In order to encourage employees to leave your car at home, Jax Corporation wants to issue $100 transit passes every month to all employees agreeing to use the subway to get to work. The passes are valid on the Metro Transit line that operates trains and subways in town. Jax wants to know if the value of the passes will be taxable to their employees. What do you tell Jax?

a. The passes are considered taxable compensation to employees.

b. The passes are considered qualified transportation fringe benefits to employees and, thus, nontaxable.

c. The passes are considered gifts to employees and are subject to both income and gift tax.