General Article
February 17, 2005
Pocket parking money with HutchPass
Ride the bus and save; online renewal for HutchPass 2005 is now available for eligible center and Alliance staff
At $9 a month, a HutchPass remains an economical alternative to drving alone and parking.
Photo by Todd McNaught |
The time to renew the popular HutchPass has arrived. Again this year, commuters will pay a portion of the costs for the pass. The monthly payroll deduction will remain at $9 to employees and is substantially less than the actual value of the pass. Commuters without the HutchPass discount pay $54 for a Metro one-zone peak pass and $72 for a two-zone peak pass.
The HutchPass is still a less expensive option than driving alone or paying face value for the pass. We also have a Commute Trip Reduction grant program that continues through the end of June 2005. This grant is through the State of Washington and offers incentives for employees to try alternate modes of commuting. Earn $50 or $25 Mastercard Gift Cards for vanpool and carpool participation. Additional incentives are available through Metro for vanpool participation. Give up your parking by April 1 and earn a $100 gift card! Contact Jaimie Reavis at (206) 667-1438 for more information on how you can take advantage of the incentives.
Eligibility and renewal
The HutchPass is available to ongoing employees who are salaried and regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week; research associates, postdoctoral research fellows, senior fellows and eligible grad students working at least 50% at the center. Eligible employees without payroll deduction can purchase the HutchPass at the Transportation Office, in the Yale Building, for $27 a quarter. All exceptions for eligibility must be processed through a division administrator.
Beginning Feb. 14, Fred Hutchinson and Alliance faculty and staff can renew their passes online. By registering online, employees agree to the payroll deduction for the pass beginning with the February payroll and the deduction will continue through January 2006. The HutchPass is prepaid monthly. To receive the new 2005 HutchPass, you must file a new agreement form on-line or at the Transportation Office.
The transit pass for 2005 is a pre-tax deduction so employees can pay their share with tax-free earnings.
To renew the pass online, go to the following address:
centernet.fhcrc.org/CN/depts/transportation/commuting/hutchpass/.
Vanpooling is another cost-saving transportation option. The HutchPass is worth up to $60 off the monthly vanpool fare. Employees who use the vanpool as part of their regular commute will receive an annual HutchPass at no charge, but cannot receive an additional subsidy toward a ferry pass. Vanpool costs depend on distance traveled, size of the van and number of passengers. A pass holder with a 50-mile round-trip commute could save up to $3,500 annually by commuting in an eight-passenger vanpool rather than driving alone.
Workers who use the ferry system as part of their regular commute will continue to be subsidized at $60 per month and will pay any additional cost through payroll deduction. Commuters using the ferry are also eligible for a free HutchPass, but will not be subsidized for vanpool.
Also, employees who commute by alternate modes should remember that the guaranteed ride home program is available in case of emergency. This privilege can be used up to eight times per year. Find details online at centernet.fhcrc.org/CN/depts/transportation/commuting/other/#guarantee. The HutchPass is accepted on King County Metro, Community, Pierce and Sound Transits.
