J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2013: For Preparing Your 2012 Tax Return

3.8 Company Cars, Parking, and Transit Passes

The costs of commuting to a regular job site are not deductible (20.2), but employees who receive transit passes or travel to work on an employer-financed van get a tax break by not having to pay tax on some or all of such benefits. Where a company car is provided, the value of personal use is generally taxable, as discussed below.

Company cars.

The use of a company car is tax free under the working condition fringe benefit rule (3.9) to the extent you use the car for business. If you use the car for personal driving, your company has the responsibility of calculating taxable income, which generally is based on IRS tables that specify the annual lease value of various priced cars. You are also required to keep for your employer a mileage log or similar record to substantiate your business use. Your employer should tell you what type of records are required.

Regardless of personal use, you are not subject to tax for a company vehicle that the IRS considers to be of limited personal value. These are ambulances or hearses; flatbed trucks; dump, garbage, or refrigerated trucks; one-passenger delivery trucks (including trucks with folding jump seats); tractors, combines, and other farm equipment; or forklifts. Also not taxable is personal use of school buses, passenger buses (seating at least 20), and moving vans where such personal use is restricted. Exclusions are also allowed for commuting use of a clearly marked police, fire, or public ...