TransLink for Organizations
Making travel easy, affordable, and climate friendly for employers and employees
Providing transit passes and sustainable travel solutions for employees has been shown to help employers decrease overhead costs like parking while supporting environmental, health, economic and equity-enhancing corporate objectives.
Sign up to TransLink for Organizations
Contact Us
Contact travelsmart@translink.ca to discuss how we can work together to help your organization meet your goals.
Why Choose Public Transit?
Employer Benefits
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Manage and decrease demand for parking
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Improve recruitment and retention of staff
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Achieve your corporate social responsibility goals
TransLink for Organizations Offerings
TransLink for Organizations provides your employees with flexibility to get where they need to go safely, reliably and affordably:
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Our Stored Value pay-as-you-go pass is perfect for flexible commuters who travel less than three days a week, while our Monthly pass is great value for employees required to be on-site more than 3 days a week.
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Compass Cards for your employees can be loaded with Stored Value up to $175, adult or concession monthly passes, or a West Coast Express monthly pass.
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Your organization chooses how much you want to contribute to your employees. Starting at $10 per employee/ month for Stored Value, to as little as 10% and up to 100% for Monthly passes. You choose the duration, from a single month to ongoing auto-loaded passes and update your subscription only when there are employee or pass-type changes.
Employee Transit Choices
| Stored Value | Monthly Passes | |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Provides employees with Stored Value on a Compass Card with a pay-as-you-go model. | Provides employees with unlimited trips every month with their Compass Card. |
| Ideal for | Employees travelling 2 to 3 days a week. | Employees travelling over 3 days a week. |
| Pricing Options | Choice of how much Stored Value is added to the Compass Card from $10 to $175. | Choice of monthly pass and contribution amount (e.g. 50% of a 1-Zone pass). |
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Prices By Zone*
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|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Pass Type | 1-Zone | 2-Zone | 3-Zone |
| One-Way (Stored Value) | $2.50 | $3.65 | $4.70 |
| 2-3 Days Commuting Per Week (Stored Value) | $40 to $60 | $59 to $88 | $76 to $113 |
| Monthly Pass | $102.55 | $137.10 | $185.20 |
Sustainable Commuting Options
TransLink works closely with our valued community and mobility partners to promote behaviour change initiatives and programs, and consultation services, to help support your business goals. Check out some of our great partner employer offers below.
More Information
TransLink for Organizations is the way forward!
More than ever, businesses and government organizations are realizing the importance of a flexible commute on employee retention.
By supporting a diverse range of sustainable and equitable commuting options for your employees - such as transit, cycling, remote work and carshare you’ll support affordability and enhance your workplace culture.
Help your organization to be a more productive, profitable and healthy place to work while also supporting sustainable modes of travel that address the growing Climate Emergency.
TransLink Toolkits
Is your worksite facing travel challenges? Check out our self-help guides to help build out your TransLink for Organizations program.
Modo Car Share
Get a free business membership — Modo will waive the security deposit and sign up fees. Share the code TRAVELSMART with your team — they will earn $50 in driving credits. (Valid for new members only). Visit modo.coop.
Evo Car Share
Receive free membership and 30 minutes driving credit with the promo code TRAVELSMART. Offer valid for new members only. Visit evo.ca for more information.
Lime's E-bike Share
Free 10 minutes of riding time for all new riders when they use the code LIMENORTHSHORE. Visit li.me to get started.
Mobi Bike Share
Provide your employees with discounted bike share memberships. Get an exclusive promo code for $30 off a 365 Day Pass Standard and $40 off a 365 Day Pass Plus. Enroll your organization at mobibikes.ca.
Liftango
Free access to employers via the Metro Vancouver carpool program. Additionally, Liftango can set up a program tailored to individual employers. Visit liftango.com to find out more.
HUB Cycling
Providing building amenity recommendations, workplace supports through Bike Friendly Building consulting, workplace cycling workshops, and free Go by Bike Week events. Visit bikehub.ca to find out more.
BEST
Provide free secure bike parking at your next corporate event or serve your longer-term employee bike parking needs with Bike Valet. Visit best.bc.ca or thebicyclevalet.ca to learn more.
Commutifi
Commutifi’s commute management platform makes it easy for organizations to measure, understand, and reduce commuting impacts.
