NY MTA to replace fare system with contactless, mobile payment
The new account-based system will allow customers a variety of convenient self-service options to manage their account, including via the web and on mobile devices.
MTA users will be able to use a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or tap a contactless bank card at turnstiles and on buses across the city. Photo: MetropolitanTransportationAuthority-PatrickCashin
2 min to read
MTA users will be able to use a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or tap a contactless bank card at turnstiles and on buses across the city. Photo: MetropolitanTransportationAuthority-PatrickCashin
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board voted today to approve a contract to phase in a new fare payment system that will incorporate the latest digital technologies and ease travel across all MTA transit and commuter rail systems. The moves help officially mark the formal transition away from the MetroCard, which was first introduced in 1994.
The design-build contract, which improves efficiency and quality by letting a single private sector vendor both design and build the new system, was awarded to Cubic Transportation Systems Inc., which has delivered similar technology for London’s public transit system.
Ad Loading...
The shift away from the MetroCard and other existing ticketing systems will take place in a series of phases over a period of more than five years, with customers first being able to use contactless open payment options as soon as midway through 2019.
Rather than swiping a MetroCard, MTA users will instead be able to use a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or tap a contactless bank card at turnstiles and on buses across the city. The new system will test payment options for all-door boarding on SBS buses, a critical measure for reducing the time it takes for customers to board and travel. Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad customers will also be able to merge their subway, bus and rail tickets into one integrated form of payment as well.
The new account-based system will allow customers a variety of convenient self-service options to manage their account, including via the web and on mobile devices.
An additional critical component of the program will provide benefits to customers who do not have, or want to use, smartphones or contactless bank cards by enabling them to purchase and reload contactless transit cards from new vending machines and through an out-of-system retail network. The new system is expected to have lower maintenance costs than the current systems, and the vendor will be able to adapt to new technologies as they emerge during the course of the contract.
By 2019, a total of 500 subway turnstiles and 600 buses are set to receive the necessary technology upgrades. At the same time, customers will still be able to use MetroCard until 2023. MetroCard will not be retired until the new system is fully tested and operational.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
CEO Nat Ford’s address offered a look at highlights from 2025, with a focus on the future and the innovative ways the JTA is shaping mobility in Northeast Florida.
Expected to enter service in 2029, these locomotives support the agency’s commitment to offer reliable and efficient rail transportation across South Florida.
Transit agencies depend on safe, reliable vehicles to deliver consistent service. This eBook examines how next-generation fleet software helps agencies move from reactive processes to proactive operations through automated maintenance, real-time safety insights, and integrated data. Learn how fleets are improving uptime, safety outcomes, and operational efficiency.
The new filters include substantially more activated carbon than traditional HVAC filters, which is especially helpful in providing a better transit riding experience for vulnerable populations, particularly children, seniors, and people with chronic illnesses, according to the CTA.
In a recent episode of METROspectives, LYT CEO Timothy Menard discusses how artificial intelligence, cloud connectivity, and real-time data are transforming traffic management, boosting bus reliability, and enabling system-wide transit optimization across cities.
