Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 29, 2007

Metro Unveils Credit Card Parking Lot Payment Pilot Program

Paying to park at six Metrorail stations is about to get easier thanks to a pilot program that allows customers to pay with a major credit card beginning Monday, April 2.

The parking facilities at the Anacostia, Franconia-Springfield, Largo Town Center, Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, Shady Grove and New Carrollton Metrorail stations will each have one exit lane that accepts credit card or SmarTrip card payments. Customers will be able to use their Discover, Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Japanese Credit Bank cards at these locations. A credit card reader will be installed next to the existing SmarTrip card target reader on the side of the booth within the appropriate lane.

“Metro has consistently received feedback from riders about the lack of payment alternatives at Metro parking facilities,” said John Catoe, Metro General Manager. “Under this pilot program, customers will now have the option of paying to park at a Metrorail facility with a credit card. We think this will benefit everyone using the Metrorail system, especially occasional users and tourists who don’t already have a SmarTrip card.”

Metro adopted a “cashless” parking program in March 2004, requiring customers to pay parking facility exit fees using a pre-loaded SmarTrip card.

The three-month pilot program costs $700,000. If successful, Metro will seek additional funds to outfit one exit lane at every Metro parking facility.

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News release issued at 12:00 am, March 29, 2007.