Metro riders using SmarTrip cards will no longer be able to exit the Metrorail system with a negative balance on their cards, starting about a month from now, according to a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority spokesperson.
SmarTrip riders must have sufficient fare on their cards before they exit the Metro, which paper farecard users must already do, spokeswoman Angela Gates said.
Currently, riders can only add to their SmarTrip cards before entering the gates, which is why riders were able to have negative balances, Gates said.
Exitfare machines are being upgraded to have SmarTrip capabilities so riders can add money to their cards, but Gates said riders should try to have enough fare when they enter the system. The existing Exitfare machines are only for the paper cards and only accept cash.
Once the machines are upgraded, the price of a SmarTrip card will decrease from $5 to $2.50 to encourage riders to use SmarTrip cards rather than paper cards. Gates said SmarTrip cards speed up the process of entering and exiting the gates.
About 85 percent of Metrorail riders and 68 percent of Metrobus riders use SmarTrip cards, according to a Metro statement.
Metrorail riders who use SmarTrip cards rather than paper cards save 25 cents per trip, and Metrobus riders save 20 cents, Gates said.
sdazio@theeagleonline.com
