OMNY Implementation/Metro-Card Retirement Discussion Thread

[BillAv]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

Can't really do that with all these activists trying to get every cop fired who try to enforce the fare

Excellent point.  So, since farebeating has been at an all time high with no way to stop it, the MTA will possibly have to eliminate the unlimited fare option to help make up the difference.  Sad, but understandable.  However, if they don't get rid of the unlimited MetroCard options, then it makes no sense not to add it to OMNY.

 

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I think I took the subway twice in the past month (once at 72nd to 42nd) and once at Bryant Park to Hudson Yards, and there were cops present at both stations, which is probably why there was no one hopping.

Yes, that's why no one was hopping.  Next time you get off at Hudson Yards, leave by the 35th Street exit.  Maybe around 4pm.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

14 hours ago, BillAv said:

Excellent point.  So, since farebeating has been at an all time high with no way to stop it, the MTA will possibly have to eliminate the unlimited fare option to help make up the difference.  Sad, but understandable.  However, if they don't get rid of the unlimited MetroCard options, then it makes no sense not to add it to OMNY.

 

Yes, that's why no one was hopping.  Next time you get off at Hudson Yards, leave by the 35th Street exit.  Maybe around 4pm.

No one has said anything about getting rid of the unlimited pass. That was only suggested by board member Schwartz because of the abuse that continues to occur with them, but perhaps with OMNY, that can be curbed.

As for me and Hudson Yards, I'm there often to shop or dine, but rarely go by subway. Usually by car. Just easier, as it is somewhat out of the way. I think in all of the times I've been there, I've gone by subway maybe four times tops.

[7-express]

I randomly bumped into a press conference the MTA was doing this morning on 100 million OMNY taps on YouTube.  Only useful tidbits were that physical OMNY cards were coming later this year through retail partners and that major transit benefits groups are shipping contactless cards on request now.  I might try asking my provider (WageWorks) for one this week and see if they'll ship me a contactless card.

They tried asking some questions about all-door boarding on buses and cash being banned from station booths and then quickly shut down the presser.

[mikecintel]

6 minutes ago, 7-express said:

I randomly bumped into a press conference the MTA was doing this morning on 100 million OMNY taps on YouTube.  Only useful tidbits were that physical OMNY cards were coming later this year through retail partners and that major transit benefits groups are shipping contactless cards on request now.  I might try asking my provider (WageWorks) for one this week and see if they'll ship me a contactless card.

They tried asking some questions about all-door boarding on buses and cash being banned from station booths and then quickly shut down the presser.

Thanks for the update.  Wonderful news.  The press conference you can see is here:

 

 

[7-express]

I just contacted WageWorks via live chat for a contactless card and they confirmed they have it and will send me one in 2 weeks.  Took less than 10 minutes and pretty painless.  Wish they could do more publicity over this because a lot of folks have transit benefits providers and will not switch to OMNY because of it.

I will keep my EasyPay MetroCard for a while longer though to act as a backup in case of OMNY issues.

[mikecintel]

22 minutes ago, 7-express said:

I just contacted WageWorks via live chat for a contactless card and they confirmed they have it and will send me one in 2 weeks.  Took less than 10 minutes and pretty painless.  Wish they could do more publicity over this because a lot of folks have transit benefits providers and will not switch to OMNY because of it.

I will keep my EasyPay MetroCard for a while longer though to act as a backup in case of OMNY issues.

Great wow that was fast! Also can you post a picture of how it looks like when you get it. So we have an idea of what will be the OMNY logo look like and will the card look nice or not.  Well cover your name and numbers on it.

Edited July 6, 2021 by mikecintel

[7-express]

15 minutes ago, mikecintel said:

Great wow that was fast! Also can you post a picture of how it looks like when you get it. So we have an idea of what will be the OMNY logo look like and will the card look nice or not.  Well cover your name and numbers on it.

It's just a contactless WageWorks card so I doubt it will have any OMNY branding on it.  It's just the same as a bank credit/debit card just with WageWorks branding on it.

[mikecintel]

18 minutes ago, 7-express said:

It's just a contactless WageWorks card so I doubt it will have any OMNY branding on it.  It's just the same as a bank credit/debit card just with WageWorks branding on it.

Oh in that case then forget it thanks.  I though it would have the OMNY logo.  Good luck.  Thanks

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, mikecintel said:

Oh in that case then forget it thanks.  I though it would have the OMNY logo.  Good luck.  Thanks

Why should that matter? As long as the card is contactless, it will work with OMNY.

[mikecintel]

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Why should that matter? As long as the card is contactless, it will work with OMNY.

I just wanted to see what the OMNY looks like that's all.  It's doesn't matter yes you are right.  Other countries the design looks nice like Vancouver BC Canada Translink their "Compass card" are solid Blue(Adults) and Orange (Concession and children) and while Toronto has black and green which I didn't like the color.  I prefer solid colors.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 hours ago, mikecintel said:

I just wanted to see what the OMNY looks like that's all.  It's doesn't matter yes you are right.  Other countries the design looks nice like Vancouver BC Canada Translink their "Compass card" are solid Blue(Adults) and Orange (Concession and children) and while Toronto has black and green which I didn't like the color.  I prefer solid colors.

It's probably going to look like a black card with the OMNY logo. Don't expect some elaborate design. Ultimately, what the  wants to do with OMNY is reduce their overhead costs, so they'll come up with some design and try to not deal with the distribution side the way that they had to with the Metrocard. Between that and the push to reduce worker costs by getting rid of things like coins on all local buses and reducing other manual labor needs, they can recoup significant savings over the long run, as they already had an idea of what OMNY would cost years ago to implement.

Edited July 7, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[mikecintel]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It's probably going to look like a black card with the OMNY logo. Don't expect some elaborate design. Ultimately, what the  wants to do with OMNY is reduce their overhead costs, so they'll come up with some design and try to not deal with the distribution side the way that they had to with the Metrocard. Between that and the push to reduce worker costs by getting rid of things like coins on all local buses and reducing other manual labor needs, they can recoup significant savings over the long run, as they already had an idea of what OMNY would cost years ago to implement.

OK I see.

[rwes]

11 hours ago, 7-express said:

I just contacted WageWorks via live chat for a contactless card and they confirmed they have it and will send me one in 2 weeks.  Took less than 10 minutes and pretty painless.  Wish they could do more publicity over this because a lot of folks have transit benefits providers and will not switch to OMNY because of it.

I will keep my EasyPay MetroCard for a while longer though to act as a backup in case of OMNY issues.

Darn! I just tried WageWorks live chat; not available for my account yet.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

10 hours ago, rwes said:

Darn! I just tried WageWorks live chat; not available for my account yet.

Makes no sense, unless it somehow depends on the employer, which I doubt.

[7-express]

12 hours ago, rwes said:

Darn! I just tried WageWorks live chat; not available for my account yet.

Perhaps the rep you got was bad?  Can't hurt to try again via live chat or call the number on the back of your card to see if you have better luck.  The live chat I had kept repeating contactless card to me (good three-way communication).  I'll see in 2 weeks time whether it's true or not when it arrives in the mail.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

13 minutes ago, 7-express said:

Perhaps the rep you got was bad?  Can't hurt to try again via live chat or call the number on the back of your card to see if you have better luck.  The live chat I had kept repeating contactless card to me (good three-way communication).  I'll see in 2 weeks time whether it's true or not when it arrives in the mail.

Yeah because contactless cards are still a novelty here in the US, which I find hilarious, as I was using this technology years ago, but many places in the U.S. did not have contactless readers or they didn't work well. Now most places do thanks to COVID. I called one issuer and they assured me that they were sending me a contactless card, only for me to get the same card I already had in the mail with just the chip. When I called to clarify, they said they did not issue contactless cards for that account.

That said, every new account I've opened recently has automatically sent me one (got one yesterday in fact and used the contactless feature without issue today), so I have at least three now. The others give me the option to link my card to my phone and use the contactless payment feature that way. Something I recently learned is that each contactless card has a dollar limit you can make for each transaction. They also monitor the purchases you make via the contactless payment.  I went to use it for a larger than usual purchase and the transaction was declined, citing fraud alert. lol When I called my card issuer to complain, they said well you normally use this particular card for small purchases for contactless payments. I thought about it, and it was true, as I normally use it for coffee or snacks or whatever, so they had to recalibrate the card so that I could make larger purchases using the contactless method.  There is no signature required, so it's basically a security measure, as the chip feature is considered more sound/secure for larger transactions, and you would normally be prompted for a signature if needed. I don't think that's the case with contactless transactions.

[QM1to6Ave]

My friend just got his new PPR Easy Pay Express metrocard in the mail, direct from the MTA (mailed from the 2 Broadway address), and of course there is no mention whatsoever of OMNY, or why you should switch over. Of course, I imagine the people working in the Easy Pay office are worried they will get laid off once OMNY is fully up and running, so maybe that is an intentional move...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, QM1to6Ave said:

My friend just got his new PPR Easy Pay Express metrocard in the mail, direct from the MTA (mailed from the 2 Broadway address), and of course there is no mention whatsoever of OMNY, or why you should switch over. Of course, I imagine the people working in the Easy Pay office are worried they will get laid off once OMNY is fully up and running, so maybe that is an intentional move...

That is not the reason. lol The reason is because OMNY is just being rolled out in specific cases. Basically a soft rollout now, and then they plan to ramp up this Fall.  If your friend is using say a reduced fare Metrocard, he can call the  and request one, but for EasyPayXpress users, there is no OMNY option yet, be it pay-per-ride or unlimited passes. That should all be available later this year once an OMNY card comes out. Everything is delayed because of COVID.

[7-express]

2 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

My friend just got his new PPR Easy Pay Express metrocard in the mail, direct from the MTA (mailed from the 2 Broadway address), and of course there is no mention whatsoever of OMNY, or why you should switch over. Of course, I imagine the people working in the Easy Pay office are worried they will get laid off once OMNY is fully up and running, so maybe that is an intentional move...

I have a feeling it's more to do with the OMNY folks working independently of the MetroCard folks.  I'd imagine EasyPay will eventually go away for most users with the retirement of the MetroCard, as they'll just say contactless bank cards/transit benefits cards do the same exact thing for PPR users.  The only use case I see them sticking around for is for reduced-fare/disabled users who have to have a physical OMNY card linked to a bank card.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

24 minutes ago, 7-express said:

I have a feeling it's more to do with the OMNY folks working independently of the MetroCard folks.  I'd imagine EasyPay will eventually go away for most users with the retirement of the MetroCard, as they'll just say contactless bank cards/transit benefits cards do the same exact thing for PPR users.  The only use case I see them sticking around for is for reduced-fare/disabled users who have to have a physical OMNY card linked to a bank card.

It's ALL going away. We're only in 2021. We have two more years roughly before the Metrocard is retired, and the plan was always to do this in stages from the start. People have to be patient. The main focus was to address security and reliability issues, which were a problem at the beginning.  The unlimited OMNY cards, pay-per-ride, etc... All of that will be phased in in the coming months.  And yes, the folks at OMNY have nothing to do with the Metrocard folks. Two different payment systems.

[bobtehpanda]

9 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It's ALL going away. We're only in 2021. We have two more years roughly before the Metrocard is retired, and the plan was always to do this in stages from the start. People have to be patient. The main focus was to address security and reliability issues, which were a problem at the beginning.  The unlimited OMNY cards, pay-per-ride, etc... All of that will be phased in in the coming months.  And yes, the folks at OMNY have nothing to do with the Metrocard folks. Two different payment systems.

This is basically what happened with Metrocard as well, it wasn't dropped in overnight. It took six years from the introduction of Metrocard to get rid of tokens. 

Of course, at this point it's basically ancient history; I would guess a good portion of the forums were either not born or were toddlers when Metrocard fully launched in 1997. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

12 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

This is basically what happened with Metrocard as well, it wasn't dropped in overnight. It took six years from the introduction of Metrocard to get rid of tokens. 

Of course, at this point it's basically ancient history; I would guess a good portion of the forums were either not born or were toddlers when Metrocard fully launched in 1997. 

