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December 2011

WMATA’s SmarTrip Card and SmartBenefits System. December 2011. Table of Contents. Slide(s) What is a SmartTrip card? 3 What are the benefits of a SmarTrip card? 4 What are the current shortcomings of SmarTrip cards? 5

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December 2011

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  1. WMATA’s SmarTrip Card and SmartBenefits System December 2011

  2. Table of Contents Slide(s) • What is a SmartTrip card? 3 • What are the benefits of a SmarTrip card? 4 • What are the current shortcomings of SmarTrip cards? 5 • Where do I get a SmarTrip card? 6 • Why should I register my SmarTrip card? 7 • How can I register your SmarTrip card? 8 • How do I determine my SmarTrip card number? 9 • How do I add value to a SmarTrip card? 10 • How do I use the value on a SmarTrip card? 11 • What providers currently accept SmarTrip cards? 12 • What is WMATA’s SmartBenefits system? 13 • What is the SmartBenefits “Autoload” process? 14 • What are SmarTrip/SmartBenefits purses? 15 - 17 • What providers don’t currently accept SmarTrip cards, and what are the options? 18 • SmartBenefits application, allocation and order process diagrams 19 - 22 • What are some of the pitfalls to be aware of regarding the SmarTrip and SmartBenefits processes? 23 • Links and Online Resources 24 • Critical dates for applications and allocations 25

  3. What is a SmartTrip card? • SmarTrip cards are stored-value cards. • They can also be used to access employer-provided transit subsidy benefits provide via WMATA’s SmartBenefits system. • They are contactless, permanent, and reloadable. • The maximum value for personal stored value is $300. • They can be registered as Senior and/or Disabled.

  4. What are the benefits of a SmarTrip card? • They are widely accepted. • They are easy to use. • There are several options for adding value. • Fares may be discounted when using a SmarTrip card. • One of only a few ways to pay for parking at WMATA parking facilities. • Personal stored value on a lost card can be recovered.

  5. What are the current shortcomings of SmarTrip cards? • They are not universally accepted. • Only a limited number of pass products are currently available through the use of a SmarTrip card.

  6. Where do I get a SmarTrip card? • Purchase online • Metro sales offices • Vending machines at Metrorail stations with Metro-operated parking lots • Retail outlets • Commuter stores See http://wmata.com/fares/smartrip/ for additional information and links.

  7. Why should I register my SmarTrip card? • To be able to recover the personal stored value on a lost card. • To be able to use WMATA’s SmartBenefits system. IMPORTANT: Your SmarTrip card registration must match your USPTO PALM/Employee Locator (http://es/emlocator/locator.htm) information for transit benefits to be provided via the SmartBenefits system.

  8. How can I register your SmarTrip card? • Online - recommended method! (https://smartrip.wmata.com/Registration/Register.aspx), • When purchasing (where offered), and • By mail Can be registered as Senior and/or Disabled. For changes and inquires go to https://smartrip.wmata.com/Account/AccountLogin.aspx or contact the SmarTrip Regional Customer Service center at 1-888-SMARTRIP.

  9. How do I determine my SmarTrip card number? See the examples below to determine the correct 9-digit number to use for SmarTrip/SmartBenefits allocations. • Example 1: [012345678] • Example 2: [012345678] 3 • Example 3: 0020 00 [01 2345 678] 1 • Example 4: 0020 00 [02 4561 217] 8

  10. How do I add value to a SmarTrip card? • Cash • Credit card • Unused Farecards • Used Farecards with a value of less than $7

  11. How do I use the value on a SmarTrip card? • SmarTrip cards can only be used at SmarTrip enabled faregates and fareboxes.

  12. What providers currently accept SmarTrip cards? • Metrorail • Metrobus • Arlington Regional Transit (ART) • Alexandria’s DASH • DC Circulator • Fairfax Connector • Fairfax’s City-University-Energysaver (CUE) • Loudoun County Commuter Bus • Montgomery County’s RideOn • Prince George’s County’s TheBus • PRTC OmniRide

  13. What is WMATA’s SmartBenefits system? • A web-based system for employers to provide transit benefits to employees electronically. • Benefits can either be: • automatically debited (Autoloaded) from the applicable SmarTrip/SmartBenefits account on a per fare/fee paid basis, • allocated directly to vanpools or other transit providers that accept allocations directly from WMATA, or • allocated to www.CommuterDirect.com (a fare media distributor operated by the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services). • You must have a SmarTrip card to use the SmartBenefits system and your SmarTrip card number will be your SmartBenefits account number.

  14. What is the SmartBenefits “Autoload” process? With Autoload your benefit will remain in your SmartBenefits account, and much like a debit card the fare will be deducted from your account when you tap your card at a faregate or farebox.

  15. What are SmarTrip/SmartBenefits purses?(slide 1 of 3) In order to implement IRS required restrictions regarding the use of transit benefits, WMATA has created what they’re calling “purses” on your SmarTrip card. They have created three purses, Personal stored value, Transit, and Parking. The Transit and Parking purses will only contain benefits provided through employer programs, such as the USPTO’s Public Transit Subsidy program. The Personal stored value purse will contain the stored value from all other sources.

