The Boise City Council passed a resolution Tuesday that opens the door for the city to examine details, including potential obstacles, of offering regional transit workers the same medical and dental insurance city employees receive.

Final acceptance of the transit workers in the city pool would come later in the form of a different resolution.

Valley Regional Transit stands to save $53,000 per year on insurance spending by lumping its 19 full-time employees with the city of Boise's pool of 900 employees and 2,500 total beneficiaries, spokesman Mark Carnopis said.

The transit authority operates the ValleyRide public transportation system throughout the Treasure Valley. The agency would spend the money it saves on salary increases suggested by a consultant who last year proposed a new classification and compensation schedule, Carnopis said.

Only 22 of the ValleyRide system's workers are on the Valley Regional Transit payroll. Roughly 100 workers, including bus drivers and dispatchers, are paid through contracts with outside transportation companies.

For Boise, which contributed more than $5.6 million to Valley Regional Transit's 2012 budget, bringing a few more customers to the insurance pool is a "revenue-neutral" move, spokesman Adam Park said.

The chance to help "an important partner" save money is the main reason Boise is considering it, Park said.

Sven Berg: 377-6275