**HQS. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DIVISION**

**STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE**

**Activity:** Fare Subsidy

**Authority:** 5 U.S.C. Section 7905 and 26 U.S.C. Section 132

**Responsible Branch:** Special Programs and Policy Branch

**Purpose:** This instruction sets forth the NASA Headquarters policy,
responsibilities,

delegations of authority, and requirements for fare subsidy

**Effective Date:** February 1, 1999

**Applicability:** All NASA Headquarters Civil Service Employees

**INTRODUCTION:**

Appropriated funds may be used, if available, to subsidize a portion of
the commuting costs of eligible employees who utilize public mass
transportation. The monthly subsidy will not exceed the Internal Revenue
Service limit on non-taxable fringe benefits. The Associate
Administrator for Headquarters Operations will determine if NASA
Headquarters will provide the maximum subsidy permitted by law and
regulations, a lesser amount, or will not participate in the program.
The subsidy is to be used only by the employee who receives the fare
media, and is not transferable. (Fare media is a ticket, pass, token,
farecard, voucher, or similar item entitling a person to
transportation.)

**DEFINITION:**

The fare subsidy program was implemented to reduce petroleum-product
consumption and traffic congestion, and to improve air quality through
encouraging the use of public mass transportation.

**ELIGIBILITY:**

This program is open to NASA Headquarters civil service employees. An
employee is an individual appointed in the civil service by an
authorized appointing official and engaged in the performance of a
Federal function under authority of law or an executive act. Eligible
NASA Headquarters employees include full-time, part-time and temporary
personnel, and Cooperative Education Program participants (Co-ops).
Detailees, Center employees participating in training programs at
Headquarters, consultants, contractors and other personnel who do not
receive their paychecks directly from NASA Headquarters are not
considered Headquarters employees for this purpose, with the following
exception: Employees of other NASA Centers who are duty stationed at
NASA Headquarters and who have a NASA Headquarters security badge may
also receive the fare subsidy. These employees will be required to
furnish the Headquarters Human Resources Management Division with a copy
of their SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) documenting their
official duty station in order to be eligible.

**CRITERIA:**

In order to receive a fare subsidy, eligible employees must be using one
of the following means of transportation to and from work for a total of
10 workdays during the month for which the subsidy is given, using the
appropriate fare media:

1.  Any public bus or rail transit system, whether or not publicly
    owned.

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2.  Any highway vehicle that (a) seats at least six adults (not
    including the driver);

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b.  at least 80% of the mileage is used to transport employees between
    their

> homes and their workplace; (c) transports employees in at least ½ of
> its seating capacity; and (d) is provided by any person in the
> business of transporting persons for compensation or hire.

(Fare media is defined in the "Introduction" portion of this document.)

An employee who is receiving another form of transportation subsidy,
such as subsidized parking at NASA Headquarters or any other Federal
Agency's garage, is not eligible to receive the fare subsidy.

**DEADLINE FOR APPLYING:**

Applications for the fare subsidy must be received prior to the end of
the month in order to be eligible for the following month's subsidy.

**NOTE: Fare subsidies is distributed quarterly on Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday of the first two full weeks of the quarter, according to
the following schedule:**

**First week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10:00 - 12:00 and 1:30 -
3:00**

**Second week: Tuesday 10:00 - 12:00 and 1:30 - 3:00;**

**Wednesday and Thursday 10:00 - 12:00 ONLY**

**Exact dates and times are posted on Heads-up as an additional
reminder. Failure to obtain a fare subsidy during this period will
result in forfeiture of the subsidy for that month. Employees who will
be on official travel or leave during the entire scheduled period when
fare subsidy is available may pick up their subsidy during the following
week, provided they e-mail their request prior to the closing period for
pick-up for that month.**

**Unless an exception is approved by the Headquarters Human Resources
Management Division, failure to pick up a fare subsidy for three
consecutive months will result in termination of eligibility.**

**DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY:**

An employee's participation in this program is subject to approval by
the Chief, Special Programs and Policy Branch, Headquarters Human
Resources Management Division, based on the above criteria.

Original signed by

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Alfred Castillo Date

Director, Headquarters Human

Resources Management Division