NYMTA Extends Tap-and-Go Fare Technology to Reduced-Fare Customers

The MTA says it has begun mailing OMNY cards directly to the more than 1.5 million Reduced-Fare customers enrolled in the program, “providing a seamless transition to the tap-and-go system.” The new OMNY cards will enable current and future enrolled Reduced-Fare program customers—the largest customer group to be made eligible for tap-and-go fare payments—to benefit from OMNY’s “convenience and financial flexibility to pay for subway and bus fares,” the agency noted.

OMNY has been supporting the Reduced-Fare customers since October 2022 with 75,000 customers having registered their own bank card or digital wallet to tap-to-pay for their travel.

“Over 80% of full-fare customers have switched to OMNY because they know it gives New Yorkers the greatest bang for the buck,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “It’s a major milestone that we can now offer to all Reduced-Fare customers who are some of our most frequent riders.” 

This, MTA says, builds on recent continued OMNY milestones as more customers transition to the tap-and-go system. This school year, students also made the switch to OMNY, receiving Student OMNY cards instead of MetroCards that had been distributed to students citywide since 1997. Student OMNY cards also came with expanded benefits including 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year use and up to four free rides a day. 

According to the MTA, transit customers have used OMNY to tap into the transit system nearly two billion times. OMNY market share accounts for more than 60% of New York City Transit customers, with full-fare subway rides rising to 81% as more and more customers trade in their seven-day MetroCards for the convenience and financial flexibility of OMNY’s fare cap, the agency noted.

More information about the Reduced-Fare program is available here.