OMNY Implementation/Metro-Card Retirement Discussion Thread

[JeremiahC99]

24 minutes ago, Wallyhorse said:

This I like very much.  Given it is mainly college students who travel between the two cities it would work. 

The idea was mainly aimed for college students who commute within the city for school, work, and other activities (such as myself). Most students will go from home to school to work, and then home, or from home to work, then school, and back home. A one way fare is $2.75. That student, under any of the two scenarios, would be paying three one way fares instead of two, thus spending $8.25 a day. This adds up over the course of the month, and during the 15 week fall/spring semester. Now there are programs to reduce the burden of transportation and book costs by giving free unlimited MetroCards they can use for the whole semester, such as CUNY's Accelerated Study in Associates Programs (ASAP). However, a drawback is that only a limited number of students would eligible for the program. I was one of the lucky students who was part of that program, and I graduated from the program this past May. There is also a bachelors degree counterpart of ASAP called ACE, which stands for Accelerate, Complete, Engage, which also gives out unlimited MetroCards to students, but like ASAP, there is also limited enrollment eligibility.  

An OMNY U-Pass would make the fare benefits of the ASAP and ACE program available for all students, so for the average student who does not qualify for the two programs, they can get a card at their Bursar office for $1.50 and once it automatically activates on the first day of classes, they can get unlimited rides all semester, from the first day of classes, to the end of the term. Over the course of the month, assuming that students go to class 4 times a day and also work 4 times a day after school (at least for CUNY Service Corps Students), instead of spending $33 a week ($8.25*4), which adds up to $132 dollars a month, and $528 dollars for the whole semester, the student can only pay $1.50 for the entire semester. That's a big savings.

There should also be similar cards for the summer and winter sessions (I took two summer classes since I started in July 2017), much like how ASAP provides monthly cards for those taking summer and winter classes. This is provided, they give proof that they are enrolled in such classes.

[Kamen Rider]

$1.50... for an entire....

 

Are you kidding me? 

Sure... I can see a discounted unlimited... but $1.50... less than the cost of one single ride and EVERYONE getS free transportation for three months?

Yeah, there is no way that could be abused.

 

Absolutely no one will sign up for an online course and then show up and say “Well, I am a student... so here’s $1.50, now give me my free rides.”

 

there is a reason on why there are rules applied to the student cards. I went to catholic school, so I didn’t have certain public holidays off and had to prove why I was using my student card on those days.

[Around the Horn]

1 hour ago, JeremiahC99 said:

An OMNY U-Pass would make the fare benefits of the ASAP and ACE program available for all students, so for the average student who does not qualify for the two programs, they can get a card at their Bursar office for $1.50 and once it automatically activates on the first day of classes, they can get unlimited rides all semester, from the first day of classes, to the end of the term. Over the course of the month, assuming that students go to class 4 times a day and also work 4 times a day after school (at least for CUNY Service Corps Students), instead of spending $33 a week ($8.25*4), which adds up to $132 dollars a month, and $528 dollars for the whole semester, the student can only pay $1.50 for the entire semester. That's a big savings.

There should also be similar cards for the summer and winter sessions (I took two summer classes since I started in July 2017), much like how ASAP provides monthly cards for those taking summer and winter classes. This is provided, they give proof that they are enrolled in such classes.

You wouldn't even need to submit proof...

Smart card systems have become so advanced nowadays that pass privileges can be automatically added to a student's card as soon as they enroll for enough classes to qualify as a full time student through their college. (Using the CUNY example, as soon as they have 4 classes in CUNY first, their pass privileges for that semester would be unlocked and go into effect on the first day of classes.) And if they aren't full time, the system won't add the pass to their card.

22 minutes ago, Kamen Rider said:

Yeah, there is no way that could be abused.

Absolutely no one will sign up for an online course and then show up and say “Well, I am a student... so here’s $1.50, now give me my free rides.”

there is a reason on why there are rules applied to the student cards. I went to catholic school, so I didn’t have certain public holidays off and had to prove why I was using my student card on those days.

Chicago has this all figured out people... I put that link in my post for a reason 😂

https://www.transitchicago.com/upass/

Quote

Here are the basics about how U-Pass works:

Your U-Pass provides you unlimited rides on the CTA during your enrollment as a full-time student in a participating institution.
(The unlimited riding your U-Pass provides is on CTA buses and trains, only. To use your U-Pass to ride Pace buses, load transit value or passes valid for your trip on Pace.)

Your card is good for up to seven years (see its expiration date and hold onto it). Your card will work across multiple school terms over its life, and also works when you’re not in school as a regular Ventra Card for full fare and/or full fare passes. (You won’t get a new one with each school session or year and the cost to replace a lost/stolen U-Pass is $50.)

As long as you’re enrolled full-time in school, your U-Pass privileges are loaded onto your card automatically by your school and good for the length of your session.

Quote

Your Ventra U-Pass keeps on working as a regular Ventra Card between semesters and switches back to being a U-Pass when school is back in session. Load transit value for regular fares or even passes (3-Day, 7-Day, etc.).

