Unsuck DC Metro: SmarTrip Pilot: Smooth Sailing So Far

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

SmarTrip Pilot: Smooth Sailing So Far

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Looks like the pilot program to add value to your SmarTrip cards via computer is working well for the lucky few selected to take part.

From Mark:

Overall, it was very simple and quick. It seems to be well implemented. I could choose to store the [credit] card info or not (I opted not to save it.).

An interesting bit:

"Once you make your purchase online, the pass or stored value will not automatically be loaded to your card. You must touch your card to a rail fare gate, bus farebox, or Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) to load them. Please allow time for the instructions to be sent to the gates and fareboxes. It usually takes 1 business day for rail gates and Ticket Vending Machines to be updated and up to 2 business days for bus fareboxes. You need to touch your card to the gates, TVM or fareboxes within 30 days or your purchase will expire."

So, it looks like you need to plan ahead a day or two.

From Stephanie:

OK, I just gave it a shot, just to try it, and it appears to work.

You log in and have a shopping cart, to which you can add value. You can add $10-$200. You can also add up to two regional 7-day passes at a time (it looks like there may be other options at some point, but this is the only one I can see now. FAQ claims you can buy 10-ride passes, but I don't see that option right now)

You enter the amount to add, your credit card info, and submit the order (you can choose to save the credit card info, but do not have to). You also get these instructions:

"Once you make your purchase online, the pass or stored value will not automatically be loaded to your card. You must touch your card to a rail fare gate, bus farebox, or Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) to load them. Please allow time for the instructions to be sent to the gates and fareboxes. It usually takes 1 business day for rail gates and Ticket Vending Machines to be updated and up to 2 business days for bus fareboxes. You need to touch your card to the gates, TVM or fareboxes within 30 days or your purchase will expire."

Comments (18)

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+1 Vote up Vote down

Erin · 716 weeks ago

Do you know if its possible to download your SmartBenefits onto your SmartTrip card from the internet???

0 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 716 weeks ago

David must one the management guys who keep telling us everything is okay just drink the kool-aid.

+1 Vote up Vote down

erg · 716 weeks ago

Yeah, I'll hand over my credit card info to Metro...when hell freezes over (or when the escalators work)

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Sam · 716 weeks ago

How do you pay for your transit now? I'd rather put my credit card information into their website using a proven, reliable technology like SSL than stick it in the farecard machine where I don't know what kind of skimmers or sniffers are attached to the card reader.

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Bob · 716 weeks ago

That's why I use good old-fashioned cash. I'm not about to let Metro anywhere near any of my personal financial stuff; fare machine or online. And SSL isn't that secure, most everyone uses SSL for "secure" transactions and they still get hacked. Look at the BofA hacking recently, it's not that hard to hack SSL servers.

The security comes in through multiple layers of security and access controls to provide backups and redundancies, things that Metro has absolutely NO experience with - backups.

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Tetsuo · 716 weeks ago

That's why you don't use a real credit card #. You would use an intermediate credit card number that is only tied to the vendor should it get stolen, thus preventing fraudulent charges.

+2 Vote up Vote down

· 716 weeks ago

ok so if it takes up to one business day for this then what is the purpose? thought they were to create this for some good? like if u have no money for your card before you leave your home?

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Kara · 716 weeks ago

Umm, so how is this at all beneficial? It sounds like it involves more steps than the kiosk.

I use smartrip. Once a month I go to the TVM and press a few buttons. If they want to improve that process, make the instructions clearer. I know what to do now but was lost the first time I encountered smarttrips. I could just imagine the fun if tourists needed to have them.

+2 Vote up Vote down

guest · 716 weeks ago

I'm with kara. what's the big deal? not like it's that hard to reup your card the old way. metro could have spent this money on actually making something else work better.

besides, it doesn't look like you can even do smart benes, so there's 40 or more percent of riders who don't give a rat's tail about this.

onto important things metro

+1 Vote up Vote down

Stephanie · 716 weeks ago

I'm the Stephanie who posted above. I already received an email (in about an hour) that my purchase is available to load at fare gates. So, it didn't take the predicted 1-2 days.

