Photo by Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie.

Nearly one month after it was announced that maximum allocations for pre-tax SmartBenefits maximums were going to be cut nearly in half, commuters will be pleased to learn that the new tax bill approved by Congress has restored the $230 benefit limit — though only for one year. The maximum contribution amount was scheduled to decrease to $120 per month when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expired on January 1.

As Kytja Weir reports in the Examiner, the benefit was saved from the slash after several transit advocacy groups rallied to get the support of thousands of commuters who were frustrated that they’d suddenly need to start paying taxes on a large portion of their transit cost. Metro was also thrilled — the transit agency had been pushing for people to contact their representatives and encourage them to retain the $230 cap.

“We are extremely grateful to the members of this region’s Congressional delegation and other leaders in Congress for taking action to allow SmartBenefits® users to continue to receive the same transit benefits,” said Metro Interim General Manager Richard Sarles in a statement. “This move benefits transit riders directly and ultimately reduces traffic congestion, as people are incentivized to use public transportation.”

According to Metro, 285,000 regional employees currently receive transit benefits and could have been affected by the cut.