WMATA launches open payment system with Littlepay, Cubic and STraffic

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA, Metro) has launched a new, faster, and easier way to pay fares called “Tap. Ride. Go.” Customers can now simply tap a contactless credit or debit card with the contactless or mobile wallet/smartwatch virtual cards on rail station fare gates to pay for fares. SmarTrip cards (physical and mobile) will continue to be an option to pay for fares and parking.

Metro has been working on the “Tap. Ride. Go.” program since late last year. “Tap. Ride. Go.” will be available for use on Metrobuses and at Metro parking facilities in the future. Free transfers from rail to bus will not be available until “Tap. Ride. Go.” launches on Metrobus fareboxes in the future.

The new way to pay will greatly benefit tourists and occasional customers who want to avoid fare machines and SmarTrip cards altogether. Any customer can use their contactless credit or debit card to pay at the fare gates, however those who have fare discounts or SmartBenefits will still have to use their designated SmarTrip cards. The customers can simply tap in at a faregate with a contactless credit or debit card and tap out with the same card to pay for their fares. Customers must use the same card to tap in and tap out of the system. Each customer needs their own card. The same card cannot be used for multiple people on the same trip.

“Tap. Ride. Go.” was launched with help from contractors Littlepay (software overlay), Cubic (tap target readers), STraffic (faregates). Metro’s premier credit and debit card partners, Mastercard and FutureCard, helped launch and promote “Tap. Ride. Go.”

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) on June 24 reported the 13 North American organizations and leaders earning its annual awards for “vision, leadership and commitment to public transportation,” plus the induction of six new members into the APTA Hall of Fame.

The 2025 APTA Awards recognize organizations and transit leaders “who have demonstrated significant leadership, are outstanding role models of excellence, and whose accomplishments and innovations have greatly advanced public transportation,” according to the association.

And the honorees are:

ORGANIZATION AWARDS

Outstanding Public Transportation System:

• Monterey-Salinas Transit, Monterey, Calif.–3 million or fewer annual passenger trips.
• Metropolitan Regional Transit Authority, Akron, Ohio–More than 3 million but fewer than 15 million annual passenger trips.
• Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Salt Lake City, Utah–More than 15 million but fewer than 50 million annual passenger trips. “This achievement is shared by each employee, our customers, our partners, our contractors, and our supporters and taxpayer investors in this innovative state, who recognize the investment and value of having a world-class regional transportation system,” said UTA Executive Director Jay Fox in a statement. “To be recognized for UTA’s resilience and growth in service and ridership is something the whole state can be proud of.”
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Washington, D.C.–50 million or more annual passenger trips.

Outstanding Partnership in Public Transportation:

• WMATA, Washington, D.C; Kimley-Horn and Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning.

INNOVATION AWARDS

• Oklahoma Transit Association, Oklahoma City, Okla.
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York, N.Y.
• Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet), Portland, Ore.
• Sound Transit, Seattle, Wash.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Distinguished Service:

• Matthew Welbes, Executive Director, Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Chief Executive Officer:

• Kenneth A. McDonald, Long Beach Transit, Long Beach, Calif.

Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member:

• David M. Stackrow, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, N.Y.

Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member:

• Francis “Buddy Coleman,” Chief Customer Officer and Principal, Clever Devices, Woodbury, N.Y.

HALL OF FAME

• Frank DiGiacomo, Torrence, Calif. (posthumous).
• Mark Donaghy, Petersburg, Ky.
• Jeanne Krieg, Antioch, Calif.
• Feysan Lodde, Dallas, Texas.
• William R. Mooney III, Chicago, Ill. (posthumous).
• Peter Varga, Grand Rapids, Mich.

“It is my honor to congratulate the winners of the 2025 APTA Awards and the Hall of Fame inductees for their dedication to advancing the future of public transportation, creating vital connections between communities, and driving innovation,” said MJ Maynard-Carey, APTA Board Chair and CEO, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.

“The achievements and legacies of our awardees inspire us all to continue striving for excellence in our industry and to making a lasting impact on the lives of countless individuals,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “Congratulations to all who have been recognized for their accomplishments and for making positive impacts in their communities and our industry.”

The 2025 APTA Awards will be presented at TRANSform, Sept. 14-17 in Boston, Mass.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) entire rail system is now utilizing automatic train operation (ATO) after being rolled out on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. ATO launched on the Red Line six months ago.  

This development marks the first full return to ATO since 2009. The full rollout followed internal training and testing and concurrence from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. Since the December 2024 implementation, WMATA says there have been no safety issues or red signal violations for trains operating in ATO. 

“This is a major milestone for [WMATA], and it has been a long time coming. I want to thank the team for their dedication and commitment to making this happen,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. “This is a win for customers and staff who will experience safer, more reliable rides. Meanwhile, [WMATA] is saving money as ATO is more cost efficient.”  

Along with the return to ATO, WMATA is also returning to the original speed of the system, up to 75 mph. Several outer portions of the Blue, Orange and Silver lines will see speed increases from 55 mph to 65 or 75 mph in some stretches.  

Starting June 22, WMATA says it will reduce end-to-end travel times by about three minutes on all three lines. The Yellow and Green lines, which began using ATO in May, will also see decreased travel times of one to two minutes.  

Based on analysis of several months of successful ATO operation in passenger service, WMATA notes end-to-end Red Line travel times have been reduced by a total of eight minutes. The agency says it is continuously monitoring the performance of ATO, and additional time savings on the Blue, Orange, Silver, Yellow and Green lines may be incorporated later this year. 

"[WMATA’s] full restoration of automatic train operations after 16 years is a transformative achievement," said WMATA Board Chair Valerie Santos. "This advancement drives critical improvements in operations, efficiency, system safety, and the customer experience. It positions [WMATA] firmly on the path to delivering the world-class transit system our region demands. The board is unwavering in its commitment to advancing every improvement that elevates [WMATA’s] safety, service and performance."