Southeast metro businesses and governments are subsidizing the cost of monthly RTD transit passes so that workers in the corridor straddling Interstate 25 can cut their commuting costs.

Operated by the South I-25 Urban Corridor Transportation Management Association, the program will pay half the cost of monthly RTD passes for employees of companies within the boundaries of the Southeast Public Improvement Metropolitan District.

The district extends for varying distances east and west of I-25 from Belleview Avenue to a mile south of Lincoln Avenue.

The program is called TRIP - Transit Rider Incentive Program.

Funding comes from Arapahoe and Douglas counties, Greenwood Village, Centennial and Lone Tree, the Southeast Business Partnership and the metro district.

The sign-up for the program is at triptowork.com.

Commuters can live anywhere but to qualify, they must work for a business within the southeast district.

Online instructions will help determine that eligibility. Lauren Hayutin, transportation manager for the association, said some of the current pass holders live in Loveland, Colorado Springs and Boulder.

Participants pay half price - $30 for local, $54 for express and $72 for regional.

Passes are sold online on a first-come, first-served basis, and are delivered to the commuter through their place of employment.