OMNY Implementation/Metro-Card Retirement Discussion Thread

[mikecintel]

55 minutes ago, TrainGamingKing9928 said:

Looks like student OMNY cards are finally a thing.

 

Yes finally it is here!  Here is more info:

https://www.6sqft.com/new-student-omny-cards-expand-free-rides-to-24-hours-a-day/

New Student OMNY cards expand free rides to 24 hours a day

Taking public transportation will soon be easier for New York City public school students. City officials on Tuesday announced Student OMNY cards will replace MetroCards, allowing for tap-and-go trips on the subway and bus. Plus, the new cards will be valid for four free rides per day, 24 hours a day, all year long. Previously, student MetroCards were limited to three free rides a day, from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and only on days when school was open.

“These expanded student OMNY cards are a gamechanger for families across New York City, particularly for working-class families that need just a little more help to afford our city — families where older siblings pick their younger brothers and sisters up from school, or where kids have after-school and summer jobs to help make ends meet,” Mayor Eric Adams said.

Students can use the OMNY cards on the subway, local, limited, and select buses, the Staten Island Railway, the Roosevelt Island Tram, and the Hudson Rail link. It also includes free transfers from one service to another.

Schools will distribute the cards to students at the start of this upcoming school year. Students will also receive promotional flyers detailing the benefits of the program. The MTA and public school system will work together to track and further promote card usage across the five boroughs.

The MTA plans to incorporate student OMNY cards into phones by next year, allowing students to add OMNY cards to digital wallets and use mobile devices to tap and go.

“Providing students with tools to use public transit seamlessly teaches them that the system is easy, efficient, and cost effective,” MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara said. “New York City students have busy schedules and we’re making it as easy as possible for them to navigate their schoolwork and activities with more rides all year round.”

Eligibility for student fare cards depends on the student’s grade level, walking distance between home and school, and other factors like medical conditions, housing status, and safety. More about transportation eligibility can be found here.

The expansion of student OMNY cards builds upon Adams’ broader effort to make public transit access more accessible and affordable. Earlier this month, an additional $10.7 million in funding was set aside in the fiscal year 2025 budget for the Fair Fares program, increasing the program’s eligibility from 120 percent to 145 percent of the federal poverty level.

Up Next is the Physical Reduce Fare OMNY cards!

Edited July 25 by mikecintel

[mikecintel]

Sorry Dup post.

Edited July 25 by mikecintel

[7-express]

MTA press release and Chalkbeat article on the new student OMNY cards:

https://new.mta.info/press-release/mta-mayor-adams-and-chancellor-banks-announce-new-student-omny-cards-have-expanded

https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/07/25/nyc-schools-offer-free-student-omny-cards-for-subway-bus-transporation/

[mikecintel]

Now that I am home from work.  I have the time to read the article and wow what a major difference when I went to school in the late 80's to the 90's where we had to get paper cards for buses and every month we have to get new cards.  Then Metro Card came out and there was restrictions of the time when you can use it.  WOW fast forward 37 years later and now you have FREE OMNY cards without any restrictions to ride the subway or bus and you it is 24/7.  You get ONLY 4 rides per day which translate to $11.60 a day. Regular fare $2.90*4 = $11.60.  For $11.60 a day for FREE it is not bad.  Times has really changed.  Looking forward to the Physical Card Reduce Fare press release.

[7-express]

On my OMNY account, they seem to list "Personal Funds" and "Pre-tax Benefits" now.  Previously, everything was just personal funds regardless of funding source.  But I guess they're segregating funds from a pre-tax card now?

Auto-reload still seems to be dead though.  Anyone else still seeing this problem?

[QM1to6Ave]

13 hours ago, 7-express said:

On my OMNY account, they seem to list "Personal Funds" and "Pre-tax Benefits" now.  Previously, everything was just personal funds regardless of funding source.  But I guess they're segregating funds from a pre-tax card now?

Auto-reload still seems to be dead though.  Anyone else still seeing this problem?

Yup, auto reload suddenly disappeared. WTF. Nearly had an empty balance today, and I don't see the option to re-enter auto-reload info when I log in.  Mine is stuck saying "reload in progress", but I can manually reload without issue. 

[7-express]

1 hour ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Yup, auto reload suddenly disappeared. WTF. Nearly had an empty balance today, and I don't see the option to re-enter auto-reload info when I log in.  Mine is stuck saying "reload in progress", but I can manually reload without issue. 

I found out on Reddit that OMNY has disabled auto-reloads from transit benefits cards based on value.  Apparently it will only auto reload based on a scheduled time for now.

Really makes no sense why they made this change.  It worked like this for years with the EasyPayXpress MetroCard with no issues.  Now, you have to go through more leg work to keep your card topped off.

You have to cancel your auto-reload via the Digital Assistant and then manually reset it.  Really dumb they have to hide this through a buggy interface and force you to use the Digital Assistant to get anything done right.

