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Arlington Transit began accepting Metro Lift benefits across all ART bus routes July 1, making it the first regional transit partner to join Metro’s reduced-fare program.

Metro Lift gives eligible low-income customers, including people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, a 50% discount on Metrobus and Metrorail fares. Its expansion to ART extends the benefit to Arlington’s local bus network.

“Metro Lift helps ensure that cost is not a barrier to accessing jobs, education, healthcare, and other destinations,” Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said.

The Arlington County Board approved the transition May 16. The county then ended its previous Low-Income Fare Program on June 30, one day before ART began recognizing Metro Lift benefits.

Arlington’s former program was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and relied on preloaded SmarTrip cards that were distributed manually. Moving to Metro Lift replaces that local system with an existing regional program.

“Metro Lift will allow us to provide eligible participants with travel options to help connect them to various opportunities throughout Arlington,” Arlington Transit Chief Pierre Hollman said.

Metro launched Metro Lift in 2023. According to the transit agency, 18,700 customers enrolled between the program’s launch and July 1, 2026. The supplied material does not provide an Arlington-specific enrollment count.

First-year projections

Metro estimates that ART’s participation will generate about 8,000 additional transit trips during the first year. The agency also projects that ART riders will collectively save approximately $21,000 in fares over that period.

Those figures are forecasts rather than measured results. Actual ridership and fare savings will become clearer after the program has operated on ART routes for a longer period.

Arlington County anticipates savings on its side as well. The county estimates that replacing its former program with Metro Lift will reduce administrative and operating costs by about $550,000 in fiscal 2027. That amount is also a projection and has not yet been realized.

The shift supports DMVMoves, a regional initiative intended to improve transit connectivity and integration across the Washington metropolitan area. By adopting the same reduced-fare program used by Metro, Arlington is tying its local bus service more closely to a broader regional benefit.

“Arlington is proud to be the first regional partner to adopt Metro Lift,” Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said.

ART’s participation marks the first expansion of Metro Lift to one of Metro’s regional transit partners. For qualifying passengers who use both ART and Metro, the change makes the same reduced-fare benefit available across more portions of a trip while ending Arlington’s separate card-distribution system.