Metro Riders With Paper Fare Cards To See Big Hike
WASHINGTON (AP) -- When Metro raises its fares in July, riders who use paper fare cards will see big changes.
Using a paper card will cost riders an extra $1 for each trip.
Metro is raising the surcharge for paper fare cards from 25 cents to $1 beginning Sunday. The surcharge will be one of the highest fare increases in the transit system.
Metro wants riders to use $5 plastic SmarTrip cards instead.
They are cheaper for the transit agency to maintain. Still, more than 10 percent of rail riders still use paper cards. In September, Metro will offer $3 rebates on SmarTrip cards to lower the price.
Visitors who use Metro to sightsee may be hardest hit by the surcharge. The cost of all-day passes is also jumping from $9 to $14.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)