Metro News Release

For immediate release: August 2, 2007

Metro to offer SmartBenefits® information seminars for area employers

Metro is offering a free information seminar for area federal and private employers to learn about the SmartBenefits® transit incentive program on Tuesday, August 7.

The SmartBenefits® seminar will take place from 8:45 a.m. to noon at Metro headquarters, 600 Fifth Street, NW, in the meeting room adjacent to the lobby. Employers wishing to participate in the seminars can register by clicking on SmartBenefits® on MetroOpensDoors.com or by calling (202) 962-1326 and selecting option 1.

During the seminar, Metro will remind businesses that are already enrolled in the Metrochek transit benefit program, that 60 percent of the transit benefits purchased by the employer must be the electronically-administered SmartBenefits® rather than paper Metrocheks by the end of the year. The conversion to SmartBenefits® coincides with the regional acceptance of SmarTrip® cards on bus systems in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia including Ride On, DASH, CUE, Loudoun County Transit, Fairfax Connector and the DC Circulator.

SmartBenefits®, a web-based program, lets employers electronically load the dollar value of the Metrochek transit, vanpool and parking benefit directly onto an employee’s SmarTrip® card. The program saves time for the both the employee and the employer, and cuts administrative costs for the employer.

To date, more than 195 federal agencies and 2,300 private employers participate in the SmartBenefits® program. Their participation provides valuable transit benefits to more than 86,000 employees in the region.

For more information about Metro and the SmartBenefits® program, visit www.MetroOpensDoors.com.

News release issued at 12:00 am, August 2, 2007.