Subsidies and free options are available for our data-based commuting platform. Learn more or enroll now.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
What are the benefits of TransLink for Organizations?
The program reduces the administrative burden of providing transit passes to employees. The system works on an advanced payroll system so there is no need for employees to expense their own transit commuting costs. Administrators will also have the flexibility to change pass types and the subsidy amount they choose online.
Does TransLink fund any portion of the Compass passes?
At this time, TransLink does not subsidize any portion of the Compass passes. Participating businesses will be contacted if a discount is applied in future.
What is the recommended subsidy amount for employers to fund transit passes?
Many employers cover 100% of the cost of transit passes for their employees. Research has shown that a subsidy of 50% or more has a significant impact on encouraging transit use and employee uptake.
Why should employers purchase transit passes when employees are working remotely?
There are many reasons employees need to travel. Offering transit passes allows employees a more affordable option for their life outside of work.
TransLink for Organizations Offerings
What are the payment options and schedules to load passes for my employees?
Once signed-up to TransLink for Organizations, employers can conveniently select and change the pass types for each employee during the enrollment process.
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Invoices are sent to employers on the 20th of each month
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Payment is due by the 25th of each month and the passes/Stored Value are automatically loaded from the 27th of each month when employees tap their Compass cards.
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The cut-off date for changes to take effect on the first of the following month, is the 15th of every month. If you would like to make any more changes after the 15th simply contact the Compass Operations team directly at compassservices@translink.ca
Does the Stored Value balance on an employee’s Compass Card ever expire?
No, Stored Value on a Compass card never expires.
What happens if an employee’s Stored Value balance is used up mid-way through the month?
If the Stored Value is used by mid-month, an employee needs to load more Stored Value on their card or set up the threshold AutoLoad feature via their account at compasscard.ca.
Do employees need to purchase their own Compass Cards?
Employers are welcome to choose the option that works best for them and their employees. It’s recommended that employees purchase their own Compass Cards but it is not required. Employees can also use their own Compass Cards if they have one. If employees are using their own Compass Cards, TransLink will need the serial numbers of those Compass Cards to load passes and Stored Value.
What is the minimum and maximum subsidy amount for for Stored Value and Monthly Passes?
The maximum Stored Value contribution is $175 per employee per month, and for Monthly passes, the full value of passes. The minimum employer contribution for Monthly passes is 10% of the value of passes. For Stored Value, the minimum is $10 per employee per month.
Can you combine the Stored Value and monthly pass option for employees?
Yes, employers can combine the two options.
Example: An employer could subsidize 100% of an employees’ 1-Zone Monthly pass while the employer or employee could fund an additional Stored Value amount to cover the cost of trips outside Zone 1 (e.g. 2-Zone and 3-Zone trips). However, if an employee regularly takes 2-Zone or 3-Zone trips, they should purchase the correct monthly pass to get the best value.
What pass types are recommended?
TransLink recommends offering transit passes to all employees (including new employees) and allowing them to choose the pass type that best suits their lifestyle, as employees will be more likely to incorporate transit trips beyond commuting into their daily routines. Depending on your budget, employers can adjust the Stored Value amount and the portion of monthly passes funded. Our TransLink for Organizations team is happy to consult with you further to meet the needs of your organization.
Can employers purchase West Coast Express passes?
Yes, employers can subsidize West Coast Express passes. For a full list of fare prices, fare estimates, and West Coast Express fare types, visit the TransLink Pricing and Fare Zones page.
Transit-Friendly Employer Certification
Depending on the level of subsidy you provide, your organization may be eligible to become a Transit-Friendly Employer.
This program recognizes employers that step up, do their part and lead the way to a more sustainable future. Certified organizations can proudly demonstrate the recognition they’ve earned by displaying the Transit-Friendly Employer stamp.
Minimum requirements
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Employer provides a transit subsidy of at least 50%
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Large employers (200+ employees): must enroll at least 10% of staff in the program for a minimum of six months to qualify
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Small employers (less than 200 employees): must enroll at least 25% of staff to the program with no minimum time commitment
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All recipients are subject to an annual audit to maintain their eligibility
Certified organizations include: YVR Airport, Intel Canada, LUSH Cosmetics, Provincial Health Services Authority, and Solidigm.