[QM1to6Ave]

6 minutes ago, 7-express said:

I found out on Reddit that OMNY has disabled auto-reloads from transit benefits cards based on value.  Apparently it will only auto reload based on a scheduled time for now.

Really makes no sense why they made this change.  It worked like this for years with the EasyPayXpress MetroCard with no issues.  Now, you have to go through more leg work to keep your card topped off.

You have to cancel your auto-reload via the Digital Assistant and then manually reset it.  Really dumb they have to hide this through a buggy interface and force you to use the Digital Assistant to get anything done right.

You know what, maybe 5 mins ago I got an alert from my bank that OMNY did an auto-deduction, and sure enough I just logged in and now it is back to saying "auto-reload when value falls below $30", like I had set it originally. I can't explain how or why it disappeared and suddenly reappeared. I'm using a standard credit/debit card btw, not a transit benefit card. I'll keep monitoring and report anything new.

[mikecintel]

Metro Card retirement EXTENDED till 2027

Hi Everyone, 

UNBELIEVABLE Metro card retirement will be EXTENDED till 2027.  Well that's good news for me I can still hang on to the 30 days unlimited monthly because OMNY does not have 30 day cap yet.

https://www.westsidespirit.com/news/slow-rollout-mta-issuing-last-of-reduced-fare-metrocards-for-seniors-officially-transitioning-to-omny-MC3554943

Slow Rollout: MTA Issuing Last of Reduced Fare MetroCards for Seniors, Officially Transitioning to OMNY

The MTA says the reduced fare metro cards being mailed to seniors will be the last, as it transitions replacing all reduced-fare cards with OMNY by the end of 2024. But the rollout is likely to be slow because the reduced fare cards now being dispatched won’t expire until 2027.

Senior citizens are receiving their last reduced-fare MetroCard, as the MTA officially plans to put OMNY in the hands of all straphangers. But the rollout will be slow because the new reduced fare metro cards now being mailed to seniors won’t expire until 2027.

The MTA in its letters to seniors said they can switch to OMNY Reduced-Fare today using their new metro card to sign up online. Using the online digital assistant, seniors can select “switch from reduce-fare metroCard to OMNY” and select the card or device they wish to use.

Soon all customers—regardless of the full $2.90 charge or not — will have access to the “tap-and-go” feature instead of the once iconic blue-and-yellow subway pass.

Reduced-fare MetroCards have always been difficult to acquire, or inevitably replace—an issue only exacerbated by delays in the supply chain and the COVID-19 pandemic. OMNY, the contactless payment system, has hit every turnstile in NYC. Since its pilot, billions of OMNY transactions have occurred in the subways. Now, New Yorkers of all income levels can relinquish their now obsolete MetroCard.

“Having the option to use our personal credit and debit cards or devices to pay our transit fares is a great convenience that we deserve as much as any other rider,” said Jean Ryan, president of Disabled In Action, in an MTA press release.

In a letter from the Transit Authority, a reduced-fare customer was sent a note enclosed with their MetroCard writing, “This could be the last Reduced-Fare MetroCard you will receive from the MTA, as we continue the transition from MetroCard to OMNY, the MTA’s new fare payment system.”

The news comes as numerous other groups, students and disabled people included, receive full access to OMNY technology at the turnstile. OMNY offers straphangers the ability to ride the transit system without prepaying or preloading, the way the MetroCard functioned.

With OMNY comes the first-ever MTA rewards program. The company has instituted a Weekly Fare Cap for all New Yorkers — whether they commute via subway or bus. After a reduced-fare rider pays for 12 rides, they can ride free the rest of the week—that’s a cap at $17 as opposed to $34 for the typical customer. This discount only applies to OMNY users, since a MetroCard cannot track one’s progress.

“The MTA is proud to help over one million seniors, disabled riders and other reduced-fare customers to get around,” said MTA CEO Janno Lieber. “I encourage everyone who is eligible to take advantage of the simple online process to switch over to OMNY and start tapping today.”

[7-express]

I'm not sure this is actual news from the MTA versus anecdotal evidence pulled from past press releases and MTA letters to reduced-fare customers.  I would take this with a grain of salt unless there's an official source beyond reading tea leaves here.

[mikecintel]

1 hour ago, 7-express said:

I'm not sure this is actual news from the MTA versus anecdotal evidence pulled from past press releases and MTA letters to reduced-fare customers.  I would take this with a grain of salt unless there's an official source beyond reading tea leaves here.

That's is true but at least if it is delayedthe phase out of the Metro card we know why. Also I did call MTA to see when the metro card phase out and still the rep said they do not know and no date been given yet. Yes of course if there is an "official word" from the MTA then we know it's true.

