FRED Begins Smart Benefits Program

For some FRED bus riders, buying monthly bus passes just got a bit easier. 

In response to broad demand, the FRED bus system has begun to take part in an all-electronic transit benefit program already in use by the federal government and increasingly popular with other employers. Called Smart Benefits, the program allows employers to automatically purchase train, bus and other transit system fares for their employees.

Now, riders of FRED's VRE feeder service will be able to use the program to pay for monthly bus passes. Once allocated, the funds are transferred to a FRED account at Wells Fargo. FRED transit administrators will be able to monitor the account. Once a particular user has transferred money into the account, FRED can then mail out monthly bus passes to its customers. 

The system went online for FRED VRE feeder riders earlier this month.