DC: Metro Extends Grace Period for Students to Obtain DC One Cards

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has extended the current “grace period” for District of Columbia school students who use Metro to travel to and from school under the District’s “Kids Ride Free” program.

Beginning November 13, all students will be required to use a DC One card when entering or exiting the rail system or when boarding a Metrobus. Any student without a DC One card will be required to pay the regular fare before riding. Schools throughout DC will reinforce the “no tap, no ride” message through take-home letters, emails to parents, assemblies, and other in-school communications.

Metro and District officials had previously set an October 2 cutoff date for all students to have a valid DC One identification card to enter and exit the transit system. Metro today announced that the deadline would be extended to November 13 to allow additional time for students to load the pass onto their DC One card, and for school administrators and the District government to provide DC One cards to all eligible students.

Metro reported that 28 percent of eligible students had an active pass loaded on a DC One card as of today. 

Compliance with the “no tap, no ride” rule is necessary to ensure that Metro can quickly and accurately account for young riders who may be traveling unaccompanied, and to ensure that Metro is properly accounting for rides taken under the program. Metro is reminding students, parents, and school officials that use of the “swing gates” at station entrances is not permitted, and that all passengers – including DC One card holders – must properly tap their card when using the system.

“The safety of our young riders is paramount,” said Joseph Leader, Metro’s chief operating officer. “Ensuring that every student uses their DC One card provides an important tool for safety and accountability that helps ensure our young riders have safe passage to and from school every day.”