  16. What are SmarTrip/SmartBenefits purses?(slide 2 of 3) It is important to note that the balance in the Personal stored value purse will not be displayed on faregates or fareboxes as long as transit benefits remain available via the transit purse! Your Personal stored value purse allows you to load additional amounts to cover either transit or parking. Transit and parking payments will be deducted from your Transit and Parking benefits purses first. If and when those funds are exhausted, payments will be deducted from your Personal stored value purse.

  17. What are SmarTrip/SmartBenefits purses?(slide 3 of 3) You can view: • Your Personal stored value purse balance at any Farecards and Passes machine. • Your Transit purse balance at any faregate or farebox.* • Your Parking purse balance at any Metrorail parking target.* • All of your balances and transactions by creating an online SmarTrip account. Go to https://smartrip.wmata.com/Account/AccountLogin.aspx and click on Manage Your Account Online. * If a portion of your fare or parking fee comes from your Personal stored value purse (due to insufficient funds in your Transit or Parking purses), the amount displayed will be the balance from your Personal stored value purse.

  18. What providers don’t currently accept SmarTrip cards, and what are the options? • VRE and MARC – SmartBenefits can be allocated to www.CommuterDirect.com and orders can be placed with www.CommuterDirect.com for fare media (see slide 20). • MTA Bus Service - SmartBenefits can be allocated directly to the MTA Bus Service and orders can be placed with MTA Bus Service for fare media (see slide 21). • Vanpools, MetroAccess, D&B Bus, Quicks Commuter Service, Martz/National Coach Works and some other transit providers that don’t accept SmarTrip cards – SmartBenefits can be allocated directly to the provider if they have adopted WMATA’s SmartBenefits fare payment system (see slide 22). Riders are encouraged to consult with their provider to determine any registration and/or ordering processes and procedures related to use of the SmartBenefits fare payment system.

  19. SmartBenefits Application, Allocation and Order Process Diagrams(slide 1 of 4)SmarTrip ONLY (http://tss.uspto.gov/tss/validation.do)

  20. SmartBenefits Application, Allocation and Order Process Diagrams(slide 2 of 4)CommuterDirect Passenger Allocation Reference Guide: http://wmata.com/pdfs/business/SmartBenefits_Guide_MARC_VRE.pdf (http://tss.uspto.gov/tss/validation.do) (www.commuterdirect.com) (https://www.smartrip.com/sbftp/vplpat.login)

  21. SmartBenefits Application, Allocation and Order Process Diagrams(slide 3 of 4)Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) Passenger Allocation Reference Guides: http://wmata.com/pdfs/business/SmartBenefits_Ref_Guide_MTA_Commuter_Buses.pdf and http://www.mta.maryland.gov/electronic-smartbenefits • (https://mta.maryland.gov/pass-store) (http://tss.uspto.gov/tss/validation.do) (https://www.smartrip.com/sbftp/vplpat.login)

  22. SmartBenefits Application, Allocation and Order Process Diagrams(slide 4 of 4)Other Providers (Vanpools, MetroAccess, and some other transit providers that don’t accept SmarTrip cards) Passenger Allocation Reference Guide: http://wmata.com/business/employer_fare_program/vanpool_transit.cfm (http://tss.uspto.gov/tss/validation.do) (https://www.smartrip.com/sbftp/vplpat.login)

  23. What are some of the pitfalls to be aware of regarding the SmarTrip and SmartBenefits processes? • SmartBenefit allocations made via WMATA’s SmartBenefits system, once done, can’t be undone! • SmartBenefit allocations must be done in advance • by the 15th of the month before the benefit month for allocations to www.CommuterDirect.com, • by the 20th of the month before the benefit month for allocations to MTA Bus Service, and • by the last day of the month before the benefit month for allocations directly to providers. • Coordination of allocations and orders • Allocations are recurring and must be modified or deleted/canceled as needed. • CommuterDirect orders can be one-time or recurring, and are independent of allocations made via WMATA’s SmartBenefits system (e.g., recurring orders continue to be processed even if allocations stop).

  24. Links and Online Resources • USPTO’s Transit Subsidy intranet web page – http://ptoweb.uspto.gov/ptointranet/ohr/employees/transit_subsidy/transit.htm • WMATA’s SmarTrip and SmartBenefits web pages – http://www.wmata.com/fares/smartrip/ and http://www.wmata.com/business/employer_fare_program/ • CommuterDirect.com’s home page – www.commuterdirect.com • MTA Bus Service’s Electronic SmartBenefits web page – http://www.mta.maryland.gov/electronic-smartbenefits • WMATA’s Van Pools & Transit Services web page – http://www.wmata.com/business/employer_fare_program/vanpool_transit.cfm

  25. Critical Dates for Applications and Allocations • 1st business day of the month - Last day to apply for benefits for the next month. (Example: January 3, 2012 for February 2012). • 15th day of the month - Last day benefits are to be allocated to www.CommuterDirect.com within WMATA’s SmartBenefits system for the next month. • 20th day of the month - Last day benefits are to be allocated to MTA Bus Service within WMATA’s SmartBenefits system for the next month. • Last day of the month - Last day benefits can be allocated directly to vanpools or other transit providers within WMATA’s SmartBenefits system for the next month.

  26. QUESTIONS? E-mail Transit_Subsidy_Coordinator@uspto.gov

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