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NIH Transhare Policy

Transhare Program

Purpose:

The rules and procedures of the program outline the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Transhare Program and the requirements for participation in the program as administered by the NIH, Office of Research Services (ORS), Division of Amenities and Transportations Services (DATS).

Background:

The NIH Transhare Program is a transportation incentive program for NIH employees. It was initially implemented at NIH on October 1, 1992, as a one-year pilot open to 2,000 participants who were willing to use public transportation to commute to the NIH campus. Based on available funding, the initial program provided each participant a subsidy of up to $21.00 per month. As additional funding became available, the amount of the commuting subsidy increased, and by 1993 the Transhare subsidy had increased to $44.00 per month.
 
The program has expanded extensively over the last several years to include a wider variety of alternative transportation modes such as vanpools, Metrorail, MARC Trains and public buses.
 
Employees located in off-campus facilities in Montgomery County became eligible for Transhare subsidies in 1994. In FY 1998, Congress approved adding Intramural Research Training Award employees, Fellows, Volunteers and Trainees to those eligible. Also, at that time, availability of funds allowed the NIH to raise the participant ceiling from 2,000 to 2,300.
 
On April 21, 2000, the President signed Executive Order Number 13150 entitled Federal Workforce Transportation requiring Federal agencies within the National Capital Region (NCR) to provide commuting subsidies to all qualified Federal employees. This expansion of benefits removed the ceiling of participation and offers qualified employees the option to receive assistance with employee out-of-pocket commuting costs incurred through the use of mass transportation and vanpools, not to exceed the maximum monthly level allowed by law (26 U.S.C. 132) currently up to $265.00.
 
Executive Order 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, signed in 2015, requires federal agencies to reduce all forms of greenhouse gas emissions; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies.  The federal government, as the nation’s largest employer, must implement strategies to promote sustainable commuting and work-related travel practices. As part of these strategies, DATS provides employees with robust programs that promote alternative transportation options in lieu of single occupied vehicle commuting.

Responsibility:

The Director, ORS establishes Transhare policies, and the DATS is responsible for the management and operation of the established Transhare Program.

References:

Executive Order 13150
Executive Order 13154
Title 26, United States Code, Section 132(f)
Energy Policy Act of 1992
Federal Employees Clean Air Incentives Act of 1993
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998)
OMB Circular a-11
OPM Decision Letter S001842, August 11, 1998
IRS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking dated January 27, 2000

Definitions:

National Capital Region (NCR) - For the purposes of these rules and procedures, the NCR is identified in the Executive Order (No. 13150) as follows:
  • The District of Columbia; Montgomery, Prince George's and Frederick Counties in Maryland; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William Counties in Virginia; and all cities now or hereafter existing in Maryland or Virginia with the geographic area bounded by the outer boundaries of the combined area of said counties.

Policies and Procedures

Policy:

The NIH strongly encourages all qualified employees to actively participate in carpooling, vanpooling and the NIH Transhare Program. Information on the NIH Transhare Program, the NIH Ridefinders Network, and public transportation routes is available through the DATS by calling 402-RIDE (7433) or by visiting the NIH Parking Office in Building 31, Room 1A11. Additional information is also available on the DATS Transportation website under Transhare.

The NIH Transhare program provides a transit subsidy for use on mass-transit to include VRE, MARC, MTA, Metrorail, vanpools as described by the Internal Revenue Code 132(f), and all buses in the National Capital Region that will accept SmartBenefits or other fare media issued by the program.   Transhare is for mass-transit use only and may not be used to pay for parking to include Metro Parking Lots.
      
The NIH Transhare Program is open to qualified Federal employees of the NIH, including employees who are employed by other Federal agencies and are located at the NIH (i.e., FDA/CBER) and in accordance with special legislative authority (several non-FTE bearing positions such as summer students, visiting fellows and volunteers).
 
NOTE: FDA/CBER employees who are registered with any FDA transit subsidy program may not participate in the NIH Transhare Program.
 
Penalties invoked because of violation(s) or abuse of these procedures may include suspension of up to six months from the NIH Transhare Program; removal from program; criminal prosecution under U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001, including a fine and imprisonment for up to five years; a civil penalty action providing for administrative recoveries of up to $5,000 per violation; and/or agency disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal.

