Metro SmartTrip cards are on sale at the GW Bookstore and students will soon be able to reload the fare cards with Colonial Cash.

GW and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority began discussions to sell and replenish the cards at the bookstore last fall, striking an agreement this semester. Students are now able to buy the cards, but will not be able to refill their cards with the meal-plan money until WMATA supplies the equipment.

“The bookstore is waiting for the equipment to be delivered and installed by WMATA,” University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard said.

Sherrard said there is no timeline for when the equipment will arrive.

American University began selling SmarTrip cards at its bookstore in November. The University of Maryland also distributed 5,000 SmarTrip cards to incoming freshmen last fall, a Metro press release said.

Using a SmarTrip card rather than a paper farecard saves customers 25 cents per trip, and 20 cents per ride on a Metrobus. The cards can also be purchased online and from more than 300 retail outlets in the D.C. area, including CVS.

GW and WMATA are not discussing the option of making GWorld cards compatible with SmarTrip technology, Sherrard said.