Under the pilot program, eligible university employees living and working on O'ahu will be given the option to purchase monthly bus passes through payroll deduction on a pre-tax basis. A single monthly payroll deduction will be made before federal, state and FICA taxes are withheld, saving employees money on their taxes.

To participate in the program, employees must meet the following criteria: be eligible to participate in the state of Hawai'i Employees' Retirement System, live and work on O'ahu and not have a payroll deduction for parking in a university-controlled lot.

"We're very pleased to implement this pilot program and offer it to our UH faculty and staff," said Sam Callejo, UH vice president for administration. "With many direct bus routes passing through the UH campuses, this new option is a win-win situation all around, especially in helping to lessen the traffic issue on O'ahu."

In addition to this new program, the university also participates in the U-Pass program sponsored by TheBus and the City & County of Honolulu, which offers a reduced rate bus pass for O'ahu college students. Under the plan, UH students with valid identification cards receive a 50 percent discounted pass good for an entire semester.

At the conclusion of the one-year state pilot program, expansion of the program to the neighbor islands will be determined.

UH employees interested in signing up for the pre-tax bus pass pilot program should submit an enrollment form to their personnel officer by June 15 for an August 2007 bus pass. For more information and to obtain an enrollment form, potential participants should contact their personnel officer or visit the UH Office of Human Resources Web site at www.hawaii.edu/ohr/docs/benefits.htm.