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Home > DFD > Info

Instructions for Receiving Electronic Benefits

If you enrolled, and you submitted a claim then your benefits will be loaded directly to your card.  To verify your SmartBenefits status and your claim history, see your status page at: https://mtbp.whs.mil/Participant/Status.aspx . The claim history is at the bottom of the page. 

Riders of Vanpools, MARC, VRE, MTA commuter busses, Quicks Bus, and other modes of transit that do not have SmarTrip card readers have an additional allocation step to move the benefits from their SmarTrip cards to their transit vendor.  See below for details.

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CLAIM PROCESS

In the past, paper fare media was issued in person.  You were required to wait in line, show someone your CAC card and then sign a certification before you claimed your paper fare media.  This is an internal control that ensures you are still employed by DOD and are eligible to receive benefits.

Now, you will make a monthly claim electronically from your desk using your CAC. The process takes about 3 minutes to complete. You will receive email reminders during the claim period.  Failure to submit a claim will result is skipping a month of benefits. https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim

The claim periods are as follows:

Claim Period--->Benefit Period

October 1-15--->November
November 1-15-->December
December 1-15-->January
January 1-15--->February
February 1-15-->March
March 1-15----->April
April 1-15----->May
May 1-15------->June
June 1-15------>July
July 1-15------>August
August 1-15---->September
September 1-15->October

 

Benefit Delivery for Metro Rail, Metro Bus, DC Circulator, PTRC – OMNI, ART, DASH, CUE Bus System, FAIRFAX Connector, The Bus, Loudoun Commuter Bus, Montgomery County Ride On and REX. (Transit Authorities with SmarTrip targets/readers installed)

1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)

2. On the first workday of the benefits period, Benefits will be applied directly to your SmarTrip card the first time your tap your card to a Metro Rail faregaet (entry turnstile) or Bus SmarTrip Card target.  (*)(**)

When you tap your card on the target for the first time during the benefit period, the transit benefit balance displayed on the screen at the Metro faregate or Bus farebox will be your full monthly benefit amount.  As you ride during the month, you will be using your benefit as you commute on mass transit. 

Metro allows your employer to separate benefits from personal funds on your card by providing separate "purses" on the card (see below for more information on purses).  Your transit benefits are stored on a transit benefit purse on the card.  Any personal funds you have on the card are still there, but in a separate personal stored value Purse" on your card. 

*.SmarTrip card must have a history of use and a positive personal balance in order to load benefits.  You do not need to spend personal funds to establish a history of use.  You can tap your card on a “farecards and passes” machine along the walls of a Metro station at any point in the 3 weeks prior to benefits loading.  After tapping your card, you will see your personal balance.  Hit “press for cancel” and you are done. 

**If a history is not established in the 3 weeks prior to benefits loading, benefits will still load, but they may take 3 to 5 days after first use to establish a history and start working.

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Your SmarTrip card has 2 electronic "purses"

(1)Transit Benefit Purse

  • DoD assigns authorized Mass Transit Benefit
  • Funds from this purse are used first when riding Mass Transit during the benefit period
  • View Balance at Faregate, Bus Farebox, or Online
  • Unused benefits do not roll over to the next benefit period.
  • Can NOT be used for Parking
  • Can NOT be transferred to your personal stored value Purse
  • Holds up to your certified commuting cost not to exceed the federal maximum of $125 per month.

(2)Personal Stored Value Purse

  • Personal funds added at Metro Fare Card Kiosks or Online
  • View Balance at the Metro Fare Card kiosks, Parking Target, or Online
  • Will be used pay for Parking at a Metro lot
  • Can not be transferred to Transit Benefit Purse
  • Your personal funds do not expire will remain on the card until used.
  • Holds up to $300 of personal funds

Troubleshooting Checklist

  1. Verify that you submitted a claim and are using the same SmarTrip card that you registered for beneifts.
  2. SmarTrip card must have a history of use and a positive personal balance in order to load benefits.  You do not need to spend personal funds to establish a history of use.  You can tap your card on a “farecards and passes” machine along the walls of a Metro station at any point in the 3 weeks prior to benefits loading.  After tapping your card, you will see your personal balance.  Hit “press for cancel” and you are done.
    **If a history is not established in the 3 weeks prior to benefits loading, benefits will still load, but they may take 3 to 5 days after first use to establish a history and start working.

    Contact the MTBP Program office at 571-256-0962

Further Troubleshooting

In a Metro Station, walk over to the Metro Fare Cards and Passes machine along the wall and tap your card.

A. This Machine only displays your personal funds on the card. Verify that the Personal Balance is not negative ($0 or above). If the balance is negative, add funds to make it a positive balance.

Note: The $ amount displayed at the Fare Cards and Passes machine is your PERSONAL purse funds only.

B. Walk over to the Metro entry faregate, tap your card and enter the station platform

  • Note the $ amount displayed on the entry faregate (this will display the benefit purse on your card)
  • Was this amount displayed at the faregate/turnstile different than your personal balance checked earlier at the farecards and passes machine?

i. If Yes, your benefits are working fine, you can exit the platform.

ii. If No, your card is still pulling from the personal purse. The reason may be that your card has needs to establish a history of use on the Metro system.

