Metrobus riders will have to rely exclusively on SmarTrip cards for bus transfers beginning in January.
For now, riders get paper transfer slips from bus operators or from machines in Metro stations. The slips allow passengers to transfer between Metrobuses for free, and from Metrorail to Metrobus at a discount within two hours.
Beginning Jan. 4, bus riders will have to use SmarTrip cards to get the discount.
The move will save Metro $350,000 a year in printing and paper costs, spokeswoman Cathy Asato said.
“It is also expected that our decision to do this will minimize fraud by individuals who are selling their transfers to other riders,” she said.
Bus drivers have reported being assaulted by people who steal their books of paper transfers, and transit police have caught people illegally selling transfers at bus depots.
Metro’s Riders Advisory Council this month expressed concern that some riders, such as senior citizens, non-English speakers, and disabled and low-income riders, will be unprepared for the switch to the $5 SmarTrip cards.
Metro says it will place bilingual ads on Metrobuses, distribute bilingual brochures in all stations and make recorded announcements about the change.
The transit agency has distributed 50,000 free SmarTrip cards to social services agencies to give to people with low incomes; thousands remain unclaimed.
Metro also will add machines where riders can add money to their SmarTrip cards and will expand the transfer period between rides from two hours to three.
