OMNY Implementation/Metro-Card Retirement Discussion Thread

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

The plan is to follow what London does: machines will take cash, extensive 3rd party vendor network, online refill capability, no cash on buses (OMNY card or credit/debit only).

Also I think the article refers to the booth workers not accepting cash and the machines breaking down a lot.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

29 minutes ago, RestrictOnTheHanger said:

The plan is to follow what London does: machines will take cash, extensive 3rd party vendor network, online refill capability, no cash on buses (OMNY card or credit/debit only).

Also I think the article refers to the booth workers not accepting cash and the machines breaking down a lot.

That is correct. Eventually, the local buses will also phase out coins.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

9 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

https://pix11.com/news/transit/transit-workers-advocated-push-back-against-mtas-possible-cashless-system/?fbclid=IwAR0nMkspoj27xy5znwWlD6ZmKM8dYgf-YpY0NUNPNAt-dm0JbPk5wdoSuo0

I don't understand why this is an issue. Maybe its because I'm seeing it from my own POV, but why do people keep saying OMNY is suppose to be cashless when it isnt?

Because the plan is to phase out cash on the local buses and the subways, so that means if the OMNY machines are broken and the booth clerks can no longer accept cash, riders, particularly these that are poor and depend on public transit the most, won't have an option to pay. You are indeed seeing it from your point of view because I assume you have a bank account or credit cards. There are a number of transit riders that are quite poor and are either unbanked or underbanked (that means no bank account and/or no credit cards) so they depend on cash for a number of things, and feel as if they could be shut out of the transit system. It's a very valid argument that I never thought of, but I have witnessed a few people buy single rides with cash from the machines. Me, I have not used cash to pay for a ride in years.

When all of the machines in a subway station can't take cash and the clerks can't take cash now, those riders have to try to find another subway station with machines that work and that is a huge hassle, especially if there isn't another station nearby and or the rider has a disability and faces mobility issues. Yes, the machines currently take cash, but there are stations where the machines are often all broken (I know from experience  and have been forced to walk to another station just to refill) and now that the clerks aren't taking cash it's a big inconvenience. In my case, I didn't have cash on me, and needed to pay by card, but all of the machines were broken because the system was down for card payments in the station, so I would have to walk all the way to another station and then hope that the machines worked there. Similar situation if you're paying with cash now.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Lawrence St]

4 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Because the plan is to phase out cash on the local buses and the subways, so that means if the OMNY machines are broken and the booth clerks can no longer accept cash, riders, particularly these that are poor and depend on public transit the most, won't have an option to pay. You are indeed seeing it from your point of view because I assume you have a bank account or credit cards. There are a number of transit riders that are quite poor and are either unbanked or underbanked (that means no bank account and/or no credit cards) so they depend on cash for a number of things, and feel as if they could be shut out of the transit system. It's a very valid argument that I never thought of, but I have witnessed a few people buy single rides with cash from the machines. Me, I have not used cash to pay for a ride in years.

When all of the machines in a subway station can't take cash and the clerks can't take cash now, those riders have to try to find another subway station with machines that work and that is a huge hassle, especially if there isn't another station nearby and or the rider has a disability and faces mobility issues. Yes, the machines currently take cash, but there are stations where the machines are often all broken (I know from experience  and have been forced to walk to another station just to refill) and now that the clerks aren't taking cash it's a big inconvenience. In my case, I didn't have cash on me, and needed to pay by card, but all of the machines were broken because the system was down for card payments in the station, so I would have to walk all the way to another station and then hope that the machines worked there. Similar situation if you're paying with cash now.

I see. However, with the OMNY program, isn't the plan to replace all of the troublesome metrocard vending machines with brand new ones, effectively reducing the amount of time a machine breaks down/is down? 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

I see. However, with the OMNY program, isn't the plan to replace all of the troublesome metrocard vending machines with brand new ones, effectively reducing the amount of time a machine breaks down/is down? 

