Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 10, 2006

Metro Unveils New Rail Fare Signs On Its Farecard Machines

Looking to make it easier for riders to know how much their fare is before entering the Metrorail system, Metro will install new rail fare signs directly on the fare vending machines at 24 Metrorail stations.

By the end of this month, the new rail fare signs will be on farecard machines at the following Metrorail stations: Metro Center, Dupont Circle, Shady Grove, Gallery Place-Chinatown, Union Station, Glenmont, McPherson Square, Foggy Bottom, Arlington Cemetery, Pentagon City, Crystal City, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, King Street, Huntington, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, L’Enfant Plaza, New Carrollton, Greenbelt, Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter, Branch Avenue, Franconia-Springfield, Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and Largo Town Center.

Metro selected these stations based on ridership and usage by tourists. Once the Board of Directors approves the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, permanent signs will be installed on the vending machines systemwide.

Last fall, Metro introduced rail fare signs at four stations as part of a pilot program at Union Station, Shady Grove, Greenbelt, and Franconia-Springfield. While at those locations, Metro personnel spoke to riders to gain feedback on the signs.

"Our customers asked us to make fare information available where they need it the most - at the fare machines," said Charles Deegan, First Vice Chairperson of Metro’s Board of Directors. "We listened to our customers, and we think they will like the new signs."

Those suggestions and changes were incorporated before expanding the project from a pilot program to eventual full implementation at all 86 Metrorail stations.

The implementation of the new rail fare signs is part of Metro’s enhanced safety and customer service reliability initiatives for fiscal year 2006.

News release issued on March 10, 2006.