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Changes to trains

Author	Message
LKCrouch	Dear sir: The story in the Washington Post this morning said WMATA was looking into reconfiguring the trains to expand their capacity. I, as a city resident, would welcome that. However, as a short female, I have one complaint about the trains that I would hope you would remedy if you do take out seats: the upper gripping rails are too high. I can't even grip them when I tiptie and must rely on the handgrips at the back of the seats. If I get on a crowded train and can't move to the middle and can't reach one of the vertical rails, I have to rely on the mass of the crowd to keep me standing. I would hope that the reconfiguration would include the hand grips prevalent in most commuter rail systems. Thanks!
Richard White	We understand your concern. In the new series 6000 railcars that we have on order, we will have handrails running from the backs of the seats to the railcar ceiling to make it easier for our customers to "hold on" when riding on our trains. We'll be talking more with our customers in the weeks and months ahead as we continue to make improvements to make our customers' riding experiences as pleasant and comfortable as possible, while also accommodating as many passengers in our railcars as possible, regardless of their height.

Welcome

Author

Message

Richard White

Good afternoon everyone and happy new year!

I’m sure many of you saw news accounts last night and this morning about the discussion our Board members had yesterday about alternative seating arrangements in our rail cars. Our Board is considering a variety of alternative concepts for seating as we look to strike a good balance between improving the number of passengers we can carry on a railcar, improving the flow of passengers into and out of the railcars, and ensuring that our customers can travel in comfort. The Board is aware that some customers travel short distances and others long distances, and striking that balance between comfort and capacity is a challenge. I want to assure you that we are committed to getting customer input into the process. While that process has not yet been decided, you can at least have a look at what is being considered by clicking on the item that is posted on our home page. Plus, you can let us know which design you like the most by taking the online poll. It’s at http://www.wmata.com/survey/railcar/railcar_survey.cfm. Let's hear from you!

I want to be sure to let you know that the 55th Presidential Inauguration is coming up on Thursday, January 20. We’re working closely with the Secret Service and at this point we know that the Smithsonian and the Archives-Navy Memorial stations will be closed for the majority of Inauguration day for security reasons. Please check our website closer to that day for bus route detours and any other possible station closings that the Secret Service may require. The good news is that we plan to be open until 3 a.m. on Thursday night.

Now, let’s get to your questions!

Holiday Schedule Change Debacle...

Author	Message
W McGee	Metro, you messed up with the holiday schedule change announcements... When you announced changes for Bus service in December you printed on your website and on brochures that buses would run on a Saturday schedule for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and Day. However, on December 22, on the website this changed to Christmas Day buses running on a Sunday schedule. Of course, still on the website was the brochure stating buses would run on a Saturday schedule on Christmas Day. This fueled massive confusion about just what schedule buses would run on not only for Christmas but for New Year's as well. We could not be sure what schedule buses would run on New Years' Day/ The big mistake you made was not unambiguously posting on the website that the December bus schedule changes brochure was wrong, wrong and wrong. Extra fliers placed in stations on buses correcting this information for people who noticed the announcement on the fliers would have helped as well.
Richard White	Hello W. McGee. On Wednesday, December 22, and Thursday, December 23, Metro issued news releases announcing Metrorail and Metrobus service plans for the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holiday. This information was posted on the Metro Web site. If the information was not provided in a timely manner, or if the information was confusing, we would like to apologize. We would also like to remind our customers that the 2005 holiday schedules for the year are posted on the Web at: http://www.wmata.com/riding/holiday_schedule.cfm

Updated signs

Author	Message
massysett	When will Metro update the signs on pylons in the stations to reflect the openings of the three new stations and the new names for two other stations?
Richard White	Hello massyset. Right now, we are developing a plan to update station signage throughout the system, particularly on the station platform pylons. (Check out the upgraded signage at Gallery Place.) This will require the fabrication and installation of new signage at most stations. It will take some time since funding has not been identified for this particular project. Please know that we are aware of this issue and we are working on a plan to get the station names posted on the pylons.

Metrorail security

Author	Message
Aaron	Mr. White, With events and occurances within the past couple of years, I was wondering what policies and measures that the WMATA has implemented to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Thank you very much for your time, and keep up the great work. - Aaron Draczynski
Richard White	Aaron: Crime in 2004 was down in the Metrorail sytem over reported incidents for 2003. Chief Hanson will be happy to discuss your specific concerns. She can be reached at 202-962-2150 or by chiefofpolice@wmata.com.

