ORCA Business Passport
Offer a transit benefit that helps your team get where they need to go.
ORCA Business Programs help Redmond employers provide affordable, flexible transit benefits for employees, whether you have five employees or five hundred.
Move Redmond offers free, one-on-one assistance to help Redmond employers compare programs, estimate costs, understand eligibility, and launch a benefit that works for their organization.
Transit Benefits Made Easier
Providing an ORCA benefit doesn’t have to be complicated. Move Redmond can guide you through the process, from initial questions to employee launch.
Our team can help you:
- Compare ORCA Business programs
- Provide tailored cost estimates and explore cost-sharing options
- Identify eligible incentives
- Identify the right program for your business
- Provide example employee communications if needed.
- Provide ongoing support after launch
Our consultation and enrollment assistance are available at no cost to Redmond employers
60% of US professionals think commuting expenses are the most crucial cost to have subsidized by employers.
Which Program is Right For You?
ORCA Business programs offer several ways to provide employees with access to transit. The right option depends on your workforce, budget, organizational goals, and desired level of flexibility.
A comprehensive benefit for your workforce
ORCA business Passport is best for employers who want a broad, low-administration, cost-effective benefit for all eligible employees.
ORCA Business Passport Includes:
- Unlimited trips on participating regional transit services.
- An annual agreement
- A minimum of five eligible employees
- A required employer contribution
- Employee cost-sharing options
- Vanpool and Vanshare benefits
- Home Free Guarantee for eligible employees; ensuring your employees can get a ride home in case of illness, emergency, or other qualifying event
Passport pricing is based on worksite location, number of eligible employees, and qualifying incentives. Redmond is in a low-cost zone
ORCA Business Choice is best for employers who want maximum flexibility or want to provide specific benefits.
Choice allows employers to:
- Provide benefits with no employee minimum
- Choose which employees participate
- Select the amount of employer subsidy
- Use pre-tax employee payroll deductions
- Add monthly passes or E-purse value
- Adjust benefits as employees needs change.
- Costs are flexible; dependent on the number of participants and the benefits you’d like to provide.
ORCA Seasonal Passport is a low-cost program designed for employers with interns, temporary, tourism, or holiday workers, or seasonal staff.
The program includes:
- A minimum of five eligible seasonal employees
- Short-term agreements lasting two to six months
- Unlimited regional transit for covered employees
- Employee cost-sharing options
- Coverage for all eligible employees within the seasonal group
ORCA Seasonal Passport may be a good fit for employers whose workforce changes significantly throughout the year.
Let Move Redmond help you find the right benefit for your organization.
Why Offer and ORCA Benefit?
Transportation costs can affect whether someone is able to accept or remain in a job. An ORCA benefit can make your workplace more accessible to a broader range of applicants, and help your current employees manage the cost of commuting.
Transportation is one of the highest recurring household expenses for Washington families. Providing an ORCA benefit is a low-cost and efficient way to help employees keep more of their earnings while offering a practical benefit that they can use throughout the region.
Employees commute to Redmond from all around the Puget Sound. ORCA provides access to bus, light rail, commuter rail, water transit, vanpool, and other participating services. Take advantage of Redmond’s great transit network!
Transit benefits can reduce demand for limited employee parking, making it easier for customers, visitors, and employees who need to drive to find available spaces.
Transit benefits are one of the most effective employer tools for reducing transportation-related emissions. Giving employees a practical alternative to driving alone can help your organization reduce commute-related emissions, improve air quality, and reduce traffic congestion. A transit benefit can also help you meet the goals of Commute Trip Reduction law or local Transportation Management Ordinance, if you are affected.
Transit benefits can support employees who cannot drive, don’t own a car, or who have high transportation costs. They also can support frontline, hourly, part-time, and entry-level wage employees whose jobs cannot be performed remotely.
Why it Matters
Redmond has a great transit network connecting employees to Seattle, and communities across the Eastside.
Economic Development
Transit benefits help employers reach a broader and more diverse workforce by reducing transportation barriers to employment.
Environmental Impact
Transit benefits are one of the most effective employer tools for reducing transportation-related emissions. That will help improve air quality, and reduce traffic congestion
Want ORCA benefits at your workplace?
Download an email template you can send to your employer, or ask Move Redmond for help with starting the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
ORCA Business programs provide cost-sharing flexibility. There are employee cost-sharing options, depending on the type of program chosen.
ORCA Business Passport and Seasonal Passport programs require a minimum of 5 people enrolled. ORCA Choice has no employee minimum, and the employees can choose who to cover.
Each program differs according to employees’ size, workplace location, Transit needs and eligibility for incentives. Reach out to the Move Redmond team to obtain a quote for your business.
That depends on the program chosen. ORCA Business Passport must be offered to all benefits-eligible employees, while ORCA Choice can be offered to specific employees.
Enrollment contracts start at the beginning of every month. The onboarding process and getting connected can take a minimum of 2 weeks.
We are here as a partner in this process. We would love to see people use more public transportation in the area, and can provide example employee communications and after launch if needed. We would be happy to get any feedback or help smooth any problems that may occur.
Need additional support? Let Move Redmond know. Move Redmond member organizations are eligible for additional support and custom contract services. We’d be happy to talk you through membership benefits and additional services offered. Learn more about our membership services here.