Richmond, CA commuter benefits ordinance guide

Richmond Municipal Code Chapter 9.62 applies to every registered Richmond business with 10 or more employees who average at least 10 hours a week. Those employers must offer one of four commuter benefit options. The ordinance closely tracks the federal commuter benefit rule (§132(f)) and the Bay Area regional program.

The four options

1. A pretax payroll election for transit passes, vanpool, or bicycle commuting costs, up to the federal cap ($340/month for transit and $340/month for parking in 2026).
2. An employer-paid transit pass or vanpool reimbursement at least equal to the local adult monthly transit pass.
3. Employer-provided transportation in a vanpool, bus, or similar multi-passenger vehicle.
4. A pre-approved alternative benefit signed off by the City of Richmond.

Bay Area regional registration

Businesses with 50 or more employees in Richmond or across the Bay Area have a second step. They must also register with the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program run by BAAQMD and MTC. The federal pretax option (option 1) is the most common and is what Alice administers.

How Alice satisfies option 1

Alice handles the §132(f) election with payroll-deducted contributions and Alice Card spending at eligible transit and parking merchants. Alice has no up-front employer cost and no open enrollment to manage. Employees don't pre-fund. The employer keeps a reserve amount in its Alice plan account; it belongs to the employer and is not a fee.

Setup starts with one call. Alice connects to 30+ payroll providers, including connections to ADP, UKG, Paylocity, Paycom, Paychex, Toast, and others.

Who's affected in Richmond

Richmond's covered employers include the refinery, port, healthcare, and warehouse and logistics operators who employ shift and hourly workers. Many of these workers commute by AC Transit, BART (Richmond station), Capitol Corridor, or carpool and vanpool. Alice covers the transit side and qualified parking near worksites.

Need help?

Talk to sales: sales@thisisalice.com or (929) 552-4625.

For the full list of eligible commuter expenses, see What parking and transit expenses are eligible? Eligibility is set by IRC §132(f).

Figures shown are for the 2026 plan year and are set by the IRS. Limits are indexed annually by the IRS.

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Alice does not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult your own tax preparer, lawyer, or financial advisor for guidance specific to your situation.

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