New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that a comprehensive upgrade of the contactless payment system OMNY will take place this weekend, leading to temporary interruptions or delays in some functions. While it will still be possible to swipe cards to ride the subway and buses, payment processing and some other services may not be processed immediately.
The upgrade will take place from Friday night (October 3rd) at 10 pm to Sunday night (October 5th) at 7 pm. During this period, multiple functions of the OMNY system will be restricted or paused.
During the upgrade, passengers will not be able to purchase OMNY cards or reload OMNY cards at vending machines, retail stores, online (OMNY.info), phone customer service, or subway station customer service centers. If a reload is needed, it should be done before 7 pm on Friday.
While using an OMNY card, a bank card, or a mobile wallet for payment during the upgrade period is still possible, the charges will not be immediately reflected in the bank account or OMNY card account. Transaction records will be processed after the system upgrade is completed.
Account inquiry services will be suspended, and online OMNY accounts, trip records, fare histories, and other functions will temporarily be unavailable.
Some customer service at stations concerning Reduced-Fare passengers may also be affected.
After the completion of the upgrade, passengers will be able to log into their OMNY accounts to review trip/fare records to verify card swipes. If any anomalies are found (overcharges, non-charges, etc.), customers can contact the OMNY customer service center for assistance.
MTA guarantees that free transfers, weekly fare caps, and accumulated free rides will not be recalculated or canceled due to system delays.
MTA stated that the upgrade aims to enhance the stability and efficiency of the OMNY system, particularly to accommodate all remaining MetroCard users to transition to the OMNY system and prevent future issues such as swipe delays or billing errors.
There have been ongoing reports from passengers regarding delayed logging of OMNY card charges, multiple transactions being combined into one, and the inability to instantly access transaction records. Through this system upgrade, MTA hopes to improve user experience and reduce error rates.
– If you primarily use an OMNY card for rides, ensure you have sufficient balance before 7 pm this Friday.
– Have alternative payment methods ready, such as bank cards or mobile wallets, for station entry and exit.
– Record your ride times and stations as much as possible since trip records during the upgrade may not display immediately. In case of disputes later on, having evidence available can be helpful.
– After the upgrade is completed, promptly log into your account to verify records and contact customer service at 877-789-6669 if any issues arise.