Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 28, 2013

Metro to reduce minimum balance for SmarTrip Auto Reload

Metro is reducing the minimum SmarTrip balance for its popular Auto Reload program, starting Monday.

SmarTrip® Auto Reload is a "set it and forget it" feature that allows a rider to have value automatically added to their card when the balance drops below a minimum threshold. By signing up for SmarTrip® Auto Reload, riders avoid the hassle of stopping at farecard vending machines or going online to add more value.

Starting Monday, the Auto Reload system will add more value to a rider's SmarTrip card when the balance drops below $10. Previously, the additional value was triggered when the balance dropped below $20. Riders can still specify the amount of additional value to be added to the card when the balance drops below $10.

The lower threshold is expected to further increase use of the Auto Reload. Some riders told Metro that they did not want to keep an amount as high as $20 on the card to participate.

More than 22,000 Metro riders have signed up for Auto Reload since the feature was launched last fall.

To use the Auto Reload feature, customers simply login to their account to link their SmarTrip card to a debit or credit card.

News release issued at 11:14 am, June 28, 2013.