ONTARIO, Calif. – While the IRS is handing out advanced tax refund checks, the CO-OP Network is offering members more surcharge-free ATMs. Through an agreement with St. Paul, Minnesota-based Access Cash International, Inc., a provider of self-service financial products, CO-OP Network's nine million cardholders now have 12,000 surcharge-free ATMs in 49 states and Canada at their disposal. According to CO-OP President/CEO Robert Rose, everyone benefits – his company has an exclusive network agreement and the projected initial monthly transaction volume is expected to increase by at least 100,000. Access Cash will have more cardholders using their machines and members gain access to more surcharge-free ATMs in drugstores, convenience stores and mass merchandiser chains. As an equity owner in Star, MoneyQuik and Card Alert Services, CO-OP began implementing its strategy of expansion with such successful acquisitions as CU Access, CU Link, Quantum, CU Services, Inc. and Midwest ATM Company. While it seems this recent move is a departure from the company's recent acquisition strategy Rose maintains it is still in keeping with his vision of offering services across the nation. "This step is a major enhancement and fits right into our game plan to become a national network," said Rose. "First of all it is an opportunity to establish our national foot print and more importantly it is increasing our members' surcharge-free access." The agreement introduces CO-OP Network ATMs in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alabama, Vermont, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. At least 6,500 of the ATMs will display the CO-OP logo and in the future some will be converted from cash-only ATMs into full-service deposit-taking ATMs. CO-OP also has plans to sell co-branding ATM options to member credit unions. [email protected]