Students Demand Fixes To NYC's Flimsy Student OMNY Cards For many New York City students, commuting to school has become a daily gamble: will their fragile green OMNY student card work at the turnstile, or will they face the choice of paying full fare, hopping the gate, or missing class? Parents and students across the city report that the paper-thin cards are failing under normal use, cracking after exposure to rain, bending in backpacks, or suddenly deactivating without warning. Replacement requests often take weeks to resolve, prompting some families to warn that the combination of unreliable cards and slow service is pushing students toward fare evasion to avoid missing class or after-school programs. The issue has drawn widespread attention, with students and parents in multiple boroughs describing cards that cannot withstand the rigors of daily life. Some students told Gothamist they end up paying the full fare when their pass fails, while others said peers skip the payment altogether and jump the turnstile to avoid delays. Chalkbeat has documented similar concerns from the school side, with principals and transportation coordinators reporting replacement waits that can stretch beyond a month. The New York City Education Department acknowledged the problem, stating that over 890,000 student OMNY passes have been distributed to schools and urging families to contact their school’s transportation liaison or designated staff when a card fails. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) noted it flags cards for potential misuse and emphasized that schools play a key role in reactivating or replacing passes.#new_york_city #transportation_alternatives #metropolitan_transportation_authority #student_omny_cards #new_york_city_education_department
Kids demand fixes to NYC's student OMNY cards, saying flaws encourage fare evasion New York City students and parents are pushing for urgent improvements to the student OMNY card program, citing frequent malfunctions, durability issues, and the cards’ role in incentivizing fare evasion. The free student OMNY cards, introduced in fall 2024, have become a focal point of frustration for thousands of students who rely on them for transportation. Critics argue the cards, made from a flexible material similar to old MetroCards, are prone to damage from weather, bending, or mishandling, leading to repeated replacements and financial strain. Vinny Dong, a sophomore at Queens High School for the Sciences, described the cards as “not surviving the whole year,” noting he has already gone through six. “Rain? Gone! Snow? Gone! You shove it in your phone too hard? Gone!” he said, highlighting the cards’ susceptibility to environmental factors and physical stress. Similar complaints came from other students and parents at a Panel for Education Policy meeting, where over a dozen attendees criticized the program’s design and accessibility. The student OMNY cards, which cover four subway or bus rides daily for students living more than a half-mile from school and not riding yellow buses, have faced widespread criticism for their limited durability and inconsistent functionality. Many argue the cards should be upgraded to match the credit card-like OMNY cards sold in subway vending machines, which are more robust and user-friendly. Parents and students also called for universal access to the program, rather than restricting eligibility to specific demographics.#mta #transportation_alternatives #nyc #panel_for_education_policy #transit_advocacy_group
Claiming a better deal: Why MTA says Hochul’s auto insurance reforms will be boon for transit riders MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and Gov. Kathy Hochul jointly promoted her proposal to lower auto insurance premiums as a benefit for New York City’s transit riders. During a news conference at the Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot in Harlem, both officials emphasized that the measure would save the MTA approximately $50 million annually by reducing personal injury insurance payouts. The announcement follows criticism of the proposal, which has been linked to support from big tech companies and concerns it could disadvantage crash victims. Hochul, running for reelection, framed the reform as a way to curb “skyrocketing” car insurance costs, attributing the rise in premiums to “jackpot payouts” to individuals she claimed are fraudulently exploiting the system. She argued that city residents, many of whom rely on public transit, should support the measure because the MTA could redirect funds saved from payouts toward improving transportation services. “They’re sometimes forced to pay really outrageous legal settlements, even when their own drivers are not at fault,” Hochul said. “And it’s costing us millions. So who loses? All the transit riders. Because the money spent on these payouts isn’t being invested in this system.” However, critics, including advocacy groups, have raised concerns that the reform would shift financial responsibility for crashes from drivers and insurers to victims. By narrowing the definition of “serious injuries” to exclude non-permanent injuries that prevent individuals from working for over 90 days, the legislation could limit compensation for crash victims.#mta #janno_lieber #kathy_hochul #mother_clara_hale_bus_depot #transportation_alternatives
