2019-20 Kids Ride Free Smartrip Distribution / Locations and Dates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They also deliver physical books to readers who cannot get to the library for mobility reasons.

And if you can’t pick up your Karaf Smartrip card it can be mailed to you.

The rest of us who need or want a physical object need to retrieve it.

I wish we could have just checked a box on our enrollment forms and automatically applied for a card to be sent in August with our school enrollment packet. Seems like it should just be part of regular dcps/dcpcs enrollment at this point.
As well letting families apply online would be nice. We will likely miss most of the dates due to work, travel etc.

The old cards will work until 10/1. You can get them at your school anytime during September.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This will be our 1st summer and school year needing one as our kid is just entering Kindergarten. Where do we find their student ID number? Is this the same number used for the lottery?

You take your government issued ID and the child’s birth certificate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will be our 1st summer and school year needing one as our kid is just entering Kindergarten. Where do we find their student ID number? Is this the same number used for the lottery?

It is a different number. For students new to school you should either call you school and ask (it may not be available before the first day). If unavailable, you should go and get the card from your school sometime during the first week.

Thanks. Per our school, the schools records don't get set up for the next year until after July 1 and we are new. So, we will probably have to wait until school starts to get out cards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no school bus in DC. Instead, kids get to ride free for school. They used to be the DC One card then last year they switched to stand alone cards.

What I don’t understand is why we need whole new cards. They should have all the cards logged into a system (they are regular metro cards with ID numbers). Why don’t they just reaurhorize the same cards for another year? what are we supposed to do with the old cards? Obviously they have a cost since you need to pay $1-$2 for the card itself.

Riding free on bus or rail is a recent development; a Bowser initiative actually. Reduced fares on the bus were all that was available for years, then they added a subsidized Metro option ($30 a month when my now HS student was in MS).

As for why they don't reauthorize? Because this is how WMATA wants it done. It's not in DC's control.

They had subsided metro cards when I was a kid. $0.35 per ride. You had to go to Metro Center or an office in Friendship Heights to get them. This was late 80s/early 90s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no school bus in DC. Instead, kids get to ride free for school. They used to be the DC One card then last year they switched to stand alone cards.

What I don’t understand is why we need whole new cards. They should have all the cards logged into a system (they are regular metro cards with ID numbers). Why don’t they just reaurhorize the same cards for another year? what are we supposed to do with the old cards? Obviously they have a cost since you need to pay $1-$2 for the card itself.

Riding free on bus or rail is a recent development; a Bowser initiative actually. Reduced fares on the bus were all that was available for years, then they added a subsidized Metro option ($30 a month when my now HS student was in MS).

As for why they don't reauthorize? Because this is how WMATA wants it done. It's not in DC's control.

They had subsided metro cards when I was a kid. $0.35 per ride. You had to go to Metro Center or an office in Friendship Heights to get them. This was late 80s/early 90s.

And then that stopped. My kids started public school on 2004 and no Metro. Only bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no school bus in DC. Instead, kids get to ride free for school. They used to be the DC One card then last year they switched to stand alone cards.

What I don’t understand is why we need whole new cards. They should have all the cards logged into a system (they are regular metro cards with ID numbers). Why don’t they just reaurhorize the same cards for another year? what are we supposed to do with the old cards? Obviously they have a cost since you need to pay $1-$2 for the card itself.

How would they know who's card to reauthorize and whose to cancel?

The metro cards have ID numbers on them like all metro cards. A card would be associated with a student’s name. Would be easy with DCPS students, maybe charter. So when you go to renew and prove your are eligible for the next school year, WMATA would reload that card. Just like how smart benefits works- I don’t get a new card every month with that month’s metro fare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will be our 1st summer and school year needing one as our kid is just entering Kindergarten. Where do we find their student ID number? Is this the same number used for the lottery?

It is a different number. For students new to school you should either call you school and ask (it may not be available before the first day). If unavailable, you should go and get the card from your school sometime during the first week.

Thanks. Per our school, the schools records don't get set up for the next year until after July 1 and we are new. So, we will probably have to wait until school starts to get out cards.

FYI if your kid has not turned 5 yet, they can still ride free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if DC kids enrolled in MD privates are eligible?

Why would they be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if DC kids enrolled in MD privates are eligible?

Why would they be?

I'm the one who asked. DC could use it for transit from our home to our DC bus stop/pickup. I do pay taxes and all, but can understand if it's not possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s no school bus in DC. Instead, kids get to ride free for school. They used to be the DC One card then last year they switched to stand alone cards.

What I don’t understand is why we need whole new cards. They should have all the cards logged into a system (they are regular metro cards with ID numbers). Why don’t they just reaurhorize the same cards for another year? what are we supposed to do with the old cards? Obviously they have a cost since you need to pay $1-$2 for the card itself.

Riding free on bus or rail is a recent development; a Bowser initiative actually. Reduced fares on the bus were all that was available for years, then they added a subsidized Metro option ($30 a month when my now HS student was in MS).

As for why they don't reauthorize? Because this is how WMATA wants it done. It's not in DC's control.

They had subsided metro cards when I was a kid. $0.35 per ride. You had to go to Metro Center or an office in Friendship Heights to get them. This was late 80s/early 90s.

And then that stopped. My kids started public school on 2004 and no Metro. Only bus.

I graduated (DCPS) in 2001. We had the $20/month option for my latter two years of HS.

[Anonymous]

Cancelled!

https://ddot.dc.gov/page/school-transit-subsidy-program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cancelled!

https://ddot.dc.gov/page/school-transit-subsidy-program

Good! I hope it's an easy process at school unlike DC One.

[Anonymous]

This seems like it will be an easier way to get the cards to the kids. Thank you for posting, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cancelled!

https://ddot.dc.gov/page/school-transit-subsidy-program

Good! I hope it's an easy process at school unlike DC One.

I hope the schools come up with an orderly process to distribute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cancelled!

https://ddot.dc.gov/page/school-transit-subsidy-program

Good! I hope it's an easy process at school unlike DC One.

I hope the schools come up with an orderly process to distribute.

Are you entitled PP who's complaining that the system wasn't automatic?

Apparently the professional public servants at DDOT, OSSE, DCPS, DCPCSB, and Metro were a few steps ahead of you.

By the way, given all the angst over residency fraud, last minute enrollments, and waitlist movement, I'll be shocked if there aren't any distribution issues.

Besides, the current cards are good through September. It's not like there was any rush to begin with. Sheez.

There's no need to complain about everything. You're not the only tax-paying resident. And I doubt you're a transportation expert.

There are much bigger problems in public education.