These steps should also work on a bus; however, we have had reports from riders of PRTC and Fairfax Connector that the benefits are not loading on their bus properly. Metro is working to get these issues resolved; the steps above will get the benefits onto your card and will work on the buses afterwards.

C. Tap your card to exit a station platform

***If you do not exit, your card will stop working and you will have to see a Metro station attendant to reset the card. 

To have full visibility of both your transit benefit and personal balances on your SmarTrip card, it is highly recommended that you establish a SmarTrip Online Account with WMATA at https://SmarTrip.wmata.com/Account/AccountLogin.aspx .

The MTBP program office does not have access to user names or passwords on this site. Questions regarding Metro SmarTrip user accounts should be directed to WMATA/Metro

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Benefit Delivery for Vanpools, VRE, MARC, National Coach Works/ MARTZ, Quicks Bus, Metro Access, Dillon Bus, Keller Bus , EYRE Bus, and AMTRAK.

These transit authorities accept SmartBenefits, but do not have SmarTripR card readers installed for direct use. 

The allocation only needs to be set once.  Any future claims you submit will continue be directed from your card to your assigned 3rd party vendor.  Allocations must be set in the month prior to the benefit delivery.  Benefits cannot be moved from the card to a 3rd party company within a current month. Allocations for MARC, VRE, Dillion, Keller, and Eyre must be set up by the 15th of the month prior to benefit delivery.

 

Riders of VRE and MARC

  1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)
  2. Create an account with CommuterDirect.com to move your benefit, or a portion of your benefit from your card to Commuter Direct each month. (you only do this step once). Deadline 15th of the month prior to benefit delivery
  3. Select the light bulb icon “SmartBenefits” and follow the on screen instructions.
  4. Receive your pass in the mail each month or arrange to pick it up at a commuter store location.

Contact: CommuterDirect.com 703-228-7433 or questions@CommuterDirect.com

 

Riders of Vanpools

  1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)
  2. Establish a passenger allocation account with Metro to move your benefit from your card to your vanpool provider each month   (you only do this step once)

  • Follow instructions for “Vanpool & Transit Services Passengers”

  • Ask you Vanpool provider for specific information to identify your Vanpool in the allocation. 
  • Benefits will be delivered directly to the Vanpool’s account on the first of the month. 

Contact: SmarTrip Customer Service 888-762-7874 or smartrip@wmata.com      

 

Riders of MTA Commuter Buses: Dillon Bus, Keller Bus, EYRE Bus

  1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)
  2. Establish a passenger allocation account with Metro to move your benefit, or a portion of your benefit from your card to the MTA web store each month (you only do this step once) . Deadline 15th of the month prior to benefit delivery. Instructions are available at : http://mta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/SmartBenefits_Ref_Guide_MTA_Commuter_Buses.pdf
  3. Buy a pass using your benefits on MTA web store (you do this each month)
  • Find your Pass in the listing and add your pass to the cart
  • Under “Add SmartBenefits to your Order” Provide your 9 digit SmarTrip card number, your benefit amount allocated and click add to order
  • If the price of the pass equals the amount you allocated, you should see a zero balance in the subtotal.  If you are allocating less than the full ticket price, you should see the difference in cost listed in the subtotal.  Click “Checkout” 
  • Free shipping.  Must be done by the 25th of each month.  

Contact: MTA Web Store at 410-454-7973 or transitstore@mta.maryland.gov

 

Riders of Martz Group/National Coach

  1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)
  2. Establish a passenger allocation account with Metro to move your benefit, or a portion of your benefit from your card to Martz Group/National Coach each month   (you only do this step once)

    • Follow instructions for “Vanpool & Transit Services Passengers”

    Select "National Coach Works/Martz Bus" as your provider
  4. Pick up your pass from the conductor on the first of every month

Contact: Martz Group 866-466-2789

 

Riders of Quicks Bus

  1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)
  2. Establish a passenger allocation account with Metro to move your benefit, or a portion of your benefit from your card to D&B Bus Inc./Quick's Commuter each month   (you only do this step once)

  • Follow instructions for “Vanpool & Transit Services Passengers”

  • Listed as D&B Bus Inc./Quick's Commuter
  • Pick up your pass from the conductor every month

Contact: Quicks Bus 800-786-4192

 

Riders of Metro Access

  1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)
  2. Read the SmartBenefits Metro Access Customer Allocation reference Guide:http://www.wmata.com/pdfs/business/smartbenefits%20takeone.pdf
  3. Set-up or log on to your SmartBenefits® Passenger Allocation Account
  4. Manage your SmartBenefits® utilizing MetroAccess EZ-Pay.

 

Riders of AMTRAK

  1. Submit a claim - https://mtbp.whs.mil/claim this makes benefits available to your SmarTrip card (you do this each month)
  2. Contact the MTBP program office at 571-256-0962 or Transitpass@whs.mil

 

Questions? 
Visit our FAQ : http://www.whs.mil/dfD/PSD%20Services/FAQs.cfm
Transitpass@whs.mil or 571-256-0962

 
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