Metro General Manager Richard Sarles is working on a plan to phase out SmarTrip cards, according to WTOP.

Instead of using SmarTrip cards, Sarles told audience members at George Washington University yesterday, passengers would pay directly at turnstiles with their phones or credit cards.

“The key thing is you would no longer have to stop at a fare vending machine,” Sarles said. He wants to introduce a pilot program for the phone and credit card payments in a few months.

Update, 11:30 a.m.: While WTOP describes Sarles’ plan as one to “phase out” the card, Metro says the SmarTrip will remain as part of the system.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery