New York – When the MetroCard replaced New York City underground passage In 1994, tokenized, swipeable plastic cards brought much-needed modernity to one of the world’s oldest and largest transit system.
Now, more than three decades later, the gold-colored fare card and its infamously finicky magnetic stripe are following the token into retirement.
The deadline to purchase or refill a MetroCard is December 31, 2025, as the transit system fully transitions to OMNY, a contactless payment system that allows riders to tap their credit card, phone or other smart device to pay for fares, just like they do for other everyday purchases.
transit officials say more than 90% Metro and bus trips are now paid for using the tap-and-go system introduced in 2019.
Similar contactless systems have long been used in major cities around the world, including London and Singapore. In the US, San Francisco launched a pay-go system Earlier this year, joining Chicago and others.
MetroCard revolutionized the way New Yorkers commute
The ordinary MetroCard may have ended its useful life, but in its time it was revolutionary, says Jody Shapiro, curator of the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, which earlier this month opened an exhibit charting the MetroCard’s legacy.
Before the MetroCard, bus and subway riders relied on tokens, brass-colored coins introduced in 1953 that were purchased from station booths. When the subway opened in 1904, paper tickets cost a mere nickel, or about $1.82 in today’s dollars.
“There was resistance to changing from a token to something else because tokens work,” Shapiro said on a recent tour of the museum. “MetroCards introduced a different level of thinking to New Yorkers.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched a public campaign to teach passengers how to correctly swipe the blue card, originally in hopes of avoiding dreaded error messages or lost fares. Officials also considered a unique mascot for some time, cardworkBefore they regain consciousness.
As transit systems began releasing special commemorative editions marking major events, such as the “Subway Series” between baseball’s New York Mets and New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series, the cards quickly became collectors’ items. At that time, the fare was $1.50.
Prominent New York hip hop artists from David Bowie and Olivia Rodrigo to Wu-Tang Clan, Notorious B.I.G., and LL Cool J have also graced plastic cards over the years, as have iconic New York shows like Seinfeld and Law & Order.
“For me, the most special cards are the cards that represent New York City to the world,” said Lev Radin, a collector from the Bronx. “Not just pictures of the sights, the skyline, but also about the people who live in New York and make it special.”
Getting the angle and velocity of the MetroCard swipe right also became a point of pride to distinguish real New Yorkers from those yet to arrive.
During her unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign, former US senator from New York Hillary Clinton took a painful step. five swipes At the Bronx Turnstile. In fairness, his main Democratic rival at the time, US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a native Brooklynite, did not even realize that the tokens had been shut down.
Cost savings and lingering concerns
Unlike the MetroCard rollout, OMNY requires little adjustment.
Riders unwilling to use a credit card or smart device can purchase an OMNY card that they can reload, similar to the MetroCard. Existing MetroCards will continue to operate until 2026, allowing riders to use their remaining balances.
MTA spokespeople declined to comment, instead pointing to several of their public statements as the deadline approached.
The agency said the change saves at least $20 million annually in MetroCard-related costs.
The new system also allows unlimited free rides within a seven-day period as the fare is fixed after 12 rides. When fares increase by $3 in January, it will reach a maximum of $35 per week.
Still, the new changes come with tradeoffs, with some critics raising concerns about data collection and surveillance.
Near Times Square on a recent morning, Ronald Miner was one of a dwindling group of “straphangers” still swiping MetroCards.
The 70-year-old Manhattan resident said he was sad to see them go. She has an OMNY card but found the vending machines to reload it cumbersome.
“It’s hard for older people,” Miner said, taking the train to Brooklyn. “Don’t push us aside and make it seem like we don’t count. You push these machines away, you push us away.”
John Sacchetti, another MetroCard user at the Port Authority stop, said he likes being able to see his balance when swiping through the turnstiles so he knows how much he’s spending on rides.
“It’s like everything else, it’s just a matter of getting used to it,” he said as he headed into town. “Once I get used to it, I think it’ll be fine.”