Electronic Signs

Author	Message
caligirl	Why doesn't Metro use the electronic signs outside the faregates to share service information, i.e., delays, etc.? One doesn't learn about a delay until after one enters the system and pays his/her fare.
Richard White	Actually, caligirl, we do post information on the electronic signs that are located on the mezzanine levels of our stations, for any delay that is 20 minutes or more. Be sure to regularly check out these signs before you go through the faregates, just in case. And we'll be implementing more customer service and customer communications improvements in the months ahead.

Plans for Metrobus

Author	Message
mclgds	On Wisconsin Avenue, the 30-series buses (30,32,34,35,36) get constantly bunched up. It's not uncommon to see five buses in a row and that is signal that the entire route is off-schedule. We've heard about plans for a K Street busway, but does Metro have plans to address this chronic problem, one that doesn't seem can be fixed? Does the D.C. government have any interest in improving crosstown bus routes on a larger scale besides the bus lanes on K Street? What can Metro do in the short term? Or should we just continue to expect semi-regular bad service on the 30s?
Richard White	The 30 route is our longest line. It goes from Friendship Heights through Georgetown, downtown (Farragut Square) and Southeast so there are lots of opportunities for it to get caught in traffic. Buses get bunched on the 30-series routes due to length of the routes running from far Northwest to far Southeast, heavy traffic that varies day to day and hour to hour, frequent service (every 3-5 minutes during peak periods), and the high volume of passengers carried. For example, if a bus is delayed for whatever reason for only a couple of minutes, it will pick up not only its normal load but also passengers waiting for the next bus, causing it to fall farther behind schedule. The second bus will then pick up fewer riders and will soon catch up to the first bus. Over the length of the route, this situation can multiply to include several buses. We have developed a plan to split these routes into shorter segments to reduce the impacts of bunching. This all hinges on Board review. We are also working with the District Department of Transportation to look at various methods to speed bus travel and improve reliability of service. This could include dedicated bus lanes, traffic signal priority for buses, and limited-stop bus rapid transit service.

Anacostia light rail

Author	Message
BeyondDC	The Anacostia light rail and larger plan to reintroduce streetcars to Washington is a fantastic idea and all involved deserve a big pat on the back for getting it moving so quickly. I have a couple of quick questions regarding branding. 1. Will the Anacostia line and potential future lines be included on the maps in Metro trains? (If not, why not? Boston, Philadelphia and Los Angeles all include light rail on their maps and there’s no better advertisement for the line than nearly 700,000 riders seeing it on their maps every day.) 2. What will the light rail network ultimately be called? I like MetroTram and (to steal from San Francisco) MuniMetro. 3. Has a paint scheme for the trains been settled on yet? I’ve seen some renderings that show the trains painted similarly to a regular MetroBus, which I think would be a mistake (we want these to stand out, right?) BeyondDC.com Tracking urbanism, planning and transportation in the DC area.
Richard White	Hi. The Anacostia Light Rail line will be included on the Metrorail map when service is scheduled to begin in the fall 2006. The actual name of the line and its color scheme has yet to be determined. The DC Department of Transportation, in cooperation with Metro, is constructing and operating this project and they will ultimately decide on the name of the line and its color scheme.

Rail Car Shortage

Author	Message
dpete47	How can you be short on rail cars, if you have 900+ rail cars? Also, the Rohrs are too old and dirty, it's time to retire them. You don't see cars that old on the streets. Do you ever wash the exterior of your rail cars, some are so dirty and in bad need of a washing?
Richard White	Current customer volume on our five rail lines requires that we run 758 railcars during each rush hour during the week (Monday-Friday). The remaining 146 railcars in the fleet are in our shops for necessary maintenance work. We wish we had more railcars now so we could lengthen our trains and give our customers more space. Help is on the way! We have 184 cars on order that will enable to start operating eight-car trains. That's a development we're all looking forward to!

Farecard machines with SmarTrip readers

Author	Message
BeyondDC	Are there plans and if so what is the schedule for increasing the number of farecard machines in stations that can read SmarTrip cards? It’s extremely annoying when 5 people are standing in line to add money to their SmarTrip cards with 6 or 7 regular farecard machines sitting empty right there. BeyondDC.com Tracking urbanism, planning and transportation in the DC area.
Richard White	We have money in the capital budget to put SmarTrip targets in all of the farecard vending machines. This is a long term project, but we've identified the stations that need them the most and are planning to address those stations and those machines first.

Proposal to Remove Seats

Author	Message
move_metro_fwd	The Post reported that the board is considering a proposal to remove seats to increase Metro's capacity. I commute from New Carrollton to Ballston every business day and this would force me to stand about 2 hours every day. Actually it would probably force me onto the roads. Good for the city, bad for the suburbs -- the decision would change Metro's mission and turn it basically into an inner-city carrier, I believe. Can't we move Metro forward and find a way to improve conditions for all and not pursue fixes that may open doors for some, while closing doors for others? Thank you.
Richard White	Hello New Carrollton rider. Yes indeed, the Board is considering several different options related to interior railcar seat layout/design, and you’ve hit the nail on the head with your comments. Our Board is going to be looking at the design alternatives with an eye toward striking a balance with increasing the number of passengers that a railcar can carry (increasing capacity) while ensuring that there is comfort for those who travel longer distances. We’ll be seeking public input on this issue before any decision is made. As for now, we’ve got the design concepts posted on our home page with a poll for you to let us know which concept you like best. Check it out.
move_metro_fwd	I voted for Option I -- I think it would make sense to remove the L-shaped seats near the doors. I think taking a poll is a great idea. Is there anyway you can publicize it more -- maybe you could get the Post to highlight the poll to insure a good response. Thanks for handling it this way.
Richard White	Thanks for your view. We'll include it in our ongoing evaluation of the proposals, but please stay tuned! We plan a more formal process for collecting and evaluating all customer views on this. Our online poll is a way to share the information with our customers, let them take a look at the concepts and give us an immediate reaction. Like I said, we'll be setting up more formal ways for people to share their opinions because we want to hear from our customers!

Metro car seating

Author	Message
melatar	We're used to sitting except during rush hours, so losing seats will be an adjustment. Have you considered cars with spring-hinged "jump seats" such as in the Paris Metro, or on planes for flight attendants at landing? Seating when there's room, standing space when full.
Richard White	Hi Melatar! Good idea. Your suggestion has not been considered. I’ll pass it along to our engineers. I do know that one possible restriction may be that the door pockets are just that--pockets--and therefore may not structurally accommodate spring-hinged seats, but it might work somewhere else in the car. We’ll look into that suggestion. Thanks for passing it along!

Orange Line Delay/Smartrip

Author	Message
tvljr	I was a passenger aboard the much delayed Orange Line to Vienna last night. I'm curious as to why they couldn't take the train to the nearest station. Because this happened right at the end of rush hour, passengers were forced to stand in a crowded train stuck in a tunnel for the better part of an hour while the track was cleared ahead. I understand things break, but somebody needs to think of the folks on the trains, particularly when they're crowded.
Richard White	First, we apologize for the problem on the Orange Line last night. When unfortunate situations occur, such as last night's delay, we implement extreme safety precautions for the safety of our customers. One of the reasons that last night's delay was as long as you pointed out was due to the difficulty in coupling or connecting the problem train with the following train. Whenever we have situations such as this, we work hard to get back to normal service as quickly as possible, but safety concerns must always be our most important priority.

Parking Revenue Thefts

Author	Message
caligirl	Is there currently an investigation underway pertaining to the parking revenue that was stolen at Metro parking facilities? Is it fair to force Metro-paying customers to cover the stolen revenue?
Richard White	Hi. An investigation into the parking lot thefts was conducted and warrants were obtained and served. Metro no longer uses a cash handling system and we've converted to SmarTrip-only parking payment plan (since July) to cut down on theft of cash.

Smart Trip

Author	Message
mmss	I have several comments: 1. We need more fare machines for SmartTrip cards. Most stations have 2 at the most, and there are always lines to use them. 2. We should be able to add more than one Metrocard to a SmartTrip per transaction. Most of us who participate in Metrochek programs through our jobs get anywhere from 3 to 5 Metrocards each month, meaning 3 to 5 separate transactions to add them all to our SmartTrips. 3. My SmartTrip card has never worked on a Metrobus SmartTrip machine. I have called the SmartTrip help number and gotten no help. I don't think I should have to pay $5 to get a new card, but that is the only option I'm being offered if I want to use my card on buses. 4. Removing seats from Metro cars is a horrible idea. Particularly if you remove the ones near the doors, disabled people will have to walk further to reach a seat. Even late at night, most of us will not be able to find a seat if there are just 16 per car, and during the day, those of us on long trips will find ourselves standing for 45 minutes to an hour each way, every day. 5. Last night at 10 pm at the Rosslyn metro station, the up escalator at one end of the lower platform was blocked off, but the down escalator was continuing to run down, meaning that those of us at the front of the train had to walk all the way to the other end of the platform to find a way up. This is just plain stupid; the down escalator should have been stopped so that it could be used to go up or down.
Richard White	You sure do put a lot of questions into one email! If you are having problems with the Smartrip farebox on a bus, please record the bus number and let us know your specific problem by calling 1-888-SMARTRIP so that we can track it down and fix it. We are working to get more SmarTrip targets on more fare vending machines--especially at locatiaons where our statistics show that there are a lot of people using the machines. As far as the rail car seating goes, we have concept designs posted on our home page so you can let us know which you prefer. One of the options is the current arrangement, which it sounds like you prefer!

Regional sales tax...

Author	Message
samlitz	Mr. White, As you know, a special panel is proposing a regional sales tax to provide Metro with a designated funding source, suggesting that time is of the essence, but some area officials are expressing skepticism about the idea. Your thoughts? Thank you. samlitz
Richard White	The regional Blue Ribbon Panel has concluded that Metro's funding needs are "undeniable" and that the consequences of not acting will be "severe." The basic conclusion in the panel's report is that Metro needs a funding source that is both adequate and reliable. We don't really care what the specific funding source is, as long as it meets the "adequate and reliable" criteria. The current way we are funded is clearly inadequate, and no other government or region in the country funds their transit system the way that we do here. In addition, the panel's report makes it clear that the federal government is the single biggest beneficiary of Metro and that they must be a stronger funding partner. We hope the panel's report will be the catalyst for a public dialogue on its findings and recommendations, and a "call to action" to reach a consensus on what is acceptable to our funding partners.

WMATA culture

Author	Message
Rockville to MCI...	Greetings and happy new year. I will net this. I received a ticket at the rockville metro metered lot Wednesday at 5:00pm. This is the second ticket I have received at that lot since the change to electronic meters. This is because the meters fail to credit time for quarters deposited. This happens to me at least once every two weeks. When I inquired about this to a metro meter worker, he replied that there are issues when the batteries become weak. Most municipalities have a way to report this to help mediate these situations. Metro does not. Second, I find it hard to believe when metro offers rides home to riders who miss their usual transit options because of work, etc.. Metro has police sitting at meters at the close of the business day waiting for meters to expire. This concern is multiplied by the less then stellar record of reliable service on the red line over the last year. I am upset enough to take this one to court. Third, you and the board should ride the red line from shady grove to metro center standing up before you consider any options on removing seats. It is this kind of management and employee(metro police ticketing at 5:00pm) lack of common sense that demonstrate the utter lack of understanding or regard metro has for its customers.
Richard White	Hello Rockville rider! I'm sorry you're having trouble with parking meters. If you or any parker believes that a ticket was issued in error, you should follow the instructions on the ticket to contest it. You may also write a letter (attach a copy of the ticket) to the attention of Metro Transit Police Chief Polly Hanson, MTPD, 600 Fifth St., NW, Washington, DC 20001.

Policing the Green Line to Branch Ave

Author	Message
Terrified	The yelling, cussing, loud talking, and just simply misbehaving of school children at L'Enfant Plaza and on the Green Line to Branch Avenue should be addressed by Metro. My rides home in the evenings are very unpleasant because I have to ride with this nonsense. What does Metro plan to do to correct this behavior?What is Metro doing to stop school children on the
Richard White	Thanks for your message. The Metro Transit Police recently created a shift that works from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. to address this issue. The shift of officers allows us to assign police officers to stations that see a large number of juveniles in the afternoon--when school ends--and in the early evening. I will forward your specific concern to Captain Dave Webb, the District Commander. Please don't hesitate to call him at 202-635-6705 to discuss your specific concerns. We want you and your fellow riders to have a good Metro experience.

Metro Operations

Author	Message
caligirl	Can you give an update on the proposed independent review of Metro operations?
Richard White	Thanks for asking. The first of two independent reviews will begin this Monday, January 10. This APTA (American Public Transportation Association) Peer Review Panel will focus on Metro's rail operations. The second external, independent review, which is scheduled to begin next month, will focus on bus operations. Several external organizations have called for these types of independent reviews, and we welcome them as we strive to improve our bus and rail reliability and our customer service efforts.

Culture

Author	Message
Rockville to MCI...	The question I should have added to my prior post is: What are you doing to change the culture of metro employees to a service/customer model?
Richard White	Hi. Happy to follow up with you. Changes are geing made to the organization to address cultural change. An organizational council has been created to implement culture change within WMATA and involves management and employees within every department of our organization. Union leadership and top-level management are workingtogether to affect change.

Service paralysis

Author	Message
BethanyBoater	Seems like whenever there is a problem on a rail line that requires you to unload a train or bring in a new train, service comes to a complete halt. WHy can't Metro deal with service disruptions better? Why is the system seemingly paralyzed when there is a problem train?
Richard White	We agree with you, BB, and we don't like it either. You know, New York has quite a few four-track rail lines and multiple lines in downtown Manhattan. The problem here is that Metro is only a two-track system, sort of like a two-lane country road with no shoulders or off ramps. We are investing heavily in railcars and other service reliability programs to reduce the number of delays and disruptions that slow down the railroad.

Metro Center Business Office Hours

Author	Message
FBA Office Manag...	Late last year, Metro's Business Center changed their office hours for pick up of SmartBenefits for individuals and companies. The new hours are not very convenient, as they are I believe from 9:30am - 3:30pm. Note: Regular business hours for other Metro business is from 7:30am - 3:30pm. In speaking to several other Office Administrators who have to pick up their SmartBenefits, they agree that it was very convenient to be able to stop by Metro Center on the way into the work or prior to leaving the office for the day at 5 - 6pm to pick them up. I have found that now I have to make a separate trip back to Metro Center to pick them up, at which time I am charged a non-rush hour fare, which is not conducive to my personal usage of my SmartBenefits. Can you explain why the hours were changed? Angelia L. Vann-Clare, Office Manager<
Richard White	Hello Angelia. As you know, the Metro Center Sales Office does a lot of business! We're very busy during the rush hour periods and are trying to spread some of our demand to times when the lines are not as long. We're very sorry if this causes a problem for you. I suggest that you talk to your Metrochek sales representative to see if there are any other options for you.

Metrobus Holiday Schedules

Author	Message
Chris OMalley	Good Afternoon Mr. White, Let me start off by saying that I think it is wonderful that you take the time to listen to customer feedback. I depend on Metro for transportation to and from work everyday. I take the Orange line from Ballston to Vienna and then transfer to Metrobus 12R towards Chantilly. Just the reverse on the way home. I find the commute to be excellent. However, on federal holidays such as Veteran's Day and MLK day, the 12R does not run at all (Metrobus runs on a Satuday schedule). I find this very troubling for those of us that DO have to work on those days. I have no transportation to work. The nearest Fairfax Connector bus is over 2 miles away and a cab ride from Vienna is upwards of $60. Is it possible for the 12R to run every other of it's scheduled times or perhaps just once to and once from. I am sure that my fellow riders would like that and would be willing to adjust for the holidays. Again, I thank you for doing this and I appreciate your response. - Chris
Richard White	Thanks very much. We think this forum is another great way to listen to our customers and provide them with accurate, timely information. On federal holidays, our ridership drops by as much as 40 percent and we normally operate on a Saturday schedule. We are working with Fairfax County to restructure the 12 line later this year. We will certainly include your suggestions in the restructuring plans that we're working on with them.

Next Station Display Signs

Author	Message
BrianInVA	In the new Series 5000 cars, one of the much-promoted features are the two electronic signs in each car that display the next station and which side of the train the doors will be opening on. This is a very useful feature, but it seems to me that those signs operate as inteneded less than half the time - oftentimes, the signs simply only display which line I'm on and nothing else. Is the next-station feature something that each train operator needs to activate? If so, many of them don't do it. Thanks!
Richard White	You are correct, Brian. The slectronic signs will announce station names when all the railcars in the train are so equipped. This doesn't always happen now because of various operating factors. In the next couple of years, more of our fleet will be so equipped - about 60 percent of the total number of cars - so it will be much more likely to see this customer communications feature fully working.
dpete47	I've noticed that most of the time they don't work, just displaying which line it is on. Same as on the rehabilated Bredas. I don't think they work when METRO mixes different cars, which they shouldn't.
Richard White	Exactly. Over the next few years about 60 percent of our fleet will be equipped with the new signs, so chances are good that you will see more fully-functioning signs.

