This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Julie Alderman.
Metro riders will need to have at least $1.20 on their SmarTrips before entering a station starting Saturday.
Passengers will no longer be able to hit negative balances but can receive $3 rebates on their SmarTrip purchases after registering the card online.
Seniors and individuals with disabilities must have a minimum of $0.35 loaded. Paper fare cards already have minimum balance requirements.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority installed SmarTrip machines at 47 Metro stations, including Foggy Bottom, as part of a plan to discourage the use of paper fare cards, according to a WMATA press release. All 86 stations will have the machines by November.
