Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officials announced plans Thursday to overhaul the D.C. area's bus fare system. Changes include the end of free bus-to-bus paper transfers and the elimination of discounted rail-to-bus transfers, according to The Washington Post.
The changes, which will officially begin Jan. 4, will only allow SmarTrip holders to receive discounts.
WMATA officials told the Post the changes would generate at least $5 million in revenue by reducing fraud.
Currently, paper transfers allow passengers to switch between buses for free for up to two hours. However, individuals often share or sell their free transfers, sometimes even handing them out the window of the busses themselves, according to The Post.
-MAUREEN McCARTY
