T-Pass Benefits Redemption Instructions (~2 min) 🚌 🚇

In this doc, you will find instructions on how to redeem your T-Pass benefits as a graduate worker at MIT; our most recent contract agreement with the Institute provides eligible graduate workers a 70% subsidy, which takes the cost of a monthly T-Pass down to $27 per month from $90 for the subway + local bus (LinkPass) or $16.50 per month from $55 for just the local bus (Local Bus). Please take advantage of this benefit (up to $2898 of yearly benefits), especially if you are commuting to campus regularly! 🙌

See the full details of the T-Pass benefits/conditions here.

Table of Contents

Online Purchase Step By Step Instructions

In-Person Purchase Instructions

T-Pass Subsidy Reimbursements

Online Purchase Step By Step Instructions

1. Eligibility: You are eligible for the T-Pass benefit if you are a graduate worker with an RA, TA, IG, or most fellowships appointment. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please review this table from MIT, and reach out to the Union at contact@mitgsu.org with any questions.

2. Atlas: Log in to Atlas using your MIT Kerberos credentials, and in the search bar at the top, type "T-Pass". Then click the Commuting Benefits link that appears in the search results

3. Time Selection: Select the year range you want to redeem your T-Pass benefits for; in this case you can enroll for either the 2023-2024 academic year (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Summer 2024) or the 2024-2025 academic year (Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Summer 2025). Here you can also take advantage of other commuting benefits, like the Blue Bikes membership ($40 per year), free emergency rides, and Zipcar rentals through MIT. Click Enroll for 2023-2024 or Enroll for 2024-2025 to proceed

4. T-Pass Selection: Choose the type of T-Pass/time period you want to enroll in; the subsidy applies only to the LinkPass and Local Bus options, but you can also buy passes from other zones if you live further away from campus. You can also get either a Semester pass or a Monthly pass; the Semester pass is more cost-effective if you are going to be on campus for the entire semester ($24 per month compared to $27 per month using the Monthly pass option). Make sure to place the order by the 10th of the month preceding the month or semester when the pass would become active! (i.e. sign up by August 10th to get your pass for September/Fall semester)

5. Payment: After selecting your preferred pass/time period, scroll down and confirm your delivery method, click Submit and you should see a screen like this confirming your T-pass enrollment.

6. Pickup: If you selected to pick up the pass in person, you will be able to pick it up as early as the last 3 days of the month prior to the start of the pass period at the Atlas Service Center in E17-106.
7. Enjoy!: You are all set to enjoy your discounted T-Pass benefits! 🚌 🚇

In-Person Purchase Instructions

We encourage workers to purchase T-passes online in advance. There are usually also a limited number of T-passes which can be purchased in-person at the Atlas Service Center desk. Eligible graduate workers can purchase these T-passes with the 70% subsidy as well, but in order to get the full subsidy, you must show proof of eligibility at the Atlas desk.

In order to show proof of eligibility:

Go to the Atlas mobile app.
Go to the “Funding” tab.
Go to “Docs and benefits.”
Under “Benefits,” click on “T-Pass discount.”
This page will serve as proof of your eligibility to the Atlas Service Center desk.

T-Pass Subsidy Reimbursements

If you are a graduate worker who has already purchased a T-Pass at only a 50% subsidy and are looking to get reimbursed for the difference, please follow these instructions.

After a recent grievance settlement with MIT, there is a new process for getting T-pass reimbursements settled, whether it was purchased online or in-person. Grad workers can go to this new form to submit T-pass reimbursement requests to MIT.

This new process has a new timeline; requested reimbursements will be processed at the Add Date for the next semester, which will be the end of the summer. Please fill out this form with the information about your missing 70% subsidy, and send a note with the details in response to this email at grievance@mitgsu.org so that we can help keep track and keep MIT accountable for these reimbursements.