please note:

  • The MasterCard can hold both transit and parking orders.
  • If you place a transit order, it cannot be used for parking and vice-versa.
  • The maximum balance the MasterCard can hold is $1,000.

For more information, please see the Managing Your Commuter Check Prepaid Mastercard section on the Commuter Benefits page.

Please reach out to Edenred at 888-235-9223 as soon as possible for a replacement card to be issued to you.

You can find more information and eligibility criteria on the Adjunct Faculty Commuter Benefits (Semester Pass Program) page here.

Please see the Commuter Benefits section of the Ending Employment at USF (Benefits Information) Guide.

What they can be used for:

If you place a transit order, funds can be used for your commute on:

  • Bus
  • Subway
  • Train
  • Light rail
  • San Francisco Bay Ferry

Important: If you order a monthly pass (e.g. MUNI) to go onto your Clipper Card, rather than E-Cash, the pass will be more restricted in terms of where it can be used.

 

If you place a parking order, funds can be used for:

  • Parking at public garages
  • Parking using the SpotHero app. You must add your Commuter Check Prepaid MasterCard as a payment method in the app. Apple App Store I Google Play Store

What they cannot be used for:

If you place a transit order, funds cannot be used for:

  • Lyft/Uber rides
  • Scooter/bike rental
  • Tolls

If you place a parking order, funds cannot be used for:

Important: If you place a transit order and a parking order to go onto a Commuter Check Prepaid MasterCard, transit funds cannot be used for parking and vice versa.

Funds can be:

  • Deposited onto a Commuter Check Prepaid MasterCard
  • Used to purchase parking vouchers
  • Used to set up direct pay with allowable parking providers

Important: If you place a transit and a parking order to go onto a Commuter Check Prepaid MasterCard, transit funds cannot be used for parking and vice versa.