Metro Looks At Establishing New Payment System

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Metro is looking into coming up with a payment system that would let riders skip buying fare cards and instead use their cell phones, credit cards or federal IDs to pay fares on the transit system.

Officials call the new approach a "contactless" payment system that other transit agencies are pursuing. Metro Chief Financial Officer Carol Dillon Kissal says London is already using it.

Metro's board members gave initial permission to pursue a new payment system in May 2009. Now, seven companies have submitted proposals and Metro plans to seek initial information from potential vendors later this month.

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