An online tool for users to add funds to SmarTrip cards online will launch within the next month, a spokesman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said June 9.

The agency will randomly select 5,000 SmarTrip users to participate in a pilot program to test the payment upload system within the next month, Dan Stessel, chief spokesperson for Metro, said. Users can use credit or debit cards to add cash online.

After funds are added online, the SmarTrip card must be tapped at fare gates or fare vending machines to complete the transaction.

“Adding value to SmarTrip online has been a customer request for some time now, which has led us to launch a pilot program to test this option,” Stessel said.

Stessel said Metro plans to test the pilot program in an undetermined time frame before opening up the option to all SmarTrip users.

“Our hope is that the pilot goes smoothly, and we can soon introduce the system to all our riders,” Stessel said.