SmartBenefits Changes for 2012
Questions have been flying around Twitter regarding the changes to the SmartBenefits program. Being the lifeline of thousands of Washington, DC area residents I can certainly see the cause for concern. But in true WMATA fashion the change was communicated poorly at best. Below is the text of the email sent out on December 17, 2011 explaining the changes. O' if only I could take UberDC everywhere and not have to worry about this...Maybe a good goal for 2012. --------------------- From: [email protected] To: Joe Date: December 17, 2011, 12:07 PM SmartBenefits Autoload Begins January 1, 2012 Metro's SmartBenefits program is taking steps to comply with the IRS requirement to separate parking and transit benefits to restrict comingled use. (Internal Revenue bulletin Rev. Rul. 2006-57) Claiming your SmartBenefits Beginning with January's benefits, you will no longer need to load your SmartBenefits onto your SmarTrip card at a Farecards and Passes machine. With Autoload, your benefit will remain in an account. And like a debit card, your SmarTrip card will access the account and deduct the fare or parking fee when you tap your card to a Metrorail faregate, bus farebox or Metro parking target. Preparing your card to access your account To access your account beginning in January, you must use your SmarTrip card at least once in the last two weeks of this month (December 16 -31). This action prepares your card to access the account. This is only important if you HAD NOT planned on using your card in the last two weeks of the month. If you're a regular commuter, it's not an issue. You must repeat this step if you replace your SmarTrip card or make any changes to your benefits. Autoload works on Metrorail, as well as Metrobus and these regional bus systems: ART, CUE, DASH, DC Circulator, Fairfax Connector, Loudoun County Transit, PRTC OmniRide, Ride On and TheBus. It does not work on the MTA bus and rail systems. Changes to SmartBenefits Beginning in January, your employer will determine what happens to any unused benefits. They may either be credited back to your employer's account or rolled over to your account for future use (maximum of $4,045 for transit and $4,045 for parking). Also beginning in January, transit funds will not be transferrable from one purse to another. Transit benefits will not pay for parking and parking benefits will not pay for transit. Nor will funds be able to transfer into your personal stored value 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. Any funds on your card prior to January 1, 2012 will move into your personal stored value purse. Transit benefits are limited for use on bus and rail, however, transit benefits may be reallocated for MetroAccess, MARC, VRE, MTA commuter buses, registered vanpools and independent bus services. Immediately notify your program administrator if you replace your registered SmarTrip card. Register your replacement card immediately at smartrip.com. Please allow at least 24 hours for registration to occur. SmartBenefits cannot be assigned to unregistered cards. You can view: . Personal stored value balance at any Farecards and Passes machine. . Transit purse at any faregate or farebox.* . Parking purse at any Metrorail parking target.* . All balances # plus all transactions # by creating an online SmarTrip account. Go to smartrip.com 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. For additional information, visit: http://www.wmata.com/business/employer_fare_program/