While the COBRA provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 have received almost all of the attention in the benefits world, a goody was buried deep within.

Starting now and continuing through 2010, the transit pass and vanpooling monthly benefit maximum is now equal to the monthly parking limit. Until ARRA, public transit and vanpooling benefits were pegged at no more than $120 per month. With ARRA, from March 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010, the public transit and vanpooling maximum benefit is set at $230 per month, the same as the maximum parking benefit.