Ticket-By-Mail

Don't Panic....yet.

I have investigated this CommuterDirect thingy and appears to be workable. As Michelle said earlier in comment, it will be a drastic change, and some of us may not be able to take advantage of it. The following is an English translation of the description of the service from the "info" page of CommuterDirect.Com. For those who enjoy reading this masterpiece in the original MARC-ese please link to https://www.commuterpage.com/smartbenefits.cfm.

The easiest thing is to enroll in the SmartTrip program. Yes, this is the same program METRO operates. Sign up using the link at the bottom of the page linked above.

To get your employer-sponsored transit subsidy you have to provide them with your SmartBenefits account number. Your employer will then deposit your subsidy into that account. You can use some or all of it to but your Marc Monthly pass and other stuff to be mailed to you. Just like on-line bill payments and on-line shopping that keep my marriage from ending in a "bitter divorce" every year.

Those of us whose employers are of the "what-will-they-want-next-free-coffee-and-donuts-every-morning" attitude toward transit benefits can still purchase the monthly pass via CommuterDirect and have it delivered by mail.

I'll let you know more about this next week when I sign up for an account.