Give Public Transport a Go This October: A Tax-Free Employee Benefit Worth Trying

What if one small change could make a real difference to your employees?

Quick answer: This October, Waikato employers and employees can join the Wednesday Challenge's Ride to Win campaign, leaving the car at home and instead catching the bus or Te Huia train, while also unlocking a year-round benefit: through Extraordinary, employees can pay for public transport with pre-tax income and save 30%+ on their commuting costs.

Key facts at a glance

• Ride to Win runs 1–31 October 2026 across the Waikato region, thanks to Waikato Regional Council.
• By registering on the Ride to Win website and then logging your bus or Te Huia train journeys, you’re in to win over $6,000 in prizes for individuals and workplace teams.
• Employees using Extraordinary's tax-free public transport benefit can save 30%+ on commuting costs. For someone spending $50/week, that's over $900 back a year (individual results vary).
• The winning workplace team receives three months of free Extraordinary membership plus $1,000 of free public transport.

How does a tax-free public transport benefit work?

Getting to work is an unavoidable cost for most employees. Petrol, parking, and fares all add up over a year. A tax-free public transport benefit lets employees pay for that same commute using pre-tax income instead of post-tax income, which is what creates the saving.

Through Extraordinary, employees opt in, and the platform manages funding and reporting on the employer's side, so it's the same commute employees are already paying for, just a smarter way to pay for it.

How much can employees save on commuting costs?

For an employee spending $50 a week on public transport, paying with pre-tax income through Extraordinary can mean more than $900 back in their pocket over a year, depending on individual circumstances. It's a benefit employers can offer without simply adding another cost to salaries, since Extraordinary handles opt-in, funding, and reporting.

How can employers get involved in Ride to Win?

1. Register first on www.ridetowin.co.nz, then set up a workplace team, as part of your registration, on the Weekday Challenge web app.
2. Encourage employees to catch the bus or Te Huia train during October and to log their journeys on the Weekday Challenge web app.
3. Go in the draw for bonus workplace prizes. The winning workplace team receives three months of free Extraordinary membership and $1,000 of free public transport.

Maybe employees have thought about catching the bus or train but never got around to it, or there's a route they've always meant to try. October is a low-pressure excuse to start: less spent on petrol and parking, no stress of traffic, and time back to catch up on emails, listen to a podcast, or just sit back.

Why offer public transport as an employee benefit beyond October?

Ride to Win is a one-month campaign, but the underlying benefit doesn't have to be. Employers that get involved in October can use it to introduce a commuting benefit that keeps delivering all year: a practical, low-cost way to support employees' take-home pay without changing salaries.

How much could your employees save?

Run the calculator for your exact numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can I save by paying for public transport pre-tax?
Employees using Extraordinary's tax-free public transport benefit can save 30%+ on commuting costs. For someone spending $50 a week, that can mean over $900 back a year, depending on individual circumstances.

How do employers register a workplace team for Ride to Win?
Employers can register first at www.ridetowin.co.nz, then set up a workplace team as part of their registration on the Weekday Challenge web app. Employees can then ride and log their journeys during October.

Is the tax-free public transport benefit only available during Ride to Win?
No. Ride to Win runs for October only, but Extraordinary's pre-tax public transport benefit is available year-round for employers that want to keep offering it.

What can a workplace win through Ride to Win?
The winning workplace team receives three months of free Extraordinary membership and $1,000 of free public transport. There are additional prizes as part of the campaign, with full details available on the Ride to Win website, along with the campaign's terms and conditions.

Register. Ride. Log. Win.

If you're an employer looking to help your people save 30%+ on public transport all year round, find out how Extraordinary can help.

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