Facing a nearly $300 million budget gap, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will close most in-person sales offices effective Tuesday, Nov. 15. The move is part of a series of internal actions WMATA is taking to reduce expenses and minimize the impact of possible fare increases and service reductions next year.

Four Metro sales offices — located at Metro Center, Pentagon, Anacostia and Northern Bus Garage — will be closed. On average, each of the four offices handles fewer than 200 transactions per day.      

WMATA estimates that only 0.03% (three hundredths of a percent) of riders will be impacted by the closures, because the overwhelming majority of sales transactions can be performed at station fare vending machines, online, regional commuter stores, or at retail outlets, including CVS and Giant stores.

In recent years, WMATA sales offices have seen a significant decline in usage while their cost to operate has increased.