InfosnackHQ found another interesting tidbit buried in WMATAland: they’re investigating embedding SmarTrips in driver’s licenses,

student IDs, library cards and more. InfosnackHQ points out that SmarTrips break a lot, and it’s easier to replace one than replace a driver’s license. I assume that this will be optional (otherwise it raises privacy issues), but basically giving everyone a SmartTrip when they move to DC makes sense.

Will the technology work properly if someone beeps their wallet to the sensor with an unused SmarTrip inside their license and a SmarTrip with money next to it in the wallet? There are lots of details yet to be learned by us and by WMATA I’m sure.

Update: Current DC plans call for this to apply to library cards and student IDs but not driver’s licenses.

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Tagged: technology, transit, wmata

David Alpert created Greater Greater Washington in 2008 and was its executive director until 2020. He formerly worked in tech and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco Bay, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He lives with his wife and two children in Dupont Circle.