Fair Fare riders can now tap-and-go on public transit with OMNY
New Yorkers enrolled in the city’s half-priced transit fare program can now ditch their MetroCards and tap-and-go with ease. City officials on Wednesday announced that Fair Fares program participants can now order tap-and-go OMNY cards, offering half-off fare rates without the need to swipe. Enrollees will automatically be issued a discounted OMNY card, and those that are already in the program can request one through the city’s website.
Launched in 2019, Fair Fares gives low-income New Yorkers who earn up to 120 percent of the federal poverty line 50 percent discounted MetroCards for subway, bus, and Access-A-Ride trips. The threshold was raised to 120 percent from 100 percent last year after Mayor Eric Adams announced a $200 million investment to expand Fair Fares.
At the time, 330,000 individuals were enrolled in the program, though roughly 800,000 New Yorkers were eligible to participate, according to Streetsblog.
In January, the Adams administration raised income eligibility from 120 percent to 145 percent of the federal poverty level, making nearly 200,000 more working-class New Yorkers eligible for half-priced fairs, according to a press release.
“New York City’s public transit system is the lifeblood of our city, serving New Yorkers all across the five boroughs. By bringing our world-class Fair Fares program onto the MTA’s digital OMNY system, we are making it even easier for working-class New Yorkers to access discounted rides on our trains and on our buses,” Adams said.
The Department of Social Services will launch a $2 million targeted advertising campaign to raise awareness about the program and help eligible New Yorkers enroll.
In May, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched a Fair Fares pilot program on OMNY. The 90-day pilot started with 50 Fair Fares riders and allowed the MTA to collect feedback and finalize a rollout for all customers.
Fair Fares is one of the final transit discount programs to transition to the OMNY system. In July, the city replaced student MetroCards with OMNY cards, expanding free rides to up to four per day, 24 hours a day, year-round.
Transit officials planned to incorporate the program into OMNY in 2023, but waited to ensure the system had enough vending machines for the new tap-payment cards, as 6sqft previously reported.
The program’s expansion is part of the MTA’s effort to fully replace the MetroCard with OMNY, a long-delayed initiative that began in 2019. In September 2022, the MTA said it would fully replace the MetroCard system by the end of 2023, but was pushed back due to the pandemic and the delayed deliveries of OMNY card vending machines.
In December, an MTA consultant estimated that the full roll-out of OMNY would not be finished until the end of 2026, according to Gothamist.
RELATED:
Interested in similar content?
Leave a reply
Your email address will not be published.
When the Omny App will be available for NYC riders so that they can use their digital watches too to use it to enter the subway and the bus as well. As per my understanding Omny app. is not available presently to download. Your feedback will be appreciated.