Metro News Release
For immediate release: October 21, 2008
Metro to eliminate paper transfers in January
Free bus-to-bus rides and rail-to-bus discounts will continue for SmarTrip users
Metro plans to eliminate paper transfers in January in a move designed to save the agency money and encourage riders to use SmarTrip.
Currently, bus riders can request a bus operator hand them a transfer slip that allows them to transfer to another Metrobus for free, but come January, that will no longer be the case. Instead, only bus riders using SmarTrip® cards will be able to make that free bus-to-bus transfer and discounted rail-to-bus transfers.
To alert riders about the change, Metro will launch an aggressive informational campaign this month and continue it through January. In addition, Metro has met with regional stakeholders and continues to reach out to area social service agencies to discuss the impending elimination of paper transfers. Metro has already issued 50,000 free SmarTrip® cards to the region’s social service agencies.
Beginning Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009, paper transfers from bus operators and from the transfer machines in Metrorail stations will no longer be available. Only passengers who pay with SmarTrip® will continue to be able to transfer from one bus to another for free. In addition, the bus-to-bus transfer would be extended by one hour. The transfer benefit with SmarTrip® will enable customers to board other Metrobuses for free within a three hour time period, instead of just two hours.
On Jan. 4, Metro also will introduce two-way transfers for SmarTrip® card users. With the balanced discounts, rail riders transferring to bus will get 50¢ off of their bus fares and bus riders transferring to rail will get 50¢ off of their rail fares.
Metro’s Board of Directors approved the elimination of paper transfers as part of the fiscal year 2009 budget.
Eliminating paper transfers will save Metro about $350,000 a year for the cost of paper and printing, plus expenses associated with the repair and maintenance of the old transfer machines in stations. It also is expected to minimize fraud and abuse of paper transfers by individuals who sell or give away their transfers to other riders, and reduce assaults on bus operators by riders who have disputes with operators about transfers.
Riders using SmarTrip® instead of cash will continue to be able to save 10¢ on each ride and be able to transfer free from bus to bus and transfer at a discount from rail to bus. A SmarTrip® card will pay for itself in 50 trips with the 10¢ per trip savings. Using SmarTrip® for payment also will speed up boarding times and help keep buses on schedule.
Starting this month, ads in Spanish and English will be placed inside every Metrobus. Exterior ads will go on 10 percent of the bus fleet. The ads state that paper transfers will no longer be issued or accepted and they tout the benefits of SmarTrip®.
Additional efforts to inform passengers about the change include placing free, bilingual brochures in all buses and rail stations, having videos in both English and Spanish that demonstrates how to use the bus fareboxes, setting up a special Web page with frequently asked questions, and releasing audiocast recordings in seven languages.
Metro will continue to sell the weekly bus pass, 7-day short-trip pass and weekly rail pass.
SmarTrip® cards can be purchased on Metro’s Web site by mail, and at 85 Metro sales offices at Metro Center, the Pentagon, Anacostia and Metro headquarters, at the Northern, Western, Landover, Royal Street and Four Mile Run Metrobus divisions, vending machines at Metrorail stations that have parking facilities, regional transit stores and select Giant stores. Customers are able to add value onto their SmarTrip® cards on all Metrobuses and the fleets of most other bus systems in the region.
News release issued at 10:48 am, October 21, 2008.