In theory yes, but as I said, I have been in a number of subway stations where all of the machines were down. It may not have anything to do with the machines either. It could be something like a tech issue, which happens from time to time. It also contributes to more fare beating, because some people are not going to leave that subway station to try to find another one where they can get a card. They'll just hop the turnstile. Ever try getting a Metrocard at 242nd St or 238th on the  ? Years ago when I was relatively new to Riverdale, I made a terrible mistake of thinking I'd go to 238th to refill. Well there's only one machine there and it was down, so I had to walk to 242nd. Well 242nd has two of the regular machines and I think one credit/debit only machine. Well even there, usually two out of the three machines are usually broken. In fact I wrote to my Senator about it years ago. Nothing has really changed, so prior to OMNY, I would just refill in Manhattan or take Metro-North in and refill in Grand Central. Mind you I wasn't trying to pay with cash. Just a debit or credit card.

[QM1to6Ave]

4 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

I see. However, with the OMNY program, isn't the plan to replace all of the troublesome metrocard vending machines with brand new ones, effectively reducing the amount of time a machine breaks down/is down? 

The hustler drug addicts will find a way to break those machines within 5 minutes, just like they do with the MVMs and then force people to pay them to swipe in using the hustler's card

[paulrivera]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I would just refill in Manhattan or take Metro-North in and refill in Grand Central. Mind you I wasn't trying to pay with cash. Just a debit or credit card.

Those machines in GCT are so well kept. Even when there are tourists taking 10 hours on the line I'd stay waiting for the MVM's in GCT.

Can't say the same about the other Metrocard vending machines elsewhere... The OMNY passes can't come fast enough tho because I can't always wait to go into Manhattan to refill a Metrocard.

Just now, QM1to6Ave said:

The hustler drug addicts will find a way to break those machines within 5 minutes, just like they do with the MVMs and then force people to pay them to swipe in using the hustler's card

If OMNY doesn't have an Easypay system for weekly/monthly passes I'm gonna be livid.

Edited August 11, 2021 by paulrivera

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 hours ago, paulrivera said:

Those machines in GCT are so well kept. Even when there are tourists taking 10 hours on the line I'd stay waiting for the MVM's in GCT.

Can't say the same about the other Metrocard vending machines elsewhere... The OMNY passes can't come fast enough tho because I can't always wait to go into Manhattan to refill a Metrocard.

If OMNY doesn't have an Easypay system for weekly/monthly passes I'm gonna be livid.

You'll be able to refill remotely, so you won't need to go to a subway station. There will also be an app for it eventually. The fact that I have not had to go to a subway in months to get a Metrocard has been fantastic. Since I am still working mainly from home until who knows when (my office hasn't even talked about re-opening), I haven't had a need for an express bus pass, so I just tap and go. I have three contactless cards I can use and my other cards I can link to my phone if need be, but it's been pretty good overall of late.

As for GCT, I used to refill by the Metro-North tracks around track 30 or whatever that is where most of the Hudson Line trains depart at, right where you can buy Metro-North tickets at. There are two MVM machines there and behind that is I think a Zaro's or whatever. In the other direction, you have the stairs that lead you towards Madison Av. That's been my refill spot for years. I prefer ones on street level where I don't have to go schlepping downstairs and then coming back up so 72nd & Broadway is another spot since there are always cops there, so no bums to hassle you.

[QM1to6Ave]

3 hours ago, paulrivera said:

Those machines in GCT are so well kept. Even when there are tourists taking 10 hours on the line I'd stay waiting for the MVM's in GCT.

Can't say the same about the other Metrocard vending machines elsewhere... The OMNY passes can't come fast enough tho because I can't always wait to go into Manhattan to refill a Metrocard.

If OMNY doesn't have an Easypay system for weekly/monthly passes I'm gonna be livid.

TOtally agree about an Easypay system. @Via Garibaldi 8 any idea when some sort of Express Bus Unlimited system might be added into OMNY? I'm sick of using my Metrocard already lol

[paulrivera]

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

As for GCT, I used to refill by the Metro-North tracks around track 30 or whatever that is where most of the Hudson Line trains depart at, right where you can buy Metro-North tickets at. There are two MVM machines there and behind that is I think a Zaro's or whatever

hmm... I'm more familiar with the MVM across from where Swatch is. It's parallel to about track 20, which I run into more since I take the Harlem and New Haven lines.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

7 hours ago, paulrivera said:

hmm... I'm more familiar with the MVM across from where Swatch is. It's parallel to about track 20, which I run into more since I take the Harlem and New Haven lines.

