Salary packaging provider RemServ won its own class ruling from the Australian Tax Office earlier this year, which, once given the go-ahead from Translink, will mean employees from the 300 or so organisations signed up to RemServe can salary sacrifice their work bus commute.

But while RemServ won its own class ruling, the government has had one for its own employees for the past six years – with the department still to put it into action, despite its potential to lower public transport for thousands of public servant commuters, as well as increasing patronage.

While the department received its ruling under the Bligh government, Palaszczuk government Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said he was assured the technology to make it a reality was almost ready to be rolled out.

"I'm advised the Department of Transport and Main Roads did receive a ruling in December 2010 and applied from April 1,  2011," he said.

"However, to receive a salary sacrifice benefit on public transport, a technical solution needed to be identified which allowed the provider to transfer pre-tax funds to a card as opposed to an individual.

"Since stepping into this role I've encouraged the department to identify the technological solution and I'm pleased Queensland will be the first state in the country to allow eligible bus commuters in south-east Queensland to salary sacrifice their travel to and from work.

"The new Bus Travel Benefit smartcard, developed by TransLink, is an Australian first and will allow eligible bus commuters to save hundreds of dollars a year based on their annual earnings.

"TransLink has assured me the Bus Travel Benefit will be able to be rolled out in the coming months, which will mean more eligible commuters will save hundreds of dollars a year.

"I'm focused on boosting patronage and I'm sure the Bus Travel Benefit smartcard and our fairer fares package will encourage more commuters to swap the car for the bus."

Both rulings allows eligible bus commuters to use their pre-taxed income on their TransLink smart card.

RemServ has been waiting on Translink to provide the final link to make the scheme a reality – the card that will allow users to take advantage of the ruling.

Mr Hinchliffe said commuters could expect the card to be rolled out soon, but said he was also focused on getting the federal government to extend the ruling beyond buses to all modes of public transport.

"The new Bus Travel Benefit smartcard is currently in pilot testing and undergoing process trials, but it remains on track for a launch to be scheduled later in 2016," he said.

"The Palaszczuk government supports this benefit to encourage more employees to choose public transport, but we're calling on the Australian government to extend tax concessions for all public transport users.

"Salary sacrificing is something thousands of Australians are already benefiting from and I think it's about time the federal government extended this benefit to employees who travel on rail, tram or ferries.

"Federal tax rules allow employees to salary-package a car, and if we're serious about encouraging more people to choose public transport, trains, trams and ferries must be part of the tax ruling.

"That's why I wrote to the Federal Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer on April 21 requesting the Australian government give consideration to broadening the tax ruling to include rail, ferries and trams and other public passenger modes of travel.

"I am awaiting the announcement of the new federal ministry, but I will continue to lobby the Turnbull government to expand the tax ruling and incentivise public transport use."

The Bus Travel Benefit Smartcard will work like a standard Go Card, but the travel funds will come from a commuter's pre-tax income, deposited from a separate account through either the employer or salary packaging provider, for eligible workers.

Don't miss important news stories. Like us on Facebook.