Mark Segraves, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Metro is getting ready for one of its busiest days.
Inauguration Day.
The transit agency plans to offer commemorative fare cards with the president’s picture, just as it did four years ago, but this time the cards will be cheaper and offer more choices.
Metro riders will have two options: paper or plastic.
Four years ago the commemorative SmarTrip card cost $10 and was not pre-loaded with any value.
This time the commemorative SmarTrip card will cost $15 but come with a pre-loaded one-day pass, which is valued at $14.
The net cost of the card is $1. That’s $9 less than the $10 card last time, which is a 90 percent savings for riders.
To encourage riders to buy the commemorative SmarTrip cards, riders will also be able to use them as a “flash pass” to ride Metrobuses on Inauguration Day.
Traditional paper fare cards also will be available and cost the regular $14, and they will have the picture of the president.
Metro will begin pre-sale of the commemorative cards Nov. 7 on its website, the day after the election.
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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