Procedures for Participation:

Eligible NIH employees can apply, recertify, change or withdraw from the NIH Transhare Program at any time by using our web-based application, commonly called Commuting and Parking Services (CAPS).
 
Employees may also complete Form 2705-1 Transhare Program Application/Commuting Cost Declaration Power Point and submit via fax, email or in person to the NIH Parking Office, Building 31, Room 1A11, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 
Transhare participants cannot retain NIH on- or off-campus parking privileges while participating in the NIH Transhare Program. Applicants must surrender whatever parking privileges they have (i.e., permits, hangers, access cards, etc.). 
 

Program Conditions

Annual Renewals:

Transhare members must annually renew their Transhare memberships by recertifying their information during the assigned period, either online or at the Parking Office. 
 
Renewal periods are staggered alphabetically according to last name.  Failing to renew benefits will result in automatic termination from the program.  A courtesy email reminder will be sent out to participants during their month to renew.  The sole responsibility for renewing Transhare benefits is the participants.
Transhare members during their renewal period will have the whole month starting on the first and ending on the last day of that month to renew.  The Transhare renewal periods are:

 
LAST NAME
INITIAL
RECERTIFICATION
MONTH​
A - B - C​
​JANUARY
​D - E - F - G ​MARCH
​H - I - J - K - L ​MAY
​M - N - O - P ​JULY
​Q - R - S ​SEPTEMBER
​T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z ​NOVEMBER
  

Withdrawal:

NIH Transhare participants may elect to withdraw from the program at any time. To withdraw, the participant must submit a completed form NIH Form 2705-5 Termination of Program Participant Power Point to the Parking Office or email the NIH Parking Office requesting to terminate Transhare. When emailing please provide your NIH ID number.

Temporary Parking Permits:

NIH Transhare participants who are located on-campus and must drive on a given day can be issued a temporary dashboard parking permit. These Temporary permits can be obtained by using our web-based application, commonly called Commuting and Parking Services (CAPS) or vising the NIH Parking Office in Building 31, Room 1A11 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding Government Holidays).
 
Temporary parking permits will not be issued for more than five consecutive days. If the Parking Office is closed, you may request a temporary one-day dashboard parking permit from the NIH Police Desk located in Building 31, Room B3B17.
 
Off-campus Transhare participants may obtain a one-day validation sticker for parking from their Facility Manager or IC representative. NIH Transhare participants may not exceed more than six temporary parking permits per calendar quarter (Jan-March, April-June, etc.).  Unused permits do not roll over or accumulate.

Vanpools

Transhare members can use their transit benefits for ridership in vanpools that meet state and Federal requirements.  Vanpools are required to be registered with WMATA.  NIH vanpools must register with the Transhare Administrator.  NIH Vanpool Coordinators are responsible to notify the Transhare Administrator of any roster changes in their vanpool.
   

Audits and Penalties

DATS is responsible for the fiscal management of funds allocated to the program.  DATS will randomly audit a percentage of Transhare participants.  If during the audit it is determined that information supplied is falsified, appropriate action will be taken. The Director, DATS, or his designee may revoke the Transhare privileges for violation of these regulations or any of the requirements of these policies and procedures.

Penalties invoked because of violation(s) or abuse of these procedures may result in removal or suspension of up to six months from the NIH Transhare Program; criminal prosecution under U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001, including a fine and imprisonment for up to five years; a civil penalty action providing for administrative recoveries of up to $5,000 per violation; and/or agency disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal.

Record Keeping:

The DATS will maintain all necessary records and files.

Contact Information-

Employee Transportation Services Office
Telephone:(301) 496-5050
Fax: (301) 480-3417

Ride Finders
Telephone: (301) 594-1755

Parking Permits, Transhare and Commuter Options
Michelle Mejia
Program Manager
Telephone: (301) 496-5050

Shuttle and Parking Services
Louise Davis
Program Manager 
Telephone: (301) 496-9621

Sean Cullinane
Quality Assurance Specialist
Telephone: (301) 496-4998