Starting from the upcoming school year in September, New York City school students will be receiving student-specific OMNY cards instead of the old yellow MetroCards, according to the announcement by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on May 20.
In a statement, MTA expressed its intention to further expand the use of the contactless fare payment system OMNY among passengers, aiming to cover students, half fare ticket users, and passengers with disabilities via Access-A-Ride by the end of 2024.
As of April 29, MTA has installed OMNY card vending machines in 37 subway stations, with the goal of having its vending machines available at all subway stations by the mid-year of 2025 to facilitate passengers in recharging their cards.
OMNY stands for “One Metro New York” and is the abbreviation for the contactless fare payment system introduced by MTA. Passengers can easily ride the subway and buses using OMNY cards, credit or debit cards, smartphones, and wearable devices.
MTA has also implemented the contactless fare payment system OMNY at the Roosevelt Island Tramway and the AirTrain JFK that travels to Kennedy International Airport.
Previously, eligibility for free MetroCards for qualifying New York City public school students depended on factors such as the distance between the student’s residence and school, as well as the student’s grade level. This allowed students living in areas not served by school buses to transfer to subways and buses, with these students being able to apply for a free MetroCard.