I avoid those, as they are busier. This one is on the other side near the escalator that takes you near the entrance by 42nd St and Vanderbilt.

 

8 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

TOtally agree about an Easypay system. @Via Garibaldi 8 any idea when some sort of Express Bus Unlimited system might be added into OMNY? I'm sick of using my Metrocard already lol

No idea at the moment.  I've been hearing that a pass should come, but I also heard that they are milling over different options since OMNY is an open platform. I have been hearing that the physical OMNY cards should be rolled out in the coming months, so hopefully by Fall there will be a physical card, and maybe sometime after that they'll have the pass option. Remember everything OMNY related was delayed because of the pandemic.

Edited August 12, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Amtrak41]

On 8/10/2021 at 10:28 PM, Lawrence St said:

https://pix11.com/news/transit/transit-workers-advocated-push-back-against-mtas-possible-cashless-system/?fbclid=IwAR0nMkspoj27xy5znwWlD6ZmKM8dYgf-YpY0NUNPNAt-dm0JbPk5wdoSuo0

I don't understand why this is an issue. Maybe its because I'm seeing it from my own POV, but why do people keep saying OMNY is suppose to be cashless when it isnt?

It is not an OMNY issue, but it is an MTA elitism issue, which has been going on one way or another since 1967. 

Commuter railroads accept cash, but 11% of NYC residents are unbanked, and about 25% have zero credit history.

MTA evidently wants people to return to the system, but not "those people". 

 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

29 minutes ago, Amtrak41 said:

It is not an OMNY issue, but it is an MTA elitism issue, which has been going on one way or another since 1967. 

Commuter railroads accept cash, but 11% of NYC residents are unbanked, and about 25% have zero credit history.

MTA evidently wants people to return to the system, but not "those people". 

 

Not an elitist issue at all. I think it comes down to the commuter railroads being more customer friendly, and putting customers over overhead costs. I had been told that eventually they would phase coins out of the local buses too, and the reason cited was to reduce overhead costs. Ultimately they're going to drag their feet on this if they can and hope that the loud criticisms go away and people forget.

[bobtehpanda]

2 hours ago, Amtrak41 said:

It is not an OMNY issue, but it is an MTA elitism issue, which has been going on one way or another since 1967. 

Commuter railroads accept cash, but 11% of NYC residents are unbanked, and about 25% have zero credit history.

MTA evidently wants people to return to the system, but not "those people". 

 

 

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Not an elitist issue at all. I think it comes down to the commuter railroads being more customer friendly, and putting customers over overhead costs. I had been told that eventually they would phase coins out of the local buses too, and the reason cited was to reduce overhead costs. Ultimately they're going to drag their feet on this if they can and hope that the loud criticisms go away and people forget.

Ultimately, it costs money to handle money. Brinks trucks/the money train and the security required to handle all that cash is not free.

Compared to all the labor cost, additional maintenance cost from moving parts for cash machines, etc. the 2% charge that Visa, Mastercard and friends have is probably a steal.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 minutes ago, bobtehpanda said:

 

Ultimately, it costs money to handle money. Compared to all the labor cost, additional maintenance cost from moving parts for cash machines, etc. the 2% charge that Visa, Mastercard and friends have is probably a steal.

Correct. Not only that, but it's clear to me in the conversations that I've had with the  that the goal over time is to use OMNY in a way to reduce future overhead costs.  Having third parties sell the OMNY cards is an example of this, as well as accepting debit, credit, Apple Pay & Samsung Pay. When they started to charge a fee for each new Metrocard, there was a drastic reduction in the amount of Metrocards used because people didn't want to pay the fee. This in turn reduced the  's overhead costs by not having to have so many new Metrocards produced. With OMNY, this will further reduce overhead costs, as they won't have to produce so many OMNY cards either.

Not only that, but they will likely do away with the SBS kiosks too, which means less overhead costs for maintenance.  If they go to paperless receipts, that too will save money.

Edited August 12, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Amtrak41]

20 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

 

Ultimately, it costs money to handle money. Brinks trucks/the money train and the security required to handle all that cash is not free.

