NYS-Ride Goes Statewide
Detailed Brochure Available here (pdf)

NYS-Ride

The Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER) is pleased to announce the expansion of the NYS-Ride, a benefit that allows New York State employees to pay for certain work-related transportation expenses on a pre-tax basis.  First implemented in 2005, NYS-Ride is currently a pilot program available to 35,000 executive branch state employees working in one of the five boroughs of New York City.  In an effort to support a greener New York and help you save money, NYS-Ride will be expanded statewide to executive branch state employees in eligible negotiating units beginning July 2, 2008 for the October 2008 benefit month. If you are newly hired and in an eligible negotiating unit, you can participate in NYS-Ride once you begin receiving regular biweekly paychecks from the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). Participants in the pilot program will continue to be eligible to participate in NYS-Ride regardless of negotiating unit.

Savings

Transportation expenses, such as qualified fares for riding buses, trains, subways, ferries, and other types of mass transit or vanpools, can be paid for through NYS-Ride.  No federal, state, city income, social security, or Medicare taxes will be withheld from the pre-tax amount of your eligible commuting expenses. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limits pre-tax deductions in 2008 to $115 per month for transit expenses. If your cost exceeds the IRS limit, the remaining amount is deducted on a post-tax basis.  You could save up to 40 percent on the cost of your monthly fare media by using NYS-Ride.

Enrollment

The enrollment process is easy and paperless.  Beginning July 2, 2008, you will be able to enroll online at www.nysride.com or by calling the toll-free number at 866-428-7781 (TDD 866-353-8058).  The online web page (or customer service representative, if enrolling by phone) will prompt you for the last four digits of your social security number, agency code, and negotiating unit code. If eligible, you will then set up a user profile, consent to a user agreement, and order the monthly transit pass.  Enrolling in NYS-Ride authorizes WageWorks, the third party administrator, to purchase public transportation fare media directly from transportation providers. The fare media are paid for through biweekly payroll deductions. After at least two successive paycheck deductions, WageWorks will mail the pass or fare card directly to your home.

Information Resources

For additional information about NYS-Ride, please call 866-428-7781 (TDD 866-353-8058) or visit www.nysride.com.  Employee information meetings will be held in several locations throughout the state (see schedule below).  To register for these informational meetings, send an email to nysridemtgs@goer.state.ny.us and include your name, agency, daytime telephone number, date, and time of the meeting that you are registering for or call (518) 473-8091and be prepared to provide the same information.

 Seating space is limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis.