mikecintel

Hi Everyone, I just read METRO CARD WILL BE RETIRED AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. The articles are below: https://lavocedinewyork.com/en/new-york/2024/01/09/say-goodbye-to-metro-card-as-it-is-phased-out-omni-is-coming-to-the-mta/ Say Goodbye to Metro Card as it is Phased Out, OMNI is Coming to the MTA No more fumbling at the ticket machine, just tap and go New Yorkers, say goodbye forever to your Metro Cards. This relic of outdated technology will be fully phased out this year in favor of OMNY, according to the MTA. First rolled out in 2019 as a test, OMNI has expanded steadily throughout the system, now it will totally replace the Metro Card. For those not yet in the know, OMNY is a contactless fare payment system that is being implemented for use throughout public transit in the New York metropolitan area. The name stands for One Metro New York, and it plays off the word “omni”, meaning “all”. OMNY allows riders to tap their smartphone, smartwatch or a contactless chip credit or debit card to pay for their fare, instead of swiping a MetroCard. OMNY is currently available at all subway stations and on all buses in New York City. OMNY has reached 1 billion taps since it was first launched in 2019. The OMNY has now been installed at all MTA train stations, buses, and on the Staten Island Railway. OMNY will also be installed on the Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road. The MTA plans to launch a new mobile ticketing option in the OMNY mobile app, replacing the eTix app that commuters use. New physical tickets will also be rolled out at vending machines and ticket offices. Riders on New York City’s subways, buses, Roosevelt Island Tram, and JFK AirTrain can tap their payment at the turnstile with OMNY, using their bank card, an OMNY card or their phone if they have the express transit card set up in their digital wallet. Benefits of OMNY include: Free transfers. Use the same card or device for both legs of your trip to get a free transfer. Free trips. Pay for 12 rides using the same card or device in a 7-day period, and all additional rides within the week are free. Learn more here. https://pix11.com/news/transit/metrocards-to-be-phased-out-replaced-by-omny-in-2024/ MetroCards to be phased out, replaced by OMNY in 2024 OMNY has reached 1 billion taps since it was first launched in 2019. OMNY has been installed at all MTA train stations, buses, and on the Staten Island Railway. OMNY will also be installed on the Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road. The MTA plans to launch a new mobile ticketing option in the OMNY mobile app, replacing the eTix app that commuters use. New physical tickets will also be rolled out at vending machines and ticket offices. Riders on New York City’s subways, buses, Roosevelt Island Tram, and JFK AirTrain can tap their payment at the turnstile with OMNY, using their bank card, an OMNY card or their phone if they have the express transit card set up in their digital wallet. I am sure the MTA will make a press conference about this soon.

Yes right. Hopefully the reduce fare OMNY card come next week or so.

I called OMNY rep to see when the Reduce Physical OMNY cards will be sent and they said it was send at the end of December so the Reduce Physical OMNY card will arrived in a couple of weeks. When my parents get it I will post it here.

I see. Happy Holidays Everyone.

By current system do you mean with the Metro Card or OMNY just tapping once and that's it?

Yes. Understood.

I remember they want OMNY seamlessly to be able to transfer to Subway, Bus, LIRR and MNR so that is why they implement it. The public doesn't want the Metro card to away and now they will have to accept OMNY card. If the MTA want everyone to tap in an out just for the MNR and LIRR so they can automatic calculate the fare zones then the public has to do it just like other countries they do it. In London people tap in and out and if MTA does that to the MNR and LIRR I think the public will get use to it because other countries are doing that too. We have to see what the MTA does about OMNY for the MNR and LIRR. If they do a tap in and tap out at every station then that will be it. In BC Canada they do a tap in and tap out at every station. I remember when i went to BC Vancouver I had to tap in and tap out. I got use to it. If the MTA does that and people forgot to tap out I am sure there will be a charge or something because in BC Vancouver the Translink their if you forgot to tap out then it will calculate and deduct the fare in the stored value difference.

I don't know why the OMNY manager rep said that to me and he said in 2024 but it should be in 2025 and they have to implement it for the LIRR and MNR too so it should give them enough time to implement for the LIRR and the MNR or if something goes wrong then it's delayed again.

Yes I see I was thinking it should be around 2025 and not 2024 but I don't know why the manger of OMNY said that. Yes I agree next year will be the "inflection point" to get people to switch to OMNY. Hopefully OMNY/Cubic can straightened things out correctly next year.

When I called OMNY and asked them when every station will roll out with OMNY machines they said "They don't know and no give date yet". The last time I spoke with a different rep he said it should be mid 2024 like the summer or the fall of 2024 and if it not it should be the end of the year 2024. So another words they don't know when it will be all rolled out and just guess now. Let's see it took 1 whole year to roll out OMNY readers on subway and buses so I think it will take the whole year to install the OMNY machines in every station. Next April when there is a meeting about OMNY I guess we will find out. Only 4 more months to go till April 2024!

So guess what? I called OMNY CS and I asked when is the senior reduce fare going to be mailed and the rep said "Early January 2024". I said I have called before and you guys said Dec 2023 before the end of 2023. Then the rep replied that since it is a new year then it make sense to send out NEW Reduce Fare OMNY card because it's the "New Year". I don't believe one word they say. I think because they have to straighten things out like the kinks and everything before they roll it out.

Yes the Q34 is like a school bus. I live near by there. True for the Mitchell-Linden people who lives in the apartments they have an advantage because the Q20 will run on the weekend unlike the Q34 which will be Q61 and there will be no weekend service and people will take the Q15 bus just like now.

Here are the Route Conversion Chart for those who wants to know what will be eliminate or replaced: https://new.mta.info/document/87301

The Q27 is limited but no lcl and the Q17 will be Rush. See her for all the routes for the NEW final draft plan https://new.mta.info/project/queens-bus-network-redesign/routes

I see yes, I didn't realized that until you mention it now. I read it quickly. Oh I didn't look at the "overnight" so that is probably why I said everything was 24 hours. I have to look again. Thanks.

I see

The Q26 also goes to Fresh Meadows too but they extended to college point and it's going to be 24/7 service which is great. Especially for people who works the night shift.

But there is a plus side. Now who ever needs to go to CVS on Francis Lewis Blvd can take the bus for people who are living on Willets Point Blvd.

Yes that is the biggest con because I leave my house at 5:00A and I wake up at 3:30A or so to go to work in Brooklyn. Sometimes I can't sleep ugh so I wake up at 2AM in the morning can't sleep or I fell asleep and my alarm clock goes off at 4:00AM. When they have the public meeting via zoom I can't wait for 20-30 if I miss the first but because I will be late for work. I have to let them know to adjust it back to the 10-12 minutes for the Early Morning AM bus. I can't believe that the AM peak it will 18 minutes and they should make 10 minutes. For the Mid-day it should be 15 minutes and the PM peak should be 10 minutes. For the late evening it should be 15 minutes. Yes at least they realized that the 3-4 hours was horrible because I was like that crazy. Then I would have take the Q15 to Flushing to take the subway if I am off from work and I have go to Dr appts. Thank god they changed it. Re-guarding the Q15 it is MUCH better on how they proposed the times and they should have that scheduled be the same as for the NEW Q61 route. When they have that meeting I have tell them that. That would be great if they make it all the way to Bayside Ave and 35 ave. Tell them that when they have the meeting via Zoom. But the bummer thing is if I have to go to the Jamaica LIRR when the 7 train is not working just like last month or so they did weekend and it went to Monday I went to Jamaica to take the LIRR and if it was the same that happens I would have to go to Flushing and get the Q25 bus to go to the LIRR Jamaica since they still would end there thank god.

It is wired about the Q62 but hey at least you can get there faster to ShopRite. That is a plus! Yeah about the Q50 that is odd but then it is a long stretch. Great I am glad that extended the Q76 closer to where you live. This final draft has pro and cons and it depends on where people if it is good or bad their buses after this final redesign.

I saw the routes that I need to take and to me it is fine because they did not cut what I usually take. The Q34 (currently take) I will miss because that is my route but then they replaced it with the NEW Q61 so that is good. At least I can take the Q61 to CVS. Before I had to walk. Some are good and some are bad and I can't complain. For example the Q20 will not go to the college point shopping mall and i have to take the NEW Q62 route. But then I can take the Q20/Q44 and transfer to the Q62 so that is good at least I can transfer to get to the Q62 instead of going all the way to flushing and take the Q62 route. I though they going to cut the LIRR Jamaica so I was worried but they didn't so that is good for me.

Yes it will and basically what the Q34 now it goes through the apartments near the Whitestone Expressway will replace that just like current Q34 was. Then it goes straight like regular route but does not go to 20th Avenue by the shopping mall and it will go where currently the Q15 ends at Powells Cove Blvd.

YW

Yes it will be replaced by the Q61 and the proposed the times are from 4:55AM- 11:55PM. That is NOT Bad because in the first proposal it was from 5-10 in the morning and in the evening it was 3-8PM and that was ridiculous. For the Q15 it will stay the same route but it will not go to 10 AV and Powells Cove Blvd. The Q61 will go to Fort Totten. The Q25 and Q65 will remain the same and ends at the LIRR station thank god because sometimes I need to take the LIRR in case if the 7 trains are not running to Manhattan and I need to go to Brooklyn and it really early in the morning and I don't feel safe in the area. I was worried all alone because the first proposal they want remove the stop there underneath the LIRR.

Here is the link with the proposed routes https://new.mta.info/document/128476 It has 590 pages!