When I learned that Metro was eliminating paper transfers, I was reminded of the famous line from "Mommie Dearest" where Faye Dunaway portraying Joan Crawford storms into her daughter's room after discovering a dress hanging on a wire hanger and yells "No wire hangers, ever!" Metro isn't being that dramatic, but "No paper transfers, ever!" pretty much sums up Metro eliminating paper transfers starting January 4, 2009. In an effort to save money and eliminate abuse, Metro is ending paper transfers and trying to get everyone to use a SmarTrip card. Arlington Transit (ART) is also eliminating paper transfers in conjunction with Metro's move.
Using a SmarTrip card has its advantages -- no fumbling for change, speedier boarding, automatic fare 
deduction for transfers, a 10-cent discount on regular fares and if you register the card, you can get it replaced with your value on it if you lose it. One disadvantage, however, is that bus only riders have limited options when it comes to adding money to their cards. You can add money at the bus farebox, but that can slow down the boarding process and there is a learning curve to figuring out how it works.
ART will have buses parked at various locations in Arlington on January 5, 6, 7 and 8 to demonstrate how to use the farebox to add value. Riders can also go to any Metrorail station and add value at the vending machines; or in Arlington, riders can buy a SmarTrip card and add value at any Commuter Store. Metro just announced that they are partnering with CVS to sell SmarTrip cards for $10 ($5 for the card preloaded with $5 value). However, you can't add value to a SmarTrip card at CVS.
On January 4, bus riders using a SmarTrip card for a trip with a transfer to a bus will pay $1.25; paying cash will cost $2.70. Bus riders can also use the $11 Weekly Metrobus pass. As part of paper transfers ending, the transfer time period has been extended from 2 hours to 3 hours. There will also be a 50-cent discount on bus to rail transfers and rail to bus transfers using a SmarTrip card.
Change is never easy. Let's hope for everyone's sake that this change goes smoothly and "no paper transfers, ever" will not be a big deal.
Bobbi Greenberg is Marketing Director for Arlington County Commuter Services in Arlington County's Department of Environmental Services
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