The commuter assistance program allows you to have pretax deductions taken from your pay to cover eligible expenses associated with your daily commute to work such as public transportation and non-JHU parking.
In addition to any pretax money you set aside for commuting expenses, JHU provides a subsidy to eligible employees to help lessen the cost of commuting, support the university’s sustainability initiatives, and encourage vital in-person interactions.
You are eligible for the JHU Commuter Assistance program if you are a full-time or part-time faculty, staff, or LiUNA bargaining unit member. Visiting faculty are not eligible for the benefit.
JHU’s commuter assistance program allows you to have pretax deductions taken from your pay to cover eligible expenses associated with your commute to work. You may elect a transit account, parking account, or both. You can make a one-time election to cover the same expenses each month, but if your commuting needs change, you can make changes to your elections every month. New elections will take effect the month after they are submitted.
The cost of the transit or non-JHU parking will be deducted from your paycheck over two pay periods. Payroll deductions will be loaded into an account with WEX to use for public transit or non-JHU parking purchases.
WEX, our commuter assistance program administrator, offers a debit card to purchase transportation and non-JHU parking passes, or the ability to reimburse yourself. You may use your WEX debit card to purchase your transit pass or parking. Alternatively, you may pay out-of-pocket and reimburse yourself via the WEX mobile app.
WEX covers some commuting expenses, such as a WMATA SmarTrip card, directly–your money is loaded onto your SmarTrip card for you. A WEX debit card is also available. The debit card can be used to purchase MTA passes and tickets or to add funds to your MTA CharmPass. For other expenses, you will be required to pay out-of-pocket and request reimbursement from WEX.
If you park at a non-JHU garage or facility, the WEX debit card can be used to pay the facility directly. If you park at a JHU facility and have your parking fee deducted from your paycheck, you automatically receive the pretax benefit.
The following mass transit and parking expenses are eligible if they are related to your commute to work:
The following expenses are not eligible: tolls, gas, airline flights, car-maintenance, taxis, and non-work related commuter costs. Parking on-site at a JHU lot or garage is already deducted from your paycheck pretax, and is therefore not eligible.
The pretax deductions for qualified parking and public transit are excluded from your taxable income up to the limit imposed by the IRS. For the 2025 tax year, the monthly pretax limit for public transit and parking is $325 each month.
JHU faculty, staff, and LiUNA bargaining unit members are eligible for the public transit subsidy if they:
JHU offers a public transit subsidy to eligible JHU employees who work in Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Subsidy amounts are determined by an eligible employee’s work location (Maryland or D.C.), their annual JHU gross salary, and the number of days they work on campus/on site.
Based also on regional differences in commuting costs, eligible employees who work in Maryland can receive up to $60 per month, and eligible employees who work in Washington, D.C. can receive up to $150 per month. Eligible employees who work in D.C can receive a parking subsidy up to $237 per month. D.C. employees can only have one employer-funded account, transit OR parking.
Employees eligible for the public transit subsidy will receive funds in a pretax commuter account through WEX. Funds will be added to your account the 1st pay of each month. When enrolling, you can also elect to make employee pretax contributions into your commuter account. The combined maximum of employer and employee contributions cannot exceed the IRS limit of $325 per month. Enrolled employees will purchase their mass transit passes using the WEX debit card, or they can be reimbursed directly through WEX.
The following mass transit and parking expenses are eligible if they are related to your commute to work:
The following expenses are not eligible: tolls, gas, airline flights, car-maintenance, taxis, and non-work related commuter costs.
| Monthly Public Transit Subsidy | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of On-Site Days Each Week | ||||||
| Work Location | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Maryland | $60 | $48 | $36 | $24 | $12 | $0 |
| Washington, D.C. | $150 | $120 | $90 | $60 | $30 | $0 |
Note: If location or salary changes, increased or decreased amounts should be effective the 1st of the following month.
ELIGIBILITY
JHU faculty, staff, and LiUNA bargaining unit members are eligible for the JHU-paid parking subsidy if they:
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
JHU offers a parking subsidy to eligible JHU employees who work in Washington, D.C.
Parking subsidy amounts are determined by an employee’s annual JHU gross salary and the number of days they work on campus/on site.
Eligible employees who work in D.C can receive a parking subsidy up to $237 per month. D.C. employees can only have one employer-funded account, transit OR parking.
Employees eligible for the JHU-paid parking will receive funds in a pretax commuter account through WEX. Funds will be added to your account the 1st pay of each month. When enrolling, you can also elect to make employee pretax contributions into your commuter account. The combined maximum of employer and employee contributions cannot exceed the IRS limit of $325 per month. Enrolled employees will purchase their parking using the WEX debit card, or they can be reimbursed directly through WEX.
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
The following mass transit and parking expenses are eligible if they are related to your commute to work:
The following expenses are not eligible: non-work related commuter costs.
Parking on-site at a JHU lot or garage is already deducted from your paycheck pretax, and is therefore not eligible.
| Monthly Parking Subsidy – DC Work Locations ONLY | ||
|---|---|---|
| Salary Range | 3 or More Days On-Site Each Week | 2 Days On-Site Each Week |
| <$50,000 | $237 | $120 |
| $50,000-59,999 | $229 | $120 |
| $60,000-69,999 | $220 | $120 |
| $70,000-79,999 | $212 | $120 |
| $80,000-99,999 | $195 | $100 |
| $100,000-124,999 | $160 | $80 |
| $125,000-149,999 | $120 | $60 |
| $150,000-199,999 | $80 | $0 |
Note: If location or salary changes, increased or decreased amounts should be effective the 1st of the following month.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE