Mandatory SmarTrip cards for DC Metro parking

[Wesley McGee]

According to
http://wmata.com/about/MET_NEWS/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=349
anyone who wants to park in a DC Metro parking lot *must* have a
SmarTrip card, starting June 28th.
However, those cost $5 in addition to the actual value on the card.
Since the value on the card is rechargable, the $5 is lost in the
noise for someone who uses Metro a lot. But what about tourists, and
people who just want to give Metro a quick try, but aren't sure they
want to stick with it?

Wow... I'm glad we have Metro here to innovate like this... I mean
'cashless' transactions and everything. Where would we be if the WMATA
wasn't there to develop a way to transact business without having to
fumble with the tyranny of people handling cash... we'd be stuck with
no way to do business...unless you count debit card/credit card
machines, vending machines that can read money. Or heck, with Virginia
joining up with EZ Pass, they could have even used *that* as an
option.

It just wouldn't be Metro if they couldn't come up with the most
consumer unfriendly option to solve its problems.

[Chris Johnson]

Post by Wesley McGee

However, those cost $5 in addition to the actual value on the card.
Since the value on the card is rechargable, the $5 is lost in the
noise for someone who uses Metro a lot. But what about tourists, and
people who just want to give Metro a quick try, but aren't sure they
want to stick with it?

Wow... I'm glad we have Metro here to innovate like this... I mean
'cashless' transactions and everything. Where would we be if the WMATA
wasn't there to develop a way to transact business without having to
fumble with the tyranny of people handling cash... we'd be stuck with
no way to do business...unless you count debit card/credit card
machines, vending machines that can read money. Or heck, with Virginia
joining up with EZ Pass, they could have even used *that* as an
option.
It just wouldn't be Metro if they couldn't come up with the most
consumer unfriendly option to solve its problems.

Here, here! One more reason to drive into the city and forget about public transit.

[Yeoh Yiu]

According to
http://wmata.com/about/MET_NEWS/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=349
anyone who wants to park in a DC Metro parking lot *must* have a
SmarTrip card, starting June 28th.
However, those cost $5 in addition to the actual value on the card.
Since the value on the card is rechargable, the $5 is lost in the
noise for someone who uses Metro a lot. But what about tourists, and
people who just want to give Metro a quick try, but aren't sure they
want to stick with it?
--

Currently, customers who park in Metro-owned parking lots pay if they
exit the parking lots between 2 and 10 p.m., Mondays through
Fridays. Under the new plan, the payment hours will be expanded from
9 a.m. until closing Mondays through Fridays. Parking on weekends and
Federal holidays will remain free. The expansion of payment hours is
expected to generate an additional $2.5 million for the FY 2005
operating budget.

Ant plans to discount the off-peak parking ?