Georgetown University will expand its Hoya Transit Program, according to a school-wide email from the Office of Transportation Management and Office of Sustainability. Starting Aug. 24, the Hoya Transit Program will include three components: SmartBenefits for Students, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) U-Pass pilot program, and Uber Overnight.
WMATA SmartBenefits, previously referred to as the Hoya Transit Program, will expand to serve 5,000 students compared to the previous enrollment cap of 3,200 students. Full-time undergraduate, graduate and professional students from all campuses may apply to a lottery drawing to receive a $50 monthly Metro credit for each of the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters.
The U-Pass program provides unlimited metro and bus access on the WMATA system to eligible students from Aug. 26 to Dec. 19. Students living on the Capitol Campus through programs such as the joint public policy program, BS in Environment & Sustainability, and the Capitol Applied Learning Labs program will automatically gain access to the program.
Eligible students for the U-Pass program will receive a separate WMATA card at the Capitol Campus orientation on Aug. 24, and should not apply for WMATA SmartBenefits, according to an email sent to eligible Capitol Campus students.
Uber Overnight is a new initiative that will operate as an additional Safe Ride feature. The program will provide daily point-to-point rides between the Hilltop and Capitol Campuses, from midnight to 6 a.m. while Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS) buses are not operating. More information will be posted on the Hoya Transit Program website at the start of the Fall 2026 semester.
Georgetown’s U-Pass pilot program comes after months of negotiations that began in February 2026 after WMATA shifted from a universal model that requires 100% of the student body to have a U-Pass to an “opt-in” model with lesser participation requirements. The pilot program was created in collaboration with the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA), and is a result of a multiyear analysis of ridership data and program feedback.
The pilot program operates under the “opt-in” model, where the university pays $1.75 per day for each student participating. Other D.C. universities and campuses like American University and George Washington University participate in the universal U-Pass program.
Ignacio Loaiza Sandoval (CAS ʼ28), the GUSA executive’s chief of staff, said the program aims to support accessible and sustainable transportation throughout D.C., and to possibly inform the university’s future transit program offerings.
If Georgetown were to adopt a universal U-Pass model, the university would pay $1 per day per student with 100% of students participating. Instead, the $50 monthly credit for SmartBenefits can cost the university up to $50 per student per month, but the university only has to pay the amount that participants spend, according to Loaiza Sandoval.
“A blanket 100% everybody U-Pass would be incredibly expensive,” Loaiza Sandoval said. “This is a smaller way for them to see what the appetite is for the program.”
The new program will benefit students who commute to internships, helping them save on transportation costs, which could make internships more accessible to students, according to Loaiza Sandoval.
Students will also have easier access to the greater D.C. neighborhoods, making it possible to better engage with the city’s resources.
“It helps us be better neighbors, better residents of the district we live in,” Loaiza Sandoval said. “I know we constantly talk about the Georgetown bubble, and if this helps people want to get off campus more often to explore, to contribute to DC in a meaningful way, that’s always positive.”
Students who are interested in participating in the WMATA SmartBenefits for Students program for the Fall 2026 semester should complete the participation request form no later than 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 26.
