On Wednesday (March 19), the Metropolitan Transportation Authority made the announcement that transit riders in New York City were expecting the agency would end sales of the MetroCard at the end of the year. All stations would stop selling the MetroCard on Dec. 31, in conjunction with the stoppage of sales in retail locations and bodegas around the city. The OMNY tap-and-go system would then be the only one in use throughout the five boroughs.
“After 32 years, it’s time to say goodbye to the MetroCard and go all in on the fare payment system of the future,” said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber in the statement, adding that the move to OMNY “also opens the door for new discounts and promotions that’ll put money back in riders’ pockets.” OMNY, which was created by the Cubic company with the MTA as a result of their $573 million deal in 2017, had a slow installation and roll-out in 2019 exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first wave of OMNY vending machines encountering manufacturing issues also delayed the MTA’s planned phaseout of the MetroCard by two years.
OMNY users can purchase a card for $1 at participating retailers and load up with an online account or at OMNY vending machines. They can also use digital wallets on their smartphones and watches to pay the fare. In an interview with Gothamist, MTA spokesperson Joana Flores said that the end date for the MetroCard aligns with the agency’s plan to have at least one OMNY vending machine in all 472 subway stations by the fall.
The MTA encourages riders to spend down their remaining MetroCard balances, but they can use existing balances to pay fares on buses and subway trains until the end of 2026. The change is expected to save the MTA $20 million annually. Those wondering about the discounts they currently have with 30-day MetroCards may see that vanish as well – there is no option for that with OMNY, and a potential fare hike by the MTA later this year could prohibit that from being implemented.