There’s no need to get a separate card for when you’re not attending school full-time—you just load & go! Here's how:

Your U-Pass card automatically switches to working like a regular Ventra Card when you’re not in session. When you use your card when school isn’t in session, regular fares and transfers are deducted. You can load value onto your card at any Ventra Vending Machine, at hundreds of Ventra Retail Locations, over the phone, or at www.ventrachicago.com. When you’re back in school full time, U-Pass riding privileges become available again, automatically, at the start of the session.

(emphasis mine)

So for a theoretical "OMNY U Pass", you would have one card for your entire college career. If you are a full time student, you pass privileges would be automatically loaded to your card on a semester by semester basis. When school is not in session, the card functions as regular OMNY card. You can also add money to your U Pass during the semester for modes that the pass doesn't cover (like NICE or Bee Line for example)

[Kamen Rider]

Ok then...

 

so where do you suggest the MTA get the roughly several hundred million dollars, if not more this program would take from fare box recovery ratio every year?

CUNY, by itself, has roughly 250,000 students. Now, not all of them are full time, but add on SUNY and all the private colleges, it could easily be that many full time students across the city. And at that total, we’re looking at about $130 million in lost revenue a year.

they tax items that have nothing to do with the MTA to held fund it. They are putting in congestion charges to try to keep the agency afloat...

 

and suddenly we’re talking about blowing another hole in the operating budget.

 

Now, unlike most of society, I still see compromise as the core of democracy, so...

the pass is $100 for the school year.

they still get a discount, and less of the cost burden is passed to those of us who actually pay our fares...

[Around the Horn]

8 minutes ago, Kamen Rider said:

Ok then...

 

so where do you suggest the MTA get the roughly several hundred million dollars, if not more this program would take from fare box recovery ratio every year?

CUNY, by itself, has roughly 250,000 students. Now, not all of them are full time, but add on SUNY and all the private colleges, it could easily be that many full time students across the city. And at that total, we’re looking at about $130 million in lost revenue a year.

they tax items that have nothing to do with the MTA to held fund it. They are putting in congestion charges to try to keep the agency afloat...

 

and suddenly we’re talking about blowing another hole in the operating budget.

 

Now, unlike most of society, I still see compromise as the core of democracy, so...

the pass is $100 for the school year.

they still get a discount, and less of the cost burden is passed to those of us who actually pay our fares...

I'm not advocating for it to be free. @JeremiahC99 is...

Students would pay a mandatory student fee as part of their tuition to cover the pass. That's how WMATA's U Pass works. I'm not sure what exactly their fee is but $100 seems reasonable...

Edited September 6, 2019 by Around the Horn

[Around the Horn]

Whitehall Street has the bases for OMNY readers installed

[bobtehpanda]

On 9/5/2019 at 10:03 PM, Kamen Rider said:

Ok then...

 

so where do you suggest the MTA get the roughly several hundred million dollars, if not more this program would take from fare box recovery ratio every year?

CUNY, by itself, has roughly 250,000 students. Now, not all of them are full time, but add on SUNY and all the private colleges, it could easily be that many full time students across the city. And at that total, we’re looking at about $130 million in lost revenue a year.

they tax items that have nothing to do with the MTA to held fund it. They are putting in congestion charges to try to keep the agency afloat...

 

and suddenly we’re talking about blowing another hole in the operating budget.

 

Now, unlike most of society, I still see compromise as the core of democracy, so...

the pass is $100 for the school year.

they still get a discount, and less of the cost burden is passed to those of us who actually pay our fares...

Seattle (and Washington State) mandates that companies, particularly large employers, have to meet commute trip reduction goals around SOV driving for their employees. In practice, this means that companies are required to pay for whatever is necessary (transit passes and organizing vanpools, sometimes bikeshare passes, rideshares, etc.) and make them available to their employees at a price rate that will make the goal achieved. It is of reduced cost to employees and of no cost to the transit agency.

Quite frankly, I'm surprised New York neither requires this of companies, nor does it charge transportation-related impact fees to new developments. If JPMorgan and co all of a sudden have to pay out of pocket to make sure their employees get on public transit, but then they start showing up to work and meetings late consistently, the tenor of the conversation around the MTA would change dramatically. TransitCheck is nice but a pretty weak carrot compared to Seattle's strong stick.

Edited September 28, 2019 by bobtehpanda

[Around the Horn]

An update on OMNY installations:

In operation: 

42 St-Grand Central to Atlantic Av-Barclays Center  

bases installed: 

51 Street  

59 Street  

Whitehall St  

34 St-Penn Station  

34 St-Penn Station  

[Lawrence St]

2 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

An update on OMNY installations:

In operation: 

42 St-Grand Central to Atlantic Av-Barclays Center  

bases installed: 

51 Street  

59 Street  

Whitehall St  

34 St-Penn Station  

34 St-Penn Station  

So I'm guessing they're not doing this on a line-by-line basis anymore...

[Kamen Rider]

They didn't with MetroCard. Don't see why this would be any different.

 

Now if they'd just get a flipping move on...

[Around the Horn]

2 hours ago, Kamen Rider said:

They didn't with MetroCard. Don't see why this would be any different.

