Common Questions and Answers

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Can I still buy the same transportation products for my business cardholders?

With ORCA, businesses can pick the transportation product that best fits their needs, from monthly bus to ferry passes. Products have been grouped into two major programs: Business Choice and Business Passport.

What is an Electronic Voucher (E-voucher)?

Electronic vouchers allow a business to provide a transportation subsidy to as many cardholders as it chooses, at the same or differing subsidy levels. The subsidy amount can be kept consistent or changed from month to month. The cardholder can then decide how to "spend" the subsidy - by applying the value and buying a pass or by converting the subsidy to an E-purse and spending it as needed. Through the voucher program, the cardholder must pay any difference in cost between the business subsidy and the total cost of purchasing the desired transportation product or fare. Features of the Electronic Voucher Program include: - Businesses can provide a simple subsidy mechanism for employees, students or clients at the same or variable amounts. - Cardholders can automatically convert the voucher to E-purse value. - Cardholders can decide to add value for a pass purchase if they choose. - If the voucher is used to purchase a transportation product, any remaining value will be automatically placed in the cardholder's E-purse. - Participating businesses can make necessary payments online using a credit card. - Unredeemed vouchers will be credited back to the business on a quarterly or semi-annual basis.

Can our business provide a vanpool subsidy using ORCA?

Yes, although at roll-out, a vanpool subsidy may continue to be handled outside the ORCA system. Please contact your Lead Agency for more information.

How does our business buy a Washington State Ferries Commercial Account Pass?

Washington State Ferries Commercial Account Pass is for businesses that have a pre-qualified account with Washington State Ferries. This program provides the convenience of a business charge card for your frequent travelers to use at the tollbooth and/or turnstiles. Call Washington State Ferries at 206-464-6400 to inquire about setting up an account.

How does our business buy a Washington State Ferries Monthly Pass for our business cardholders?

Washington State Ferries' monthly pass may be put on any Business Account cards alone or coupled with any other agency retail products or E-purse. When you are logged into the Business Account website, click on new card order or new product order to begin processing your order.

What is the Business Choice Program?

Business Choice is all about flexibility. Businesses can provide ORCA cards to as few or as many cardholders as they choose. On a single card, they can include a monthly pass for bus, train or ferry travel plus stored transportation value via the E-purse or E-voucher options. E-purse stored transportation value can be used directly on the bus, train or ferry on a per-ride basis or converted to various monthly pass options. Features of the Business Choice program include: - The ability to easily establish and execute an online agreement and a standard monthly order via the website. - The convenience of online card management. - The ability to load multiple ORCA options on a single ORCA card. Note: regional passes are not valid for vanpool fare payment on any system. Please see below for valid vanpool passes. Contact your local tansit agency for more information.

What is the Business Passport Program?

ORCA Business Passport is a comprehensive, annual transportation pass program for employers with 20-499 employees. Employees in downtown Seattle, Belltown, International District and downtown Bellevue can participate with as few as 5 employees. (For employers with 500 or more employees, please contact your Lead Agent for program details.) Elements include: - Access to all regular bus services on Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit, Metro Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit - Access to regular Sound Transit Link light rail service - Access to Sounder commuter rail - 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 - Access to Seattle Streetcar and Water Taxi - Emergency guaranteed ride home service - Initial supply of ORCA cards for all employees Benefits to employers include ability to: - Offer employees an annual comprehensive transportation pass program within a single card - Reduce administrative costs - the Passport annual program does not require monthly online administration or knowledge of what type of passes employees need - Manage employee cards online by serial number, by branch or by group - Can be used in combination with an ORCA Choice program to cover ferry riders at additional cost - Provide equitable transportation benefits to all employees. Benefits to employees include ability to: - Have daily flexibility in choosing how to commute to work - Receive low cost or fully subsidized commute benefits - Use a single, easy-to-use card to access many different modes of transportation How much does Passport cost? Cost varies depending on the location(s) of your company's work site(s). The program requires that a pass be purchased for every benefits-eligible employee. If you already subsidize transportation for some employees, we recommend that you compare your current transportation expenditure to the cost of Passport for all your employees. Passport is available to individuals only through their participating employer.

What are the major differences between the Business Choice and Passport programs?

The following chart compares features of: Choice Passport - Purchase a variety of products X X - Provide passes for a few or many users X - Change products from month to month X - Change subsidy amount from month to month X - Make group purchases for retail monthly passes X - Make group purchaes for ferry products X X - Provide E-voucher or E-purse options X X - Establish agreement online X - Take care of payment online X - Take care of card ordering and product X X selection online (within agreement parameters) - Set monthly revalue of cards via website X X - Require cardholders to pay the difference X between subsidy and any additional transportation needs - Receive flat-rate or per-trip pricing X - Package this product with other benefits X - Receive consolidated billing tbd X - Valid for fares on all particapting systems X flat rate,yes; per trip, maybe - Provide unlimited rides participating systems X X

How does the E-purse work?

E-purse stands for electronic purse and provides a means to store value on an ORCA card that can be used to pay for transportation services. Value stored in the E-purse can be used to pay for travel on a per-trip basis or to purchase a monthly pass. The minimum that can be stored on the E-purse is $5 and the maximum is $300. A Business Account may request a refund of the E-purse value remaining on a Business Card if the card is surrendered by the Business Account to the Lead Agency. Upon surrender of such a card, the card shall be blocked and a refund processed. A processing fee of ten dollars ($10) shall be payable by the Business Account to the Lead Agency for each such E-purse refund that is processed. The Named Business Account, not the Lead Agency, is responsible for the refunding of E-purse value, if any, to the individual Cardholder to whom the Business Card had been distributed. Business Accounts should inform business cardholders of the Business Account's policies on refunding of any E-purse value, including any E-purse value loaded by a cardholder using his/her own funds. Note: E-purse cannot be used to pay for vanpool fares and may not be valid on paratransit services. Contact your local transit agency for more infoormation.

How does our business buy a monthly PugetPass for our business cardholders?