ORCA FOR BUSINESS PROGRAMS

What is ORCA?

ORCA, One Regional Card for All, is a transit pass program that uses smart card technology. ORCA is accepted for travel on Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit, Kitsap Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, and Washington State Ferries. ORCA gives your business a convenient way to provide bus, train, ferry, and vanpool benefits to your employees.

Learn more about your options below and see how ORCA for Business can work for your company by contacting us at CommuteSolutions@PierceTransit.org or 253.983.3792.

CHOICE

Business Choice allows employers to load a specific dollar amount or a variety of local or regional pass options onto their employees’ ORCA cards at retail pricing on a monthly basis. This option allows the employer the flexibility to subsidize as much or as little of their employee’s transportation costs, for as few or as many of their employees as they want.

At a glance:

Purchase passes for as many staff as needed
Load value on cards via online portal
Adjust card values month to month as needed
Employees can supplement value to meet their individual travel needs

PASSPORT

Business Passport is an easy-to-manage annual program only available through employers. It provides an unlimited-trip ORCA pass to all benefits-eligible employees, including vanpool and vanshare options as well as Pierce Transit’s Emergency Ride Home program.

At a glance:

Provide all benefits-eligible employees with an unlimited-use ORCA card
Annual program with no monthly program administration required
Reassign cards to new employees as staffing changes
Option for employee cost-sharing up to 50% of unlimited pass
Cost based on company’s location
Custom accounts available for employers with greater than 500 employees.

Hear from current Passport customer, Pierce Conservation District, on how the Business ORCA program benefits their employees:

Hear from some more of our customers below:

Tacoma Trophy

Sound Credit Union

MultiCare

Benefits

Easy to use

ORCA business accounts are easy to administer; you can load products, order new cards, and block lost or stolen cards all online.

Save on taxes

Allot a set amount per month for each employee, as an employer-paid benefit or allow employees to elect a pre-tax deduction of up to $255 per month, resulting in lower taxes all around.

Free up parking

Providing easy access to transit supports sustainability goals and helps free up valuable parking for employees, customers and clients.

Benefits employees

Taking transit reduces employees' stress and allows them to utilize their commute time more efficiently by reading, checking email or just relaxing.

Works on regional partner transit systems

With ORCA for Business your employees can commute their way using:

Pierce Transit
Sound Transit
King County Metro Transit
Kitsap Transit
Community Transit
Everett Transit

Vanpool/Vanshare: Diversify your employees’ commute options with our 100% subsidized and insured Vanpool and Vanshare programs. Vanpool/Vanshare priced separately for custom accounts.

Competitive employee benefit adds an increasingly popular workplace benefit that attracts and retain top talent.

Trip Planner Help

Trip Planner Tips - Entering Locations

To create a trip plan you need to enter both a starting location (origin) and an ending location (destination). For information about stops, schedules, or service at a specific location, you only need to enter one location.

The Trip Planner recognizes most street intersections and addresses as well as many landmarks in Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties. If what you entered is not immediately recognized, the Trip Planner will offer you a list of options. You can choose one of the options, but if your intended location is not there, select the "Revise Original Entries" link to return to the entry page and change the entries you have already made.

Addresses

You don't need to type in the city along with the address. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type 110 Jones instead of 110 Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 1000 Main instead of 1000 S Main. But type 1000 West Viewmont for 1000 West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets and addresses are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby location, such as an intersection or a landmark.
You should not enter the suite number or apartment number. Just the house number and street name (Example: type in 401 Broadway instead of 401 Broadway Avenue Suite 800).

Intersections

The "&" symbol is the only character used between two street names to show an intersection. (Examples: 1st & B, James & Madison)
You don't need to type in the city. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type Conifer & Jones instead of Conifer Circle & Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 3rd & Main instead of 3rd S & S Main. But type 34th & West Viewmont for 34th W & West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby intersection or a landmark.

Landmarks

Government Sites: Pierce County Health Dept, Pierce Co Sheriffs Office, Tacoma City Hall

Major Commercial Sites: Tacoma Mall, Sheraton Hotel

Transportation Facilities: Sea-Tac Airport, Greyhound Bus Depot

Schools & Colleges: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma Community College

Sports & Leisure: Cheney Stadium, Pt Defiance Zoo

Medical Facilities: Group Health, Tacoma General Hospital