Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 33, 2013

SmarTrip is a contact-less stored-value smart card payment system managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Unlike traditional paper farecards or bus passes, SmarTrip is designed to be permanent and reloadable. The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) uses a compatible payment system called CharmCard. A reciprocity agreement between the MTA and WMATA allows either card to be used for travel on any of the participating transit systems in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. WMATA began using SmarTrip for payment on Metrorail in 1999 followed shortly by Metrobus and Metro parking lots. It was later extended to other public transit systems throughout the region. SmarTrip users receive discounts on Metrorail and Metrobus fares. Although WMATA initially drew criticism due to the limited number of SmarTrip sales locations, distribution has expanded to local convenience stores and supermarkets. In October 2010, WMATA announced that it was working on a replacement system because the company that makes SmarTrip cards has since gone out of business. However, the transit agency found an alternate manufacturer to produce additional cards until a new payment system is introduced. In late 2012 all Metrorail stations were equipped with SmartTrip vending machines.