Metrobus Expands Payment Options to Combat High Fare Evasion Rates
WASHINGTON (7News) – Metrobus riders gained a new payment option Tuesday with the launch of “Tap. Ride. Go.,” allowing them to pay fares using credit or debit cards, smartphones, or smartwatches linked to those cards. The program, initially introduced for Metrorail in late May, aims to address persistently high rates of fare evasion on the bus system. Riders can still utilize SmarTrip cards or pay with exact change.
Despite the new convenience, Metro faces a significant challenge with fare evasion on Metrobus. While increased enforcement and taller faregates have dramatically reduced evasion on Metrorail, the bus system continues to struggle. Fare evasion on metrobus was estimated at 3% in 2016,but surged to 34% in 2022 following the pandemic. Last year, it climbed to approximately 70%, remaining at 71% as recently as this spring, and falling slightly to 68% between July and August.
“There are people that don’t want to pay fare, and we’re going to keep working on that, and that’s a larger society issue,” Metro General Manager Randy Clarke said at a Tuesday morning ceremony marking the program’s expansion to Metrobus. “But it’s our job to make it easy to use our system.”
Clarke expressed optimism that the new payment method will help curb evasion. “I definitely think it will help with that,” he stated. “Every way that we can make it easier to pay, the more likely people will then pay.”
The integration of “Tap. Ride. Go.” across both Metrorail and Metrobus also introduces a new benefit for riders. those using the same credit or debit card for both rail and bus travel can now receive the $2.25 transfer discount previously exclusive to SmarTrip users,covering the full cost of a bus ride after a rail trip within a two-hour window.
Looking ahead, Clarke indicated plans to fully integrate “Tap. Ride.Go.” into Metro parking facilities and eventually offer overnight parking options at select garages, building on the existing ability to use credit cards for parking payments.
