Last week marked the second fare hike for Washington’s public transit system this summer. The new regular base fare for Metrorail is $2.15 during rush hour — double what it cost 10 years ago to ride the train. Yet not everyone will feel the pinch in their pocketbooks.

That’s because most federal employees get to ride for free. American taxpayers subsidize their commute with up to $230 per month in benefits. So while other D.C. area commuters shell out more money for Metro, government workers simply draw a larger subsidy.