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Time Out
15-07-2025
- General
- Time Out
74% of NYC subway riders are having issues with OMNY, says new study
New Yorkers are pros at adapting—pizza on the go, walking faster than most people jog—but the city's transition to OMNY, the MTA's tap-and-go fare system, has been anything but smooth. A new study reveals that a whopping 74-percent of riders are experiencing issues with the system, which is set to fully replace the MetroCard by year's end. The survey, conducted by the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC), polled nearly 400 subway, bus and commuter rail riders. Among the most common complaints? More than 40-percent said the OMNY readers didn't register their tap, 34-percent cited delayed charges and 31-percent believed they were flat-out overcharged. And if you thought it was just your phone acting up, you're not alone—glitches peaked in early June following a system update. TikTok and Reddit lit up with frustrated riders comparing horror stories and accusing OMNY of taking them for an unexpected ride. 'There definitely was a concentration of issues right around beginning of June,' said Brian Fritsch of the PCAC. 'We just think that there's work left to do to get it totally ready for the time when the MetroCard is no longer in service at all.' The MTA, for its part, is pushing back. 'Every day more than 4 million riders choose to tap to pay for travel in every borough, bus stop and subway station,' Jessie Lazarus, MTA's deputy chief of commercial ventures, told the New York Times. She dismissed the PCAC study to CBS News as a 'tiny online push poll' and pointed to internal surveys showing 84-percent of subway riders are satisfied with OMNY. Still, some riders say they're not feeling the love. Bronx commuter Mario Arias told CBS, 'Yesterday, I put $20. Today, no work.' Brooklyn resident Keenan Lambert added, 'After three days, it's not working anymore.' Beyond failed taps and billing confusion, the real sticking point may be the quality of customer service. Nearly 70-percent of those who filed complaints said their issues weren't resolved. One rider reported waiting on hold for an hour, only to have the call dropped. Despite the growing pains, MetroCard sales will officially end this December, with OMNY taking over full fare duties in 2026. And while the MTA promises fixes are on the way—including visual balance checks and restored trip histories—riders still holding onto their swipe cards might not be so eager to let go just yet.
New York Times
11-07-2025
- New York Times
Can Subway Riders Learn to Love OMNY?
Good morning. It's Friday. Today we'll look at the hiccups plaguing OMNY, MetroCard's contactless successor, according to a survey that came out yesterday. We'll also look at why 31 police officers were fired. The token and the MetroCard each had a long run, and each, in its own way, became a symbol of the subway system. OMNY, the new tap-and-go payment system that is permanently replacing MetroCard at the end of this year, has a lot to live up to — and so far, some straphangers aren't happy. Reports abound of overcharging, poor communication and other glitches, according to a survey released on Thursday by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority watchdog. My colleague Stefanos Chen, who covers transit, reported on the survey's findings. Below, the takeaways. Almost three-fourths of OMNY users have reported some kind of problem with the payment method, the survey from the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the M.T.A. found. The most common issue respondents raised was a payment error: Nearly a third of survey respondents believed OMNY had overcharged them. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
As MetroCard Phases Out, Riders Gripe About Its Replacement
As the MetroCard nears the end of its more than two-decade run as New Yorkers' entry pass to the transit system, its high-tech successor, OMNY, faces an uphill battle for riders' approval. Nearly three out of four people who have made the switch to the new tap-and-go payment system said they have had problems with it, according to a report by an independent watchdog of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that controls the buses, subway and other transit in the region. The survey, conducted in June and July and released Thursday, was published by the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the M.T.A., a consumer advocacy group that makes recommendations to the transit authority. Nearly 400 subway, bus and commuter rail riders responded to the questionnaire. The most common complaint, made by 42 percent of respondents, was that their OMNY payments sometimes failed to register at fare gates, forcing them to tap repeatedly. More than a third of users said they had received charges hours or days after tapping, with nearly as many believing they had been overcharged, though the vendor that runs the software insists that is not the case. Others complained of long wait times for customer service and a lack of transparency. 'There is a lot left to be desired in terms of communication,' said Brian Fritsch, the advisory committee's associate director. 'We're not there, we're not close, and in some ways, at least in the short term, OMNY is a step back.' The report comes after several complaints of technical glitches that have raised questions about the system's readiness only months before the MetroCard is scheduled to be officially discontinued at the end of December. OMNY is expected to become the primary way to access all 472 subway stations, the AirTrain, and 348 bus routes citywide. (MetroCards will still be accepted for the time being, but no new cards will be sold.) Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Feds issue new deadline for New York to shut down congestion pricing gantries
NEW YORK - The U.S. Department of Transportation is threatening to pull federal funding from New York unless the state shuts down its congestion pricing gantries. The new ultimatum comes from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy after the previously set federal deadline passed without compliance. What we know The deadline for New York to disable its congestion pricing gantries has came and went on Sunday, April 20. Now, Secretary Duffy has issued a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul threatening to withhold federal funding for road construction projects—not just in Manhattan, but in other parts of the state, including Long Island. Governor Hochul dismissed the threat in strong terms, saying, "Let me repeat this for those who didn't hear me the first 10 or 11 times." The letter from Secretary Duffy accuses the governor of "attacking working-class Americans." "It is appropriate that the federal government send a message to the state of New York and the MTA that they will impose penalties if they do not comply with federal law and that they're operating the congestion pricing cameras in violation of federal law," said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. By the numbers State officials say congestion pricing is already showing results. Since the program was activated: Nearly 6 million fewer vehicles have entered the pricing zone compared to previous years. Hundreds of thousands more riders are using subways and buses each week. The tolls are raising more than $50 million per month, surpassing the MTA's initial projections. What they're saying Lisa Daglian, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, pushed back on claims that congestion pricing is hurting the local economy. "They're really concerned about what is happening to New York's economy. They should look to see what's happening to Broadway attendance and they'll see that Broadway show attendance is up. They'll see that restaurant reservations are up," Daglian said. Governor Hochul has remained defiant, stating, "Congestion pricing is legal. It's working. Business is up, traffic is down, and the cameras are staying on." What's next The new deadline set by Secretary Duffy is May 21. If Governor Hochul does not comply, federal penalties are scheduled to begin a week later.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Yorkers rally for expanded Fair Fares subway discount eligibility
NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – Eligibility for half-priced subway discounts should be expanded to include people making under $31,300 per year, elected officials say. The city's Fair Fares program offers discounted subway and bus fares to low-income New Yorkers. The program was expected to expand in early 2025 to include all locals making 145% of the federal poverty level, or $22,692 per year for a single person. A family of four would need to make under $46,617 to qualify. More Local News On Monday, advocates and elected officials are holding a rally at City Hall to say the program should expand to include New Yorkers making up to 200% of the federal poverty level. The new eligibility would include a single New Yorker making $31,300, a family of two making $42,300 and a family of three making $53,300. This expansion would mean 415,000 more New Yorkers could get the discount, including many who work minimum-wage jobs, according to the MTA's Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee. Advocates have long called for the 200% eligibility bar. In November, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Borough President Antonio Reynoso joined a rally at City Hall calling for the expansion. At the time, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Services told PIX11 the department would need to review the previous expansion to 145% of the federal poverty line before considering another. Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
