Back to school is going to be different for the city’s student commuters this year. For the first time, they’ll be tapping into the transit system with new Student OMNY cards, instead of swiping MetroCards.
In a major change, Student OMNY cards will now be valid 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, with up to four free rides a day – up from three with the old Student MetroCards.
I was happy to join Mayor Adams, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and NYC Public Schools staff to introduce the new cards in an event at Transit Tech High School in East New York. It was gratifying to hear students there talk about how they plan to tap in to ride—to athletic events, after-school programs, and other destinations, including evenings and weekends. Not only are we delivering convenience, but there will also be transit savings that make school events significantly more affordable.
We made those changes in close consultation with our partners in the education system, based on recommendations from students themselves. That’s how we build a culture where everyone knows the importance of contributing their fair share.
The old Student MetroCard program was complicated for both MTA and NYC Public Schools to administer, and for students to use. It was hard to keep track of when they were valid – only between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on days when the student’s school was open for class – which left students on the hook for transit costs when participating in sports and other extra curriculars in the evening or those doing summer internships.
With OMNY, it’s much easier for everyone to manage and for students to learn good habits about fare payment. Wherever they need to go – whether it’s on the subway, local, limited or Select buses, Staten Island Railway, the Roosevelt Island Tram, or even the Hudson Rail Link – they can just tap in, even during vacations.
We want everyone to be able to use mass transit with the same convenience. The systemwide transition away from the MetroCard is well underway.
More than half of all customers are already tapping to pay, and the OMNY market share rises to 78% for full-fare subway rides. There have been more than 1.7 billion taps to date, and we’ve launched pilots for Reduced Fare Customers and select paratransit customers, pre-tax commuter benefit customers and Fair Fares customers, with a wider rollout to those groups coming later this year. Next up is a virtual OMNY card, so eventually students will have the option to use their smartphones to tap and pay.
It’s part of the general drive at NYC Transit to promote customer satisfaction, wherever, whenever, and however possible.
Demetrius Crichlow is acting MTA New York City Transit president.
