MTA To Introduce Smart Cards In Baltimore Region
BALTIMORE -- The Maryland Transit Administration is aiming to introduce an automated fare card system by October.
But MTA will wait on its goal of making the service interchangeable with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's SmarTrip cards.
MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene said the two agencies weren't able to negotiate a revenue sharing agreement. She said the cards for Baltimore-area transit are compatible with the Washington cards and could be integrated in the future.
The cards store credits for fares on an embedded microchip. They will be accepted on MTA's core services: buses, light rail and the Metro subway, but not on MARC trains or commuter buses.
MTA customers would pay an upfront charge for a card and would add value to it by depositing cash at MTA machines around the region.