Edited August 6 by mikecintel

[7-express]

Some OMNY news in this post...saying there are no plans to bring Trip History back.  Pretty shitty since we're basically going backwards from the good experiences with MetroCard EasyPayXpress to this piecemeal system we have now.

https://gothamist.com/news/why-the-mtas-bus-drivers-dont-enforce-the-fare

[mikecintel]

2 hours ago, 7-express said:

Some OMNY news in this post...saying there are no plans to bring Trip History back.  Pretty shitty since we're basically going backwards from the good experiences with MetroCard EasyPayXpress to this piecemeal system we have now.

https://gothamist.com/news/why-the-mtas-bus-drivers-dont-enforce-the-fare

OMG! “We continue to explore ways to balance customer privacy and providing additional information,” MTA spokesperson Kayla Shults said.  Let's see if we will get any updates this this when they said they will "provide additional information".

[QM1to6Ave]

10 hours ago, 7-express said:

Some OMNY news in this post...saying there are no plans to bring Trip History back.  Pretty shitty since we're basically going backwards from the good experiences with MetroCard EasyPayXpress to this piecemeal system we have now.

https://gothamist.com/news/why-the-mtas-bus-drivers-dont-enforce-the-fare

Woww...at least the OMNY auto-pay system seems to have come back online after whatever glitch stopped it from working. 

[7-express]

21 hours ago, mikecintel said:

OMG! “We continue to explore ways to balance customer privacy and providing additional information,” MTA spokesperson Kayla Shults said.  Let's see if we will get any updates this this when they said they will "provide additional information".

I think they're covering their asses up that they didn't scope out an authenticated trip/charge history user experience while gathering the requirements for what they wanted to do.  And now don't have enough money left over to implement it.  It's not rocket science that if you have robust security controls (password + MFA), they could deliver this experience without the privacy concerns they use an example.

[7-express]

13 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Woww...at least the OMNY auto-pay system seems to have come back online after whatever glitch stopped it from working. 

Does auto-reload based on value for pre-tax benefit cards work again?  I had switched to a time based reload temporarily to keep it working.

[mikecintel]

18 minutes ago, 7-express said:

I think they're covering their asses up that they didn't scope out an authenticated trip/charge history user experience while gathering the requirements for what they wanted to do.  And now don't have enough money left over to implement it.  It's not rocket science that if you have robust security controls (password + MFA), they could deliver this experience without the privacy concerns they use an example.

Yes that is true.  Nowadays everything is with the phones and MFA. If they implement that would be great just like with other things like banks websites that requires MFA.  Good idea.  Make a suggestion to them and hopefully the will implement that.

Edited August 10 by mikecintel

[QM1to6Ave]

8 hours ago, 7-express said:

Does auto-reload based on value for pre-tax benefit cards work again?  I had switched to a time based reload temporarily to keep it working.

I'm not sure as myself and the people I know who have one don't use the workplace benefit cards. But it seems to be fixed, so it's probably worth a shot to switch back...it seems like it was an issue for all credit cards, not just benefit cards 

[7-express]

Looks like auto-reload based on value for pre-tax cards works again.  Lets see for how long.

I did screw something up where it can no longer edit or cancel my auto-reload after it was set.  So I'll have to call in about that eventually.

[mikecintel]

I just found out that the Cuny Student OMNY card you can add value when the semester is over and you can keep using it.  When the semester begins it will automatically activate it and it will be free and not take any store value on the Cuny Student OMNY card.  That is pretty cool.  Here is the info:

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/asap/1524-2/

OMNY/MetroCard

LAST UPDATED ON 8/23/24

OMNY/MetroCard

It’s your turn to tap, CUNY ASAP and ACE!

Your pass to New York City is here! Ride the subway and bus for free with just a tap, using your new Student OMNY Card—the fastest, easiest, and best way to get around.

With Student OMNY Card, you get UNLIMITED free rides every day, all semester long, even on the weekends. And when the semester’s over, you can load value to your card to keep tapping on subways, buses, AirTrain, PATH, and the Roosevelt Island Tram.

Unlimited free rides all semester on NYC subways and buses

Good all semester with no limits

After the semester, add value to keep tapping

Your new Student OMNY Card is a faster, easier, and better way to ride, so make sure you keep it with you and tap for every trip. Even when your rides are free, every tap helps bring better service to your neighborhood.

City Tech  OMNY Eligibility

If your registration is completed and confirmed by your advisor, you are eligible for a card. S4S students need to attend a workshop session before you are eligible for a card

Card Activation/Pick Up Information

Cards will become active and available to use anywhere from 24 to 48 hours after pick up. You will have this card for the entire time you are in the program SO DONT LOSE IT! Please refer to the ASAP|ACE welcome email you received regarding pick up instructions.

Lost or Damaged Card

You will have this card the entire time you are in the program, so try your best to keep it safe. In the event your card is lost or damaged, please let your advisor know. If your card is lost or damaged, it may take a month for you receive a new one.

Edited August 30 by mikecintel