Trash in the system

Author	Message
Catwoman	We all know that Metro has become much dirty with trash in the system since after 9/11 because of the removal of the trash cans. What options are you looking at to fix this? You can ask people to throw their trash away all you want, but if it's difficult for them to do, they're going to do what's easiest for them - leave it on the train or in the station. Plans?
Richard White	Hi Catwoman. We took our the trashcans from station platforms after 9/11. I agree that we need more trashcans in the system. I've put forth a proposal to purchase more bomb containment trashcans so we can put them back on platforms. I hope to be able to do so within the next year.
dpete47	People seem to leave newspapers/flyers on the seats of the train. I even saw a METRO employee leave a newspaper on the seat when he left the train
Richard White	Yes, people do leave newspapers behind in the railcars and in our stations, sometimes including our own employees, unfortunately. We are increasing the investment in our railcar cleaning staff this year, so you should see less and less of this problem in the weeks and months to come. Please let us know if you see any improvement, or not. Thanks.
Md.Metro	Speaking of dirt, the carpeting in Metro's railcars tends is often very dirty. Any plans to use a different type of floor in future cars?
Richard White	No, not at this time. But thanks for asking!

Smoking in bus Shelters

Author	Message
queene1979	I would like to know if it is possible to ban smoking in the bus shelters, it is very bad when two people are smoking in different parts of the bus shelter and you (the non-smoker) have to go outside of it to get away from it. Especially in theses cold months. My feeling is they have the dirty habit so they should go out of the bus shelter.
Richard White	We totally agree with you, and the Metro Board of Directors has prohibited smoking in all Metro facilities. However, most bus shelters are owned by the local jurisdiction in which they are located, and not by us. So we have no authority to enforce the 'no smoking' restrictions in the bus shelters we don't control.

Penalizing customers who pay highest fares

Author	Message
BethanyBoater	Any move to reduce the number of seats on new versions of Metro cars will penalize the folks who pay the highest fares - your long distance commuters. This sounds like an idea from the same Metro manager who proposed reducing the number of cars you put in service at night... I certainly hope you canvass customers before you make finalize any plans.
Richard White	Hello Bethany Boater! Thanks for your feedback. That's exactly what we're looking for. Don't forget to take our poll on the home page and touch base with us again on our home page to keep in the loop for future opportunities for feedback on this issue.

Bus fare mis-information

Author	Message
jkfloy	The telephone Metro information system (202/637-7000) states that the bus fare is $1.20, however we have been paying $1.25 for more than six months. The pole signs at many of the bus stops show various old prices. This is very tourist unfriendly since exact change is required.
Richard White	Good catch jkfloy! I've just passed that along to one of my staff members who isreviewing the customer service line as I write this to make the appropriate changes. We have more than 6,000 bus stop information cases and have been doing our best to replace the fare panels with the new information. Please let me know of specific stops and we will make sure they get changed. We are working to enhance this program in 2005 so we can make these changes in a more timely manner.

SmartTrip Cards - Not Fair for Touriists

Author	Message
BaltoDave	I live north of Baltimore and very rarely use the DC Metro system. Last week, I took my son to a musuem in the District so we drove to Greenbelt and took the MetroRail from there. When I returned, I asked the attendant about how to pay for parking (which I thought was $3.50). I was informed that I had to purchase a Smart Trip card for $10 (which includes $5.00 for the card itself) When I explained that I only wanted to pay for parking ($3.50) alone I was told it was not possible because there are no cashiers at the parking lot exits to take money so Smart Trip cards is the only option. When I explained that I live no where near there and had no use for the Smart Trip card, the attendant told me that "no one lives around here" (I can't make this up). The way I see it, parking cost me $10 for the day. When you add the Metrorail fares for my son and me, I paid over $20 to use the system that day. I should have just driven downtown and paid a parking garrage! In conclusion, I think the Smart Trip cards are a good idea for people who use the system often but for tourists it's a rip-off!! P.S. The next day, I spoke with someone in Customer Service but was not able to arrange a refund for the extra $6.50 ($10 less 3.50) I should not have had to pay.
Richard White	Hi BaltoDave. Keep your SmarTrip card as it is still usable anytime in the future so the next time you visit the area, you can use it for your parking and your trip fare. If you're from Baltimore (based on your log-on name) I want to be sure you know that Baltimore transit services will be going to the SmarTrip system in the future, so you could use it to travel around Baltimore too.