Well I was a teenager then, so I remember very well using it in Brooklyn I believe perhaps that summer for my first job during my high school summer break. They continue to make tweaks to OMNY. I got two new contactless cards recently, and used one of them yesterday and noticed that it didn't deduct $2.75 as a "verification" charge as it previously did. It took $2.75 and then $4.00, as I took the express bus in. That was a major complaint from riders before, that is that they kept getting charged $2.75 in addition to their fare, so they obviously tweaked that. Something else I've noticed is that there don't appear to be any restrictions in terms of transfers that I'm aware of. There are restrictions on the Metrocard where you don't get a free transfer for some trips.

Edited July 8, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[mikecintel]

6 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Well I was a teenager then, so I remember very well using it in Brooklyn I believe perhaps that summer for my first job during my high school summer break. They continue to make tweaks to OMNY. I got two new contactless cards recently, and used one of them yesterday and noticed that it didn't deduct $2.75 as a "verification" charge as it previously did. It took $2.75 and then $4.00, as I took the express bus in. That was a major complaint from riders before, that is that they kept getting charged $2.75 in addition to their fare, so they obviously tweaked that. Something else I've noticed is that there don't appear to be any restrictions in terms of transfers that I'm aware of. There are restrictions on the Metrocard where you don't get a free transfer for some trips.

Can you clarify about what do you mean "they don't appear any restrictions in terms of transfers".  Do you mean for the 2 hrs you can "keep on transferring" and you will not be charge after you do a transfer?  That would be "heavenly" and save a lot of $$$ too.  If they did that I would be very happy with MTA for once. Canada does that in Ontario (2 hrs to transfer) and BC Vancouver (90 minutes Sky Train (subway) or Bus or 2hr (For West Cost Express equivalent to LRR) where you have the limited amount of time to make transfers.  When I went to Vancouver BC I to transfer the Bus 2x Skytrain without being charged doing transfer "love it".  When I was on vacation in Ontario I had to make a bus transfer and subway and a trolley and they did not even take another during the transfer time.  This is why I love Canada transit then US because it's how the way set things and obliviously it's different because it is a different country.  If the MTA really did that then they should advertise it and more people will use switch to OMNY faster and that will be there "selling point" vs Metro card.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

13 minutes ago, mikecintel said:

Can you clarify about what do you mean "they don't appear any restrictions in terms of transfers".  Do you mean for the 2 hrs you can "keep on transferring" and you will not be charge after you do a transfer?  That would be "heavenly" and save a lot of $$$ too.  If they did that I would be very happy with MTA for once. Canada does that in Ontario (2 hrs to transfer) and BC Vancouver (90 minutes Sky Train (subway) or Bus or 2hr (For West Cost Express equivalent to LRR) where you have the limited amount of time to make transfers.  When I went to Vancouver BC I to transfer the Bus 2x Skytrain without being charged doing transfer "love it".  When I was on vacation in Ontario I had to make a bus transfer and subway and a trolley and they did not even take another during the transfer time.  This is why I love Canada transit then US because it's how the way set things and obliviously it's different because it is a different country.  If the MTA really did that then they should advertise it and more people will use switch to OMNY faster and that will be there "selling point" vs Metro card.

No, that's not what I meant. With the Metrocard, some round trips can be made on one fare, so for example, I ride the BxM2 into Manhattan, get off on the Upper East Side, then "transfer" to the BxM1 to come back, provided that I do so in the two hour and 18 minute timeframe to transfer. Well with the Metrocard, the  made it so that some round trips can no longer be done on one fare. That isn't the case for all round trips, but there are some where you can't do that. I'm not sure if they've got around to that with OMNY just yet. Any transfer I've tried to make via OMNY has been granted so far.

Edited July 8, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[mikecintel]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

No, that's not what I meant. With the Metrocard, some round trips can be made on one fare, so for example, I ride the BxM2 into Manhattan, get off on the Upper East Side, then "transfer" to the BxM1 to come back, provided that I do so in the two hour and 18 minute timeframe to transfer. Well with the Metrocard, the  made it so that some round trips can no longer be done on one fare. That isn't the case for all round trips, but there are some where you can't do that. I'm not sure if they've got around to that with OMNY just yet. Any transfer I've tried to make via OMNY has been granted so far.

I see.  OK because for a moment I got so excited and IF they did I would give them 10 "Likes".  I lost hope now oh well.