Six suspected con artists have been arrested for their involvement in a counterfeit Metro fare card scheme. The suspects are accused of trading in counterfeit paper farecards to Metro farecare machines in order to receive legitimate ones, or adding the phony amounts to SmarTrip cards. The cards would then be resold, with the scammers earning at least $16,000. The six suspects were arrested in D.C. and Virgina stations including Judiciary Square, Union Station, Pentagon and…

WMATA has released a schedule for Independence Day — and it includes a change from what we first told you last week. Metro will open at 7 a.m. and close at 3 a.m. on Friday, July 4. This schedule is different from what was published on WMATA’s holiday schedule on their web site last week (it said it would close at midnight), but that schedule has since been updated. Keep in mind though that on…

Metro is celebrating National Dump the Pump Day, which is this Thursday, June 19, by giving away one $100 SmartTrip card to the lucky person who can guess how many people will use the Metrorail system that day. If you’ve got a guess, you can submit your number on Metro’s web site. Entries must be submitted before midnight on June 19. They’ve got a a handy chart posted if you’re completely in the dark…

The annual Andrews Air Force Base Joint Service Open House and Air Show starts today and runs through Sunday. Metro says they’re ready for the large crowds: they plan to use 190 free shuttle buses to ferry attendants to and from the base, which is closed to civilian automobile traffic. The shuttle buses will depart both from the Branch Avenue Metro station, and from FedEx Field. Of course, the big event coincides with ongoing switch…

MetroPerforms!, the city’s solution to the perceived scourge of subway busking, is once again seeking District of Columbia-based performers for a second year of the program, which hires local singers, dancers, musicians, poets and other performers to show off their talents at select Metro station entrances. Auditions will take place on May 2 and May 3 at Metro headquarters. Currently, auditions are only for those who want to perform in D.C. stations. Metro and the…

Metro says they will be ready for the 25,000 plus additional riders they expect when during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Washington this week. In addition to the usual “additional station managers on hand”, Metro will run trains at rush hour levels on Wednesday and Thursday between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. The renovated Navy Yard exit nearest to Nationals Park will also be converted to exit only before the papal mass on Thursday, and…

The Cherry Blossom parade will modify many downtown Metrobus routes this weekend. The parade starts this Saturday at 10 a.m. and marches on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th streets, and will force the 5A, 13, 32, 34, 35, 36, 52, 54, 66, 70, 80, P6, S2, S4 and V8 to alter their routes until about 1 p.m. If you plan on taking any of these buses tomorrow, you should expect delays. Metro also says…

You might be getting more red lights in your commute to work, but these you might actually appreciate. Metro has announced it will be installing red LED lamps at 16 more station platforms. The red lights apparently grab more passengers’ attention, according to Metro general manager John Catoe. “I’ve observed customers stop, and keep a safer distance from the edge of the platform, and that’s why we’re installing the new lights,” Catoe said in a…

Metro has announced several changes to Metrobus service that will go into effect on Sunday, March 23, including a new bus route to National Harbor called the NH1. It begins at the Southern Ave. Metro station, and runs every 20 minutes during rush hour and every 30 minutes during off-peak times. Buses will run between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week. There are also some route changes, mainly in the name…