The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) contactless fare payment system, OMNY, had its five millionth tap ahead of the system being installed at 60 more subway stations during the month of January, including station complexes such as Herald Square and 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center and Jay St-Metro Tech.
To mark the expansion of OMNY, the MTA also announced a new public information campaign including station announcements by NYC Transit President Andy Byford and MTA advertisements coming to more than 1,100 subway cars. The ads feature slogans such as “Save the swiping for your dating app” and graphics showing the evolution of fare payment in New York City.
Adoption rates continue to exceed the MTA’s most ambitious internal estimates and work to bring OMNY to the entire subway and bus system by the end of the year remains on pace, according to the authority.
“The rate at which New Yorkers and visitors are using OMNY has surpassed our most ambitious estimates, and that’s a testament to the system’s popularity” said MTA NYC Transit President Andy Byford. “Five million taps this quickly is outstanding, and that pace will grow even faster as we add more stations. By the end of this year, this quick, easy and seamless way to pay will be available at every subway station and every MTA bus to help everyone move faster.”
By the end of January, riders will be able to use OMNY at nearly 150 subway stations, providing many more transfer points and opportunities to use OMNY for round-trips. The current phase of OMNY’s expansion – 60 new stations in January – includes installation of OMNY readers at numerous major transit hubs including:
Herald Square
47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center
Bryant Park
West 4 St-Washington Square
World Trade Center
Jay St-MetroTech
The 60 stations going live in January include those on the following line segments:
The B, D lines from 145 St to West 4 St-Washington Sq.
The F, M lines between 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center and West 4 St-Washington Sq.
AC stations from Inwood-207 St on the A line and 168 St on the C line, down 8th Avenue in Manhattan to Jay St-MetroTech in Brooklyn.
The E line from 50 St to the end of the line at World Trade Center.
The station complexes at Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park and Herald Square are scheduled to go live next week.
OMNY was built on global payment standards and has been used successfully by customers with bank cards issued in more than 116 countries on six continents. The public pilot phase of the rollout brought OMNY contactless payments to all Staten Island MTA buses and all subway station entrances on the 4, 5, 6 lines between Grand Central-42 St and Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr. OMNY currently offers a full-fare, pay-per-ride option, and additional fare products will be introduced after all subway stations and bus routes are equipped with the new technology. Customers can view their trips and charges by registering for an OMNY account. The OMNY website will be updated regularly to give customers a one-month look-ahead at which lines and stations will be OMNY-enabled, along with a current list of all current OMNY-enabled locations.
“With this next rollout, a critical mass of the riding public will be able to use OMNY, with many being able to tap in on both ends of their trip,” said Al Putre, the MTA’s OMNY program executive. “I can’t wait for all New Yorkers to be able to tap and go by the end of the year.”
