Before the start of the new school year in New York City, many students have recently discovered that the student OMNY cards they received last year are no longer usable, with some cards expiring as of August 31st. The differing explanations on the validity period provided by the NYC Department of Education and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) have left many parents and students feeling confused.
According to the education news website Chalkbeat NY, several students have reported that they realized their student OMNY cards had expired only when attempting to use them to ride the subway or bus last week. Some mentioned that their cards became unusable after August 31st, while others encountered issues with card expiration earlier, possibly due to wear and tear or damage to the cards.
While the NYC Department of Education website states that student OMNY cards are “valid all year” until the next school year, the MTA website indicates that student cards are valid “from September to August” for use throughout the school year and the summer.
However, MTA spokesperson Kalya Shults informed Chalkbeat that MTA provides 1.5 million student OMNY cards to NYC schools annually, with each card being “valid for 365 days”.
Based on a 365-day calculation, considering that the last school year in NYC public schools started on September 4, 2025, theoretically, some student cards should still be valid until around September 4 this year, rather than expiring on August 31st. However, MTA did not provide further clarification on this time discrepancy, and the NYC Department of Education did not respond to requests for comments.
The Youth Action Committee of the transportation advocacy group “Transportation Alternatives” is urging for the expansion of the student OMNY card program. They propose initiatives such as ensuring every student can obtain a student OMNY card, removing the daily 4-trip limit, and providing unlimited rides. They also call for clear and fair notifications from relevant departments when deactivating student cards and improvements to the replacement process for lost or damaged cards.
New York City introduced the new version of the student OMNY card in the 2024-2025 school year, replacing the previous student MetroCard. The new card was well-received upon its launch, allowing students to ride for free up to 4 times a day, without restrictions to weekdays or specific times, essentially making it usable 365 days a year.
Students are expected to receive their new OMNY cards for the upcoming school year after returning to school this week.