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MTA ‘tap-and-go’ OMNY fare rollout is over budget and behind schedule


Via Garibaldi 8

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MTA ‘tap-and-go’ OMNY fare rollout is over budget and behind schedule

By David Meyer  January 24, 2022 3:06pm Updated

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The new MTA OMNY tap-and-go system is 15 months behind in development and several million dollars over budget.

Christopher Sadowski

The MTA’s OMNY tap-and-go fare system is millions of dollars over budget and 15 months behind schedule, transit officials conceded on Monday. 

The project cost spiked from $591 million last June to $772 million, the MTA said. As a result, vending machines and single-ride OMNY tickets will not begin installation until September — eight months behind schedule, MTA new fare payment systems director Amy Linden told board members.

Linden attributed the new price tag and schedule to software “contractor issues,” “COVID safety protocols” for installing vending machines and added demands to the contract, including commuter railroad integration and new fare structures.

“The original OMNY delivery schedule has been a challenge,” Linden said. “It was overly aggressive from the very beginning with no space to address unforeseen needs or circumstances, creating a high degree of risk to the delivery schedule.”

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According to new data, the MTA’s OMNY tap-and-go fare system is millions of dollars over budget and 15 months behind schedule. 

William Farrington for NY Post

Under the new schedule, OMNY rollout will wrap up on buses and subways in the first quarter of 2024, and on Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North six months later.

Linden said the MTA’s initial plan for OMNY on railroads was “rushed and not fully developed” until recently, which altered the cost and timeline. Officials also added a new assignment to the contract in November to ensure that riders who accumulate 13 or more trips between midnight Monday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday are not charged more than $33.

The software snafu, meanwhile, drew the agency’s attention to “quality control issues” with its contractor Cubic Corporation that are being resolved, Linden said.

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Under the new schedule, OMNY rollout will wrap up on buses and subways in the first quarter of 2024.

Stefan Jeremiah for NY Post

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MTA new fare payment systems director Amy Linden said the delay is due to a “rushed and not fully developed” timeline. 

Christopher Sadowski

Additional changes “may add cost to the project,” the MTA’s independent engineering consultant Joseph Devito warned board members.

“We are concerned that contract and software issues could impact customer experience if they persist,” Devito said.

Every subway station and bus in the city accepts payment via OMNY, in which riders can use contactless credit cards, mobile wallet apps or a physical OMNY card that went on sale in November.

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The project cost spiked from $591 million last June to $772 million.

Christopher Sadowski for NY Post

As of November, 23 percent of fares were paid with the tap-and-go system, Linden said.

Source: https://nypost.com/2022/01/24/mta-tap-and-go-omny-fare-rollout-is-over-budget-and-behind-schedule/

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9 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I still haven't seen a single OMNY card for sale anywhere

The retail store locator says only 7-11's have it for sale around me in Queens, which aren't too common to begin with.  Not sure why they're failing so hard at getting the major drug stores to start selling them, since it has been 4 months since the original retail "launch".

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6 hours ago, 7-express said:

The retail store locator says only 7-11's have it for sale around me in Queens, which aren't too common to begin with.  Not sure why they're failing so hard at getting the major drug stores to start selling them, since it has been 4 months since the original retail "launch".

Your best bet is to try Manhattan. The 7/11 stores generally have them and some check cashing places, but call beforehand. Some CVS stores have them, but may or may not be able to sell them because they may not be able to activate them.

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1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Your best bet is to try Manhattan. The 7/11 stores generally have them and some check cashing places, but call beforehand. Some CVS stores have them, but may or may not be able to sell them because they may not be able to activate them.

That's so dumb, since Manhattan is the most MVM-heavy borough so the MTA is doing the exact opposite of meeting the demand where it is in the outer boroughs! And that's crazy that the CVS's can't activate the cards...so pathetic

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2 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

That's so dumb, since Manhattan is the most MVM-heavy borough so the MTA is doing the exact opposite of meeting the demand where it is in the outer boroughs! And that's crazy that the CVS's can't activate the cards...so pathetic

The reality is the (MTA) wants to get out of the business of printing and distributing payment cards, so the plan was to have more third party vendors deal with that end of it. It would appear that the (MTA) has specific people on the Board that is supposed to be overseeing this project, including the distribution side.  Essentially, whatever vendor agrees to sell the OMNY cards has to be able to activate them and if they can't then they can't sell them because the person buying them can only begin using them AFTER the vendor has activated the cards and loaded a minimum amount on the card.

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1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

The reality is the (MTA) wants to get out of the business of printing and distributing payment cards, so the plan was to have more third party vendors deal with that end of it. It would appear that the (MTA) has specific people on the Board that is supposed to be overseeing this project, including the distribution side.  Essentially, whatever vendor agrees to sell the OMNY cards has to be able to activate them and if they can't then they can't sell them because the person buying them can only begin using them AFTER the vendor has activated the cards and loaded a minimum amount on the card.

They definitely could be doing a better job getting other stores to sell it, or even partner with Amazon or something to sell it online 

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2 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

They definitely could be doing a better job getting other stores to sell it, or even partner with Amazon or something to sell it online 

Yeah, I was told a while ago by OMNY that an official list is coming out, but nothing yet. It is definitely supposed to be more than just 7/11. Walgreens, CVS and a host of other stores are supposed to carry them. The retirement of the Metrocard is now pushed back to 2024, as they are having software issues and other problems with OMNY.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
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Some spots like the check cashing places are selling the OMNY cards. But from my point of view, they should be selling them in MVMs, buy at least 2 fares ($5.50) and pay the card fee ($4.95) that can be also used as debit cards for purchases. That’s the way my SEPTAKey cards work as. Make it a 2 year use of the card in this case: EXP date: 6/30/24. 

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15 hours ago, FLX9304 said:

Some spots like the check cashing places are selling the OMNY cards. But from my point of view, they should be selling them in MVMs, buy at least 2 fares ($5.50) and pay the card fee ($4.95) that can be also used as debit cards for purchases. That’s the way my SEPTAKey cards work as. Make it a 2 year use of the card in this case: EXP date: 6/30/24. 

They will have OMNY machines for the OMNY cards. Can't use the MVMs for OMNY because OMNY and Metrocard are two separate payment systems.

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On 1/26/2022 at 3:49 PM, QM1to6Ave said:

That's so dumb, since Manhattan is the most MVM-heavy borough so the MTA is doing the exact opposite of meeting the demand where it is in the outer boroughs!

The (MTA) is a very Manhattan-centric agency, for lack of a better term.

They'll probably have the first OMNY vending machines too. Watch them put the first batch of OMNY machines at Bowling Green (MTA HQ), Penn (LIRR), and GCT (MNRR/LIRR)

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