WMATA Police to begin stopping students without valid DC One cards and deny them entry

[Anonymous]

From an email from DCPS today. WTF? Will they be pulling 11 year olds off the Deal bus?

"WMATA staff and Metro Transit Police will be increasing their presence at Metro stations and along bus routes to ensure students are tapping their DC One Cards to gain entry to Metrorail, Metrobus, and DC Circulator buses. After September 29, students who do not have an active DC One Card with the Kids Ride Free Pass loaded, will not be allowed through the station or on to the bus to get to and from school or to go on school field trips. This could potentially cause an increase in tardies and/or absences at your school."

Please reach out to [e-mail] if you have any questions about the report or the Kids Ride Free

[Anonymous]

Just go to a station and activate your kids' DC One cards. It's a little time consuming but not that hard.

The City owes WMATA for the fares of our kids. There is money is the city budget to pay. But if the students' don't swipe their cards, DC doesn't pay and WMATA doesn't get money.

It's stealing.

[Anonymous]

I've heard stories about the horrible behavior of some boys on the bus coming home from school. I understand there was an MPD officer on the bus today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard stories about the horrible behavior of some boys on the bus coming home from school. I understand there was an MPD officer on the bus today.

And some who are causing trouble (major or minor) don't like swiping their cards because it leaves a record exactly who entered the system when.

[Anonymous]

They did a pilot of this at Gallery Place and Takoma last spring - installed locks on the gates that people use to avoid the turnstiles.

It wasn't a big deal -- the students using those stations got their cards working within a couple days.

I don't know if they piloted this on any bus lines or not.

[Anonymous]

Good. Free rides are a wonderful privilege for students. There have been some horrible youth crimes on public transport, often against Other kids. Maintaining order protects your law abiding child. Just follow the law.

[Anonymous]

Yes they should do this - the students who are riding to and from school should be responsible enough to keep track of and properly use the card - it is a really nice benefit but asking beneficiaries to follow the rules seems like a completely reasonable request.

I don't understand what the basic issue Wilson students have with using the DC One Card but lots of them just walk around the fare gates coming and going to school every day at the Tenleytown Metro. I've seen groups of 15-20 kids get off a train and all just walk through the unlocked gate like the rules of the world don't matter to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes they should do this - the students who are riding to and from school should be responsible enough to keep track of and properly use the card - it is a really nice benefit but asking beneficiaries to follow the rules seems like a completely reasonable request.

I don't understand what the basic issue Wilson students have with using the DC One Card but lots of them just walk around the fare gates coming and going to school every day at the Tenleytown Metro. I've seen groups of 15-20 kids get off a train and all just walk through the unlocked gate like the rules of the world don't matter to them.

Just preparing for later life.

[Anonymous]

If the city was paying for you to use the transportation system for free don't you think you would make the effort to validate the card and use it? There is no reason an 11 year old should not be able to manage this every day.

[Anonymous]

They should be drug tested

[Anonymous]

Good. They need to learn that laws apply to them, too.

[Anonymous]

All of these posts are in left-field. The blame is DCPS and their delinquency in getting DC1 cards back to the schools when sent for processing. We are in our 5th week of school and it takes 3 business days to process cards. Do the math with over 10,000 kids eligible...DCPS will never catch-up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of these posts are in left-field. The blame is DCPS and their delinquency in getting DC1 cards back to the schools when sent for processing. We are in our 5th week of school and it takes 3 business days to process cards. Do the math with over 10,000 kids eligible...DCPS will never catch-up

Then DCPS needs to get it together. Three days isn't bad to coordinate multiple agencies (school and OCTO and DOT).

[Anonymous]

The cards from last year don't need to be sent anywhere to be activated. Schools can do it online without needing to even see the card or talk to a student - all they do is verify that the student is still enrolled.

Only new and replacement cards take three days.

There are 2 weeks until the deadline. Contact your principal if the school staff is making excuses.

[Anonymous]

If a child is old enough to ride metro alone I think they are old enough to carry a free card. If they lose it - which some will- I imagine they will be resourceful enough to explain their situation to the turnstile officials and get a pass through. The city should endeavor to quickly replace lost cards.