Resources - FAQs

• It is a benefit program that allows you to pay for any form of public transportation on a pre-tax basis. The same current post-tax expense you are incurring as part of your daily commute to work becomes a pre-tax benefit if you enroll in the program. It’s a great way to put extra money in your pocket each month and make your commute more affordable. You end up paying less in taxes and taking home more of your paycheck.
• You may contribute up to $280 per month on a pre-tax basis to pay for mass transit expenses. You may also contribute up to $280 per month on a pre-tax basis to pay for parking expenses related to your work commute.

• You can enroll or change your coverage amounts on a monthly basis. You can cancel out of the program at any time and still come back in at a future date!
• You must notify your payroll department and they in turn must notify VantagePoint so we can update your debit card
• Please click here to update your information or make an adjustment to your current contribution(s).

• Any form of mass transit, including train, subway, light rail, bus, and ferry
• Commuter Vanpool, including UberPOOL
• Parking expenses as part of your daily commute to work, including parking at or near your place of work or at a location near where you take public transportation to get to work
• You may contribute to your account up to an additional $270 per month on a pre-tax basis to pay for parking expenses.

• The pre-tax contribution limit is $280 per month for mass transit; a separate $280 bucket of money is available for parking expenses
• Please keep in mind that this limit is set by the IRS and can change each year.

• You will use the VantagePoint debit card to make all your purchase. This includes parking garages, mail and ride programs and vending machine purchases

• Depending on the type of plan your employer has set up with VantagePoint Benefit Administrators, you may be able to make additional post-tax deductions to match your actual monthly commuting expense. Log into your VantagePoint account or contact your employer to verify if your plan offers this enhanced benefit
• You will use your VantagePoint Debit card to purchase your mass transit passes.

Your VantagePoint Card will work at transit provider vending machines and ticket windows throughout the New York metropolitan area including NYCT MetroCard Vending machines, Metro-North Railroad, Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit, PATH and many other providers. Your VantagePoint Card can only be used at transit provider vending machines, ticket window and transit provider online stores. Your Card cannot be used to purchase tickets at other merchants (for example, a grocery store, drug store or newsstand).

The VantagePoint Card may be the best option for you if:

• You want to save up to 40% from your monthly transit expenses*.
• You use Long Island Railroad, Metro-North Railroad, PATH or New Jersey Transit or other transit providers that accept credit cards to purchase fares.
• You use online/ web options such as the MTA’s Mail&Ride program or WebTicket program or New Jersey Transit’s Quik-Tik program.
• You use the MTA EasyPayXpress program.
• You use the MTA Reduced-Fare MetroCard.
• You ride on MTA express buses.
• You change transit providers from month to month or week to week.
• You want to buy daily or weekly tickets some times.
• You prefer Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards.

* Up to 40% is illustrative of typical savings. Your actual savings depend on the cost of your transit options, your particular tax situation and the monthly IRS limits.

Your taxable wages in Box 1, Social Security and Medicare wages in Boxes 3 and 5, and state and local wages in Boxes 16 and 18 will be reduced by the value of the pre-tax Transportation Deductions from your pay.

You use your VantagePoint Card at a transit provider vending machine in the same manner as you would use a personal credit or debit card. One key thing to remember is to select “Credit” rather than “Debit/ATM” for the type of card. Although the VantagePoint Card is not a credit card, this is the appropriate option to choose since this card does not require a Personal Indentification Number or PIN. The amount of your purchase at the machine is deducted from your card balance.

The VantagePoint Card is a MasterCard stored value card which works just like a credit card at transit locations. There is no line of credit available and your personal credit is not affected bi the use of the card – only the funds you elect to put on the card are available for use.

Any unused balance will remain on your card for future use.

You can use the VantagePoint card to purchase fare transit for buses, subways, trains and ferries.

Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to gas, tolls and parking.

Your card transaction could be rejected for several reasons:

• 1. You are attempting to make a transaction before your payroll deductions have been loaded on your card.
• 2. You do not have enough funds in your account to pay for the transaction.
• 3. You are trying to purchase from an ineligible merchant.
• 4. If you were prompted for a “billing zip code” and you did not enter the zip code filled with VantagePoint.
• 5. You selected “Debit” instead of “Credit”.
• 6. There is a temporary network problem that is preventing your card from working. You may want to try another machine or try again later in the day.

No, you may not use your VantagePoint card as an ATM or Check Casher to purchase your pass. Your card can only be used at transit provider vending machines and online.

As soon as you realize that your Vantage Point Card has not been received or is damaged, lost, or stolen, contact the VantagePoint Customer Service at 55-583-8500. Your old card will be deactivated within 24 hours after you have spoken with a VantagePoint Customer Service associate. A new card will be mailed to you at the address on file.

• City employees: use NYCAPS Employee Self Service or contact your agency’s TransiBenefit Coordinator.
• Department of Education (DoE) employees: use DoE payroll or obtain an enrollment from the DoE website. DoE forms are mailed to the Department of Education, 65 Court Street, Room 1003, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
• City University of New York (CUNY) Community College employees: download an enrollment form from the CUNY website or contact TransiBenefit Coordinator.

If you leave, you have until the last day of the month after your separation date to spend the remaining funds in your card.

There are several options to access your card balance with VantagePoint:

• Logging on to your VantagePoint account at https://vantagepointbenefit.com/
• Call Customer Service at 516-599-2120, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
• Via the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system by dialing 888 523 – 4308
• You can also check your card balance via the VantagePoint mobile app.