Mass Transportation Benefit Program (MTBP)

Qualified Means of Transportation (QMOT)

In accordance with DoD Instruction 1000.27 and Section 1.132-9 of Title 26, Code of Federal Regulations, the DoW MTBP transit subsidy is strictly limited to "Qualified Means of Transportation" (QMOT).

QMOT is defined as commercial or public transportation operated for use by the general public and/or modes of transportation that meet the requirements of Section 1.132- 9 of Title 26, Code of Federal Regulations.

Authorized Modes of Transportation

To receive the transit subsidy, your commute must utilize one of the following five authorized categories of public mass transit:

1. Subway or Light Rail (e.g., WMATA Metrorail).
2. Commuter Train (e.g., VRE, MARC).
3. Commuter Bus (e.g., MTA Commuter Bus, Loudoun Transit, OmniRide).
4. Ferry (Subject to passenger restrictions).
5. Vanpools (Subject to registration and capacity restrictions).

Note: Rental vehicles, personal carpools, casual ridesharing ("slugging"), and privately purchased vans that do not meet federal commercial transport requirements are strictly prohibited.

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Special Category Rules (Ferries & Vanpools)

Federal law mandates highly specific restrictions for ferry and vanpool riders. Review these rules prior to submitting your application:

Commuter Ferries

• Foot Passenger Rate Only: Program participants utilizing a ferry are authorized to claim the foot passenger rate only. This includes walkers, bicyclists, and vanpool members (not including the driver).
• POV Shuttling Prohibited: Ferries are not an approved form of transportation when used to shuttle a participant’s Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) across water to complete a journey.

Commuter Vanpools

To qualify as a QMOT, a vanpool must be run “for profit,” be registered with the local transit authority (WMATA), and meet the following criteria:

• Seating Capacity: The vehicle must have a manufacturer’s seating capacity for at least six (6) adults, not including the driver.
• Vanpool Drivers: Vanpool drivers are only eligible to receive the MTBP subsidy if they meet all of the following:
  1. They do not own or lease/operate the vanpool;
  2. They receive zero compensation or salary for their driving service;
  3. They do not profit in any way from the vanpool operation; and
  4. They personally incur a financial cost for participating in the vanpool.
• “Space Holding” Fees: If a vanpool rider must pay a fee to “hold” their seat during an extended absence (such as TDY, leave, or a part-time schedule), the participant is 100% personally responsible for this cost. Space-holding fees are not commuting costs and cannot be included in your monthly claim.

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NCR Transit Providers

Below is a directory of approved transit providers in the National Capital Region (NCR).

• Direct SmarTrip®: Tap your card directly at the faregate or farebox.
• Requires Allocation: You must use the Allocate Your Benefits process to transfer your funds from your SmarTrip® account to the vendor.

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Mastering WMATA Transfer Discounts

If your daily commute includes transferring between Metrorail and Metrobus, you are likely benefiting from WMATA’s automatic transfer discounts. To ensure your MTBP application is accurate and compliant, these automatic savings must be accounted for on your expense worksheet.

Transfer Discount Rules

Note: Regional transit systems also integrate with SmarTrip®. Please check directly with your specific local provider to verify their transfer policies.

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Recording Transfers on Your MTBP Expense Worksheet

Your worksheet must reflect the actual discounted rate charged to your SmarTrip® card, not the standard base fare. Below are two examples of how to accurately log standard local bus commutes involving a $4.00 Metrorail fare.

Example 1: Metrorail to Metrobus Commute (One-Way)

Example 2: Metrobus to Metrorail Commute (One-Way)

Note for Reduced Fare Participants: If you utilize a Senior or Disabled SmarTrip® card, your base fares are already reduced. While the SmarTrip® system will reduce the second leg fare to $0.00, it does not roll over unused credit or provide cash back. Record the second leg charge as $0.00 on your application.

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Detailed Provider Operational Details

For transit systems with complex payment, delivery, or ticketing structures, please review the specific details below:

CommuterDirect.com (VRE, MARC, MTA Commuter Bus, TVMs, Metro Bus & Rail)

CommuterDirect works with WMATA to make SmartBenefits® available to riders via a personalized transit account. It allows you to purchase tickets and passes for transit systems that do not accept SmarTrip® cards.

• How it Works: Once you allocate your funds from your SmarTrip® account to CommuterDirect, benefits are applied on or about the 22nd. Passes are mailed to your home address (mailed between the 10th and 22nd) or held for pickup at a Commuter Store.
• Price Adjustments: If your transit benefit does not cover the full purchase price of your monthly ticket, CommuterDirect will charge the remaining balance to the personal credit card on file in your account.
• Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs): To use your benefits directly at physical Commuter Stores or Ticket Vending Machines, allocate your SmartBenefits® accordingly in WMATA’s allocation system and configure your TVM access.

MARC Train (Lines & Mobile Options)

MARC is a commuter rail system, operating weekdays on three lines radiating from Union Station: the Penn Line (operating to Perryville, MD, with weekend service), the Camden Line (operating to Baltimore Camden Station), and the Brunswick Line (operating to Martinsburg, WV, and Frederick, MD).

• MTA Mobile Option: Download the MTA mobile app, create an account, and allocate your benefits directly to MTA Mobile Ticketing by the 21st of the month.
• Mail Option: Allocate your benefits to CommuterDirect.com by the 15th of the month to have your physical pass mailed to your home.

Virginia Railway Express (VRE)

VRE is a weekday commuter rail service operating on two lines connecting Northern Virginia to Union Station: the Fredericksburg Line (from Spotsylvania, VA) and the Manassas Line (from Broad Run/Bristow, VA).

• VRE Mobile Option: Download the VRE Mobile App, create an account, and allocate your benefits to VRE Mobile by the 21st of the month for at-the-station ticket activation. (Note: Reduced fare tickets cannot be purchased at platform Ticket Vending Machines; they must be purchased through the VRE Mobile App with a VRE-issued Reduced Fare Card).
• Mail Option: Allocate your benefits to CommuterDirect.com by the 15th of the month to have your physical pass mailed to your home.

PRTC OmniRide (Daily Fare vs. $285 Pass)

OmniRide operates local and express routes connecting Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park to the Pentagon, Tysons, and Washington D.C.

• The $285 Monthly Express Pass: If you commute more than 13 days (26 round trips) per month, you must select the $285 Monthly Pass in your MTBP application to save taxpayer funds. To use this, download the OmniPay App, create an account, and allocate your benefits to OmniRide by the 21st of the month.
• Daily Board & Swipe: If you commute less than 13 days per month, select the daily $11.00 one-way fare in your MTBP application. You will pay as you go by tapping your SmarTrip® directly on the bus farebox.

MetroAccess Paratransit (EZ-Pay)

MetroAccess is a door-to-door, shared-ride paratransit service for customers whose disabilities prevent them from using Metrorail or Metrobus.

• Trip Booking: MetroAccess does not offer same-day service. You must have funds loaded into your account prior to booking. Funds are deducted from your account at the time you make the reservation, not when you take the trip.
• Funding Delivery: Allocate your benefits to MetroAccess by the 21st of the month. You will manage your loaded benefits using the MetroAccess EZ-Pay online portal.