 

Now if they'd just get a flipping move on...

6 months from May is November so the next phase is right around the corner.

 

I'll also add that a lot of Manhattan local buses have OMNY bases installed as well.

[Jdog14]

4 hours ago, Kamen Rider said:

They didn't with MetroCard. Don't see why this would be any different.

 

Now if they'd just get a flipping move on...

 

They don't want a system that is buggy implemented quickly. Its better they work out the logistics first....

[LTA1992]

On 10/11/2019 at 10:34 PM, Kamen Rider said:

They didn't with MetroCard. Don't see why this would be any different.

 

Now if they'd just get a flipping move on...

We still have a month to go before full rollout begins. I'm glad they took their time. They learned from the mistakes of Ventra.

Besides, I believe all or most stations are wired already as I've been getting contactless notifications all over the city.

I believe this will be a quick change.

Edited October 13, 2019 by LTA1992

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

When travelling with multiple people on the same payment device, how do free transfers work? Do you tap the device once for each person or only once for the group like the Metrocard?

[Metro CSW]

2 hours ago, RestrictOnTheHanger said:

When travelling with multiple people on the same payment device, how do free transfers work? Do you tap the device once for each person or only once for the group like the Metrocard?

I think it's safe to say that when the full installation and the actually OMNY card is revealed, it'll be truly feasible. I would think. Now? Not likely

[Jova42R]

I think all Manhattan Local Buses will have OMNY - most all of them have bases!

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

14 hours ago, Metro CSW said:

I think it's safe to say that when the full installation and the actually OMNY card is revealed, it'll be truly feasible. I would think. Now? Not likely

The site itself says group transfers are supported but doesnt clarify the procedure

[Around the Horn]

Updating the OMNY installation list:

51 Street 

59 Street 

68 Street-Hunter College 

Whitehall St 

34 St-Penn Station 

34 St-Penn Station 

[Amtrak41]

On 10/15/2019 at 7:07 PM, Around the Horn said:

Updating the OMNY installation list:

51 Street 

59 Street 

68 Street-Hunter College 

Whitehall St 

34 St-Penn Station 

34 St-Penn Station 

Once they install the base, how long before it is a functioning OMNY turnstile ?

At complex stations, like Grand Central, Fulton Street, and Atlantic Av, do all turnstiles at those station complexes have OMNY, or just those nearest the Lexington Av subway ? 

I wish the OMNY website would have progress list. If it wasn't for your posts, I would have no idea that any progress was made  beyond last May. 

[JeremiahC99]

19 minutes ago, Amtrak41 said:

At complex stations, like Grand Central, Fulton Street, and Atlantic Av, do all turnstiles at those station complexes have OMNY, or just those nearest the Lexington Av subway ?

At Union Sq, there is an entrance on the SW side of the park that leads to the mezzanine serving the  and  platforms. As I often use that entrance when returning home from shopping in Union Square, I did see OMNY readers there. I also noticed OMNY readers at the turnstiles at the entrance to the northern end of the park.

So it looks like all turnstiles in the station complex have the OMNY readers.

[Jdog14]

25 minutes ago, Amtrak41 said:

Once they install the base, how long before it is a functioning OMNY turnstile ?

At complex stations, like Grand Central, Fulton Street, and Atlantic Av, do all turnstiles at those station complexes have OMNY, or just those nearest the Lexington Av subway ? 

I wish the OMNY website would have progress list. If it wasn't for your posts, I would have no idea that any progress was made  beyond last May. 

 

I can personally confirm all the OMNY stations have the OMNY bases at every entrance.  

Edited October 20, 2019 by Jdog14

[Around the Horn]

Updating the OMNY installation list:

51 Street 

59 Street 

68 Street-Hunter College 

103 Street

110 Street

116 Street

125 Street

Whitehall St 

34 St-Penn Station 

34 St-Penn Station 

3 hours ago, Amtrak41 said:

Once they install the base, how long before it is a functioning OMNY turnstile ?

They just have to install the actual OMNY reader on top of the base and connect all the wiring, etc, etc...

When the base is installed they look like this:

When they install the reader, they look like this:

[Elloss]

St George Ferry Terminal SIR has the bases installer. Just checked while in my commute to college.

Edited October 21, 2019 by Elloss

[Future ENY OP]

11 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Updating the OMNY installation list:

51 Street 

59 Street 

68 Street-Hunter College 

103 Street

110 Street

116 Street

125 Street

Whitehall St 

34 St-Penn Station 

34 St-Penn Station 

They just have to install the actual OMNY reader on top of the base and connect all the wiring, etc, etc...

When the base is installed they look like this:

When they install the reader, they look like this:

Excellent list update. They are slowly putting the  readers on the uptown . Hopefully 86th and Lex should be next on the list along with 96th  before additional transitions to The Bronx and Brooklyn stations 🚉.  

[Lawrence St]

44 minutes ago, Elloss said:

St George Ferry Terminal SIR has the bases installer. Just checked while in my commute to college.

I'm surprised SIR didn't get the OMNY readers when it first launched, since Staten Island has all their buses equipped with them.