ORCA Business Programs
What are ORCA Business programs?
ORCA Business programs provide your employees access to Seattle’s growing public transit system. Our ORCA Business service offers flexible solutions for businesses of all sizes within any industry.
Learn more about each of the programs below and how they can benefit you and your employees.
Connect with a specialist.
Program Options
We offer free consultations to help businesses develop customized ORCA solutions.
Option 1: ORCA Business Passport
Overview: Comprehensive. All inclusive. Set-it and forget it!
ORCA Business Passport is an annual, bulk-pass program that gives your employees unlimited trips across seven transit agencies and four counties at a highly cost-effective rate.
This program is for employers with 5+ employees. Custom contracts are available to businesses with 500+ employees.
First-time Passport customers are eligible for up to 50% off their first-year contract with the ORCA Business Incentive.
Program Coverage
- Unlimited rides on all regular bus services on Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit, King County Metro Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit
- Unlimited rides on regular Sound Transit Link light rail service
- Unlimited rides on Sounder commuter rail
- Unlimited rides on the Seattle Center Monorail
- 100% vanpool fare subsidy on Community Transit, Kitsap Transit, Metro Transit, and Pierce Transit vanpool vans
- 100% vanshare fare subsidy on Metro Transit vanshare vans
- Unlimited rides on Seattle Streetcar, King County Water Taxi, and Kitsap Foot and Fast Ferries
- Emergency guaranteed ride home service (for trips meeting program criteria)
Benefits for Employers
- The most transit service at the lowest cost
- Low administrative cost – No monthly administration or individualized passes
- Easily manage employee cards online
- Equitable benefit for all employees
- Great quality-of-life benefit – Passport covers all trips, both work and personal
- Attract and retain employees with competitive transit benefits
- Helps your business meet sustainability goals
- Incentivize employees to choose sustainable commuting options to meet commute trip reduction goals
- Support employee well-being by relieving the financial burden and stress of driving
- Comply with Seattle’s Commuter Benefits Ordinance
- Combine with pre-tax and save on FICA taxes
- Providing a subsidized pass qualifies for the Commute Trip Reduction Tax Credit for B&O/PUT Taxes
Benefits for Employees
- Save money on your commuting costs
- Spend less time behind the wheel stuck in traffic and more time resting, reading, or checking emails during your commute
- Sustainable commutes may reduce overall stress and improve health
- Align with your environmental values
- Have the flexibility of choosing how to commute to work with included programs like Vanpool, Vanshare, and Home Free Guarantee
- Explore the region on your weekends with King County Water Taxi and Trailhead Direct
Rules & Eligibility
- ORCA Business Passport is only available to individuals through their employer
- Participating companies must have a minimum of 5 employees
- Employers must purchase a pass for every benefits-eligible employee at the worksite to access the bulk-pass pricing
- Companies can share up to 50% of the price of the pass with employees
Pricing
- Cost is based on the business location
- To find your zone and price per pass, visit King County Metro’s Passport Zone Cost Estimator
- Each pass provides 12 months of unlimited transit access
- Passport prices are adjusted every 6 months to reflect fare changes amongst the seven participating transit agencies
- Companies that participate in the ORCA Passport program typically demonstrate increased ridership after the first year. Renewal pricing for the area is adjusted to account for this increase.
- New ORCA Business Passport customers are subject to an initial one-time $3 per pass card fee
- New ORCA Business Passport customers are eligible for a first-year incentive
Ask us about the ORCA Business Incentive!
Businesses new to ORCA may qualify for 50% off their first ORCA Business program. Contact us now to find out if you qualify!
Option 2: ORCA Business Choice
Overview: A flexible month-to-month program for companies of any size.
ORCA Business choice gives you the most flexibility at retail rates. You decide who receives an ORCA card and how to fund that card. Choose from employee pre-tax, an employer e-purse subsidy, or a fully subsidized Puget Pass.
Choice is a great option for in-house compliance with Seattle’s Commuter Benefits Ordinance.
Optional Program Coverage
- Monthly transit passes at retail prices for bus, train, water taxi or Metro vanpool
- Access to all regular bus services on Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit, King County Metro Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit
- Access to regular Sound Transit Link light rail service
- Access to Sounder commuter rail
- Access to Washington State Ferries*
- Access to Seattle Center Monorail
- E-purse option–Fund your ORCA card like a pre-paid debit card. Pay for travel on a per-trip basis or convert e-purse funds to a monthly pass.
*Additional packages must be purchased
Benefits for Employers
- No minimum coverage requirement – Only cover employees who demonstrate an interest or need for a transit pass
- For businesses and budgets of all sizes – No minimum employee count or subsidy requirement for employers
- Comply with Seattle’s Commuter Benefits Ordinance with a pre-tax or subsidy option
- Flexibility to change products from month to month
- Conveniently pre-pay online
- Combine with pre-tax and save on FICA taxes
- Attract and retain employees with competitive transit benefits
- Incentivize sustainable commuting
Benefits for Employees
- Load bus, train, ferry and Metro vanpool passes and per-trip fares on one card
- Add funds to cover the cost difference between the employer-sponsored subsidy and the total cost of the desired product or fare
- Ability to register cards. If a card is lost or stolen, the card can then be replaced with a replacement transaction and the value issued to a new unused card
- Employees incur lower commuting costs than if they paid out of pocket
- Employees who use a sustainable commute to work may be healthier and less stressed, potentially saving the company on health insurance claims and sick leave
- Avoids car traffic and is able to read, rest, or check emails during commute
- Helps employee contribute to being environmentally conscious
For Employees: Ask your employer for a transit benefit with our script!
You could be saving on your transit costs with an employer-provided transit pass. Use our script to ask your employer about ORCA benefits today.
Did you know… You can save your business more money with Pre-Tax?
Combine ORCA with Pre-Tax to save your business and employees even more! Find out how in our pre-tax commuter benefits guide, or by contacting info@commuteseattle.com for a free walk-through.
Our Impact
More than 1,000 Puget Sound businesses offer the ultimate transportation benefit: ORCA for Business! ORCA Business programs work for every type and size of business, and across a number of industries.