Compared to all the labor cost, additional maintenance cost from moving parts for cash machines, etc. the 2% charge that Visa, Mastercard and friends have is probably a steal.

They send money trucks out to Montauk, Medford, and Port Jefferson. They can handle the 5 boros, where there are plenty of people with no plastic. If 11% of the NYC population is unbanked, that is about triple LIRR's daily ridership, and NYC is far more transit dependent than Long Island. It is elitism, pure and simple. If they try to go totally cashless, there will be court fights, who couldn't care less about MTA's overhead costs. 

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

Has anyone else noticed missing trips on their OMNY account? I've had 2 missing in the past 2 days, one subway one bus, and a few others that come to mind. I used a mix of physical cards and google pay.

[Tonyboy515]

9 hours ago, RestrictOnTheHanger said:

Has anyone else noticed missing trips on their OMNY account? I've had 2 missing in the past 2 days, one subway one bus, and a few others that come to mind. I used a mix of physical cards and google pay.

I’ve had this happen before, but those missing trips did eventually pop up 2-5 days after they happened (which is still strange)

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

One of my missing charges from the above post ended up appearing on the site 3 hours later....

On another note the OMNY site will be down Friday overnight into Saturday early AM for "maintenance". Let's see if there are any interesting enhancements

[mikecintel]

Anyone has info when OMNY Physical cards coming out?  Getting "tired" of using Metro Card to travel.

Right now I am going back to my office to work ugh 1 day remote only 🙄.  Wish I still work remotely at home.  I disagree that everyone has to come back to the office.  COVID is still out there with DELTA variant.   I hop when the OMNY physical cards comes out they will still have the unlimited option because right now I am using an Unlimited card now.  I understand with COVID they are delaying the release of OMNY physical cards but it is the Fall already.  Hopefully when in December 2021 the next MTA board meeting they will indicate about OMNY physically cards coming in 2022 if it does not come out this year.  If I use my credit card to tap and pay which I did I would have to pay $55 a week to travel to work and come back home not worth using my credit card tap and go for work now.  I have to transfer a total of 6x going back and fourth to work and home.

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

3 hours ago, mikecintel said:

Anyone has info when OMNY Physical cards coming out? 

The plan was end of this month (September). The site update shows that you can add an OMNY card to your account but that it's still testing and to check back in a few weeks. 

The update is the one referenced in my last post so we should be hearing something very soon

[mikecintel]

3 hours ago, RestrictOnTheHanger said:

The plan was end of this month (September). The site update shows that you can add an OMNY card to your account but that it's still testing and to check back in a few weeks. 

The update is the one referenced in my last post so we should be hearing something very soon

Thanks for the reply.  I went to the OMNY.info and where does it say you can add an OMNY card to your account?  I hope so it be in October we should hear from them soon.

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

On 9/25/2021 at 4:16 PM, mikecintel said:

I went to the OMNY.info and where does it say you can add an OMNY card to your account?

Wallet, travel cards, add travel card. 

The OMNY card may have a barcode and magnetic strip, in addition to contactless, according to the example graphic when trying to add one. This is probably to aid third party sales/reloads if true. 

[mikecintel]

2 hours ago, RestrictOnTheHanger said:

Wallet, travel cards, add travel card. 

The OMNY card may have a barcode and magnetic strip, in addition to contactless, according to the example graphic when trying to add one. This is probably to aid third party sales/reloads if true. 

Ok thanks

[Amtrak41]

On 9/25/2021 at 9:06 AM, mikecintel said:

Anyone has info when OMNY Physical cards coming out?  Getting "tired" of using Metro Card to travel.

 

I use a Debit card with tap ability for only OMNY purposes.. I was not going to wait for the physical card and not certain if it would have Unlimited capability if it right when it were to come out. I opened a Captial One "360" checking account with no fees, no checks, no minimums, and keep a very low balance. That is the card is registed with OMNY. I have run down the balances on my 2 Metrocards to nothing, and no longer use them. The only place you can't use OMNY is on NICE, and I have no intentions of riding their system for the foreseeable future. PATH is slow-walking OMNY this until 2023.  

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Amtrak41