Voice of America, February 14, 2017: Helping People One Ride at a Time
“Washington’s public transportation system requires people to pay for their trips with plastic, ‘SmartTrip’ cards. Each card is like a credit card, and comes with a computer chip that removes the cost of each trip from the card’s value. A person with a $10 card, who takes a bus trip costing $2, would have $8 remaining for future trips. Often people visiting Washington, or any city with a fare card system, end up buying a card for more trips then they take. So unless they plan to return to that city soon, chances are that money is lost forever. Unless they donate the cards.”