Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) fare-payment system, OMNY has reached more than 1 billion taps. To celebrate, MTA officials hosted tap dancer Ja'Bowen Dixon at the 74 St-Jackson Heights subway station, where the billionth rider, Candida Alfonso, tapped into the system at 10:47 AM and received an OMNY gift bag complete with an OMNY $100 value to their digital wallet, an OMNY baseball hat and t-shirt.
"I first started using OMNY precisely the same time as the pandemic in March. I help care for sick people, so as an essential worker I needed to switch from cash to OMNY. This is my stop where I catch the train,” Alfonso said.
"As we continue to work to provide safer, cleaner and faster transit, reaching one billion OMNY taps is evidence that our hard work is paying off," said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. "OMNY is a key part of our efforts to modernize the MTA and make it easier for people to get around New York. I am proud we have reached this milestone, and I look forward to continuing to build on our progress in the years to come."
Customers have used OMNY to tap into all 472 subway stations. Customers have also tapped to board 204 local bus routes and 31 express buses with OMNY. OMNY continues to expand. Nearly half of all subway riders are using OMNY to tap into the system, with 2 million riders using OMNY daily. OMNY has processed cards from all of the 195 countries that issue bank cards and 68 percent of OMNY transactions are made by customers tapping digital wallets in phones and wearables.
"Bus and subway customers have experienced the convenience of OMNY firsthand with more than 1 billion taps, and I look forward to even more customers discovering the benefits of it. With no need to preload funds, OMNY is proving to be the most economical, secure and hassle-free option for customers; all you have to do is tap to ride,” said MTA Acting Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara.
MTA notes reduced-fare customers helped make the 1 billion milestone possible because they can use personal devices and contactless cards to tap with OMNY since last October.
