Bicycle Benefits at MIT
Spotlight |
|
New benefit: On-demand bike repair through NEMO! |
MIT encourages bicycling as a sustainable, low-carbon commuting option that eases parking demand on campus and has a positive impact on our community and environment. The Institute offers a variety of benefits and services to support its cyclists.
Bluebikes membership at a discount
Current on-campus MIT employees and students can buy subsidized annual Bluebikes memberships. Follow these instructions to sign up or renew as a member of the MIT group and receive the group discount. Learn more about Bluebikes.
MIT Bicycle Commuter Email List
Members of MIT’s cycling community interested in receiving and/or sharing news or tips related to bicycle commuting can join the MIT Bicycle Commuter Email List.
- Sign up by emailing the Parking & Transportation Office and requesting to join the MIT bike email list.
- To unsubscribe from the MIT bike email list, go to your Moira subscription list and click "Remove Me."
MIT Bicycle Commuter Reimbursement Program
Any full-time benefits-eligible MIT employee who commutes to work by bicycle is eligible to apply for reimbursement of expenses under the MIT Bicycle Commuter Reimbursement Program. This benefit is based on verified expenses, up to a maximum of $300 per calendar year.
To increase flexibility for MIT commuters, the revised bike benefit allows cyclists to claim a partial subsidy even if they participate in other MIT-subsidized parking or transit programs.
A bike reimbursement program applicant must meet these requirements:
- Is a full-time benefits-eligible employee at MIT (students and affiliates are not eligible)
- Has registered a bike at MIT (or was issued a BEN-number in lieu of a registration number)
- Does not have an MIT off-campus or resident parking account
How to Participate in the Program
1. Submit a registration form for your bicycle with the MIT Parking and Transportation Office.
- Applicants must apply for an MIT bike registration and receive either a bike registration sticker or a BEN-number before submitting expenses. Please note: The calendar-year annual reimbursement benefit is reduced by $25/month for each month that year when the bike had no registration or BEN-number. See details below.
2. If you incur eligible bike expenses throughout the calendar year, keep receipts.
- No eligible expense will be considered for reimbursement without a valid receipt from the reimbursement calendar year. (See below for a list of eligible expenses.)
- Receipts must include: name of service provider; service performed or supplies purchased; dollar amount; and date of service.
- Participant must be a full-time benefits-eligible MIT employee at the time the eligible expenses are incurred.
3. Upload receipts using the Bicycle Reimbursement form in Atlas (About Me > Commuting Benefits).
- Scan, photograph, or screenshot your receipts and upload them to include with the online form.
- You may visit the form multiple times during the reimbursement calendar year to upload receipts and/or in January and early February of the following year.
- Do not submit your reimbursement form until you have uploaded all of your receipts for the reimbursement calendar year. Only one reimbursement request per calendar year (per person) will be processed.
4. When you have uploaded all your receipts for the reimbursement calendar year, submit the Bicycle Reimbursement form in Atlas (About Me > Commuting Benefits).
- The finalized online form with uploaded receipts can be submitted at any time during the reimbursement calendar year and must be submitted by February 15 of the following year.
- Note that only one reimbursement request per calendar year (per person) will be processed, and subsequent requests will be rejected. Make sure you have completed the form and uploaded all receipts before you submit your request.
- Note also that if you are ending your tenure as a benefits-eligible MIT employee for any reason before the end of the reimbursement calendar year, please contact the Parking & Transportation Office regarding delivery of your reimbursement.
How Your Reimbursement is Calculated
Your final reimbursement is either the total of your submitted receipts (up to $300) or your adjusted reimbursement cap, whichever is lower.
- Receipts are reviewed and verified by the Parking & Transportation Office’s Commuting Specialist.
- The bicycle benefits maximum annual cap of $300 is universal and applies to all participants.
- Your adjusted reimbursement cap is the universal cap ($300) reduced by deductions that may arise from your use of any MIT-subsidized parking or transit program(s) as explained below.
For example, your eligible bike expenses for 2020 are $250 in total, and you have $100 of reimbursement cap deductions based on your use of MIT-subsidized parking and/or transit programs throughout the year. Your adjusted reimbursement cap for 2020 is $200 (the universal cap of $300 less your MIT commuter program deductions of $100). Your final bicycle reimbursement for 2020 is $200 (your adjusted reimbursement cap, because it is lower than your total eligible bike expenses).
How Your Adjusted Reimbursement Cap is Calculated
The initial maximum reimbursement amount is capped at $300 per calendar year. However, your specific reimbursement cap will be adjusted (based in part on your participation in other commuter subsidy programs) as follows:
- For each month of the calendar year when you have no registration or BEN-number, the initial maximum reimbursement amount of $300/year is reduced by $25/month. For example, if you register your bike in March, your maximum reimbursement is capped at $250 ($300 minus $25 each for January and February).
- In addition, once you have a registration or BEN-number for your bike, your maximum bike reimbursement will be reduced by $25/month for any month when:
- You participate in MIT-subsidized daily parking and incur daily parking expenses of $25 or more (daily parking expenses of less than $25/month will not affect the reimbursement cap); or
- You participate in the Access MIT program (subway and/or local bus) and incur subsidized Access MIT pass expenses of $25 or more (Access MIT pass expenses that are less than $25/month will not affect the bike reimbursement cap); or
- You participate in a payroll-deducted transit program at MIT and have an MIT-subsidized MBTA monthly pass (for bus, subway, commuter rail and/or commuter boat) that is active that month.
- Monthly reductions will not exceed $25/month
Issuing Reimbursements
The Parking & Transportation Office will issue calendar-year Bicycle Reimbursements to program participants by March 31 of the following year. Reimbursements will be deposited electronically into your bank account.
Eligible expenses
Eligible expenses include: purchase of a new or used bike to be used in your MIT commute; bike improvements and repair, including labor costs for repair or installation of parts; NEMO membership; bike maintenance parts such as tires and tubes; bike locks and other bike-mounted accessories, including child seats, panniers, and other storage solutions mounted on the bike; professional tune-ups; bike cleats; cycling-specific clothing; safety gear, including lights, helmets, and reflective items attached to the bike; and bike storage fees (paid to a bike parking facility including a bike cage or other storage facility).
Non-eligible expenses include non-cycling-specific clothing; athletic shoes that are not bike cleats; bike-share memberships (Bluebikes, for example); gym memberships or fees; bike rentals; car-mounted bike racks or personal bike storage racks or units; any purchase (including otherwise eligible ones) for which you have no receipt; and any purchase (including otherwise eligible ones) that you make for another person. Final determination of expense eligibility will be made by the Parking & Transportation Office.