Personally, I don't get Smart Benefits, and this means I can be prepared for my commute and not have to pull out my wallet in the metro stations at all (which I definitely prefer!).

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Kara · 716 weeks ago

I am still lost. Before smartbenefits I had to put money in the kiosk before loading a card, now it is already there waiting for me -- not a huge difference to my routine. How does this actually save you time though, which I assume is the idea? From the descriptions it sounds like it involves more steps on the website than at the kiosks for the same tasks.

As to not pulling out your wallet in the metro station. You have only two options: take your card (smarttrip or paper) out of something (wallet, purse, or pocket) or hold it in hand the entire time you are in the system. Personally I feel a lot safer having a free hand.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Stephanie · 716 weeks ago

You don't have to go to the kiosk at all though. You walk into the station and go straight the gates. The purchase loads when you touch it at the gate, like you have to anyway.

My SmartTrip is never in my wallet. But the credit card I need to refill it is. I keep it in my pocket or badge holder while Im in the system and during the day. So if I don't have to refill it, my wallet stays safe in my bag and I have 2 free hands.

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RedLineROFL · 716 weeks ago

I tried it out today (some of the screenshots are mine) and was very pleasantly surprised. It worked well, it was easy, and fast. I went down a short time later (about 2 hours) and swiped my card at the fare machine just to check. The added money was already on, and I found the same thing when I went through the gate.

I've been actually wanting to see this for some time. I like doing transactions online. I feel safer than pulling out my wallet in any of the metro stations! I also don't have to worry about missing that "ARRIVING" train because I'm tied up at the machine. Lately there have been a lot of machines that don't even work, and occasionally a line to them.

This clearly isn't going to fix any of Metro's issues. I'm pretty sure the web team isn't taking time off from fixing escalators to do this LOL

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Kara · 716 weeks ago

Oh, I forgot. Fixing those glitches in the data they send to google transit in not at all dependant on the web team.

For example, no multiple entrances is a big problem, ok for some stations maybe. Try that at Huntington if a walk-through pass is not available.

+1 Vote up Vote down

RedLineROFL · 716 weeks ago

I get that this is of no use to you and for some odd reason you're just going to whine about it. For me, and Stephanie above, and likely many many others, this is a nice improvement.

It's just as easy as any other online transaction. Log in, click "add value", enter my CC info, and click submit. Then I simply use the card like I would any other time and the additional funds are load. No lines at the fare machines. No concerns about skimmers on the fare machines. No worries about pulling my wallet and CC out in a station (usually Suitland or Shady Grove). I also have additional tracking and control since it's an online transaction. It's easier to prove I made a purchase if there's an issue because I have the history on my account rather than some piece of crap fare machine that usually doesn't have receipts working.

don't be such a negative nancy

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@sarahcottontail · 716 weeks ago

I guess I wasn't aware that there was a big problem with skimmers on fare machines or purse snatches while standing at them, so I don't really see this as addressing a problem, but more accessibility is always nice.

Its all just sort of...meh. I don't know why I expected different, really.

+1 Vote up Vote down

davidford0401 -39p · 715 weeks ago

It may benefit a small percentage of metro users but it looks to really only benefit metro.

Now its more convenient for metro to get a hold of your money, without giving you anything in return for a day or two.

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Bryan · 711 weeks ago

On a tech basis, I don't see any reason for it to need to get sent to the faregates or anything, and the quick turnaround of an hour or two confirms that. If for whatever reason it is, given that it's metro, their convoluted methods wouldn't be surprising.

All it needs to do is get added in to their database that the faregates on the metro and bus pulls the data from. Nothing is downloaded to your card ever, your smartrip card only says "hi, I'm this number card, do I have enough money database?"

Having to touch your smartrip card to anything is probably only a confirmation type basis.