SmartBenefit Changes Postponed by Metro

According to Dr. Gridlock, "The changes that would have affected transit benefits for many thousands of riders will be delayed for a year, according to Metro officials.

"The revisions, which caused widespread confusion among riders and among the employers responsible for administering the benefits, were to take effect in January. Metro General Manager John B. Catoe Jr. had signaled that the transit authority was rethinking whether to go ahead.

"During an online chat Nov. 6 on Metro's Web site, he said: 'Over the past couple of weeks, we have heard a lot of comments from customers about this change in SmartBenefits. I've decided that we need to rethink the changes that we are making.'

"The transit authority said the changes were necessary to comply with IRS guidelines."

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.