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Slowly but surely Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority service is returning to pre-Sept. 11 status. The latest evidence: The Pentagon Sales office, which WMATA operates for U.S. Department of Defense employees, is scheduled to reopen Oct. 23.



The office, which has been closed since the attack on the Pentagon, is WMATA’s second-busiest sales office, providing a convenient location for DOD employees to purchase fare media including SmarTrip cards, and weekly and monthly rail passes.



Employees also may exchange for fare media their Metrocheks, a monthly $65 transit benefit provided by employers. As of January, the benefit will increase to $100 monthly.



Although the Pentagon office has been closed a little more than a month, WMATA reached a new sales milestone by selling more than 200,000 SmarTrip cards. The plastic, smart cards debuted in May 1999 and may be used to pay for riding Metrorail or Metrobus, or for parking in WMATA lots and garages.