Commuter Gains Ease employees' transportation troubles with commuter benefits.

Bob Begle opened his business in downtown Atlanta becausethat's where his customers were. But the employees needed tostaff the 37-year-old entrepreneur's company mostly lived inthe suburbs. "Nobody lives in the downtown area because of thecost of housing," explains Begle, co-founder of design firmUrban CollageInc., which has $1.6 million in projected 2005 sales.

To make it easier to attract and retain employees, Begle offersa free monthly transit pass to workers. The company picks up the$52 monthly cost of each pass, which employees can also use onweekends and after hours on both buses and trains. Six of thecompany's 13 workers take advantage of the transit passes, andBegle reports that the benefit is highly valued by those whodo.

"The last two people we've hired indicated it was asignificant factor in their decision [to take the job]," Beglesays.