New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that tap-and-go fare technology is now available to nearly all riders with the conversion of Reduced-Fare customers from MetroCard to OMNY. 

Reduced-Fare customers are the largest customer group to be made eligible for tap-and-go fare payments. 

Aiming for Seamless Transition

The MTA has begun mailing OMNY cards directly to the more than 1.5 million Reduced-Fare customers enrolled in the program, providing a seamless transition to the tap-and-go system. 

The new OMNY cards will enable current and future enrolled Reduced-Fare program customers to benefit from OMNY’s convenience and financial flexibility to pay for subway and bus fares. 

“The tap-and-go system makes it as easy as possible to pay your fare and more riders are switching to OMNY every day,” said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “Now Reduced-Fare customers can also enjoy the perks of seamless tapping all while we continue the work of delivering fast, reliable and safe service.” 

OMNY has been supporting the Reduced-Fare customers since October 2022 with 75,000 customers having registered their own bank card or digital wallet to tap-to-pay for their travel. 

Part of MTA’s OMNY Plan

The latest move builds on recent continued OMNY milestones as more customers transition to the tap-and-go system. 

This school year, students also made the switch to OMNY, receiving Student OMNY cards instead of MetroCards that had been distributed to students citywide since 1997. 

Student OMNY cards also came with expanded benefits including 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year use and up to four free rides a day. 

Transit customers have used OMNY to tap into the transit system nearly two billion times. OMNY market share accounts for more than 60% of New York City Transit customers, with full-fare subway rides rising to 81% as more and more customers trade in their seven-day MetroCards for the convenience and financial flexibility of OMNY’s fare cap.