Mayor Adams, Chancellor Banks and MTA Chairman and CEO Lieber Launch OMNY Cards for Students

July 25, 2024

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW31UnXY00s&t=214s

OMNY student cards, replacing MetroCard student cards, are now valid 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round

Eligible students will receive four free trips per day, instead of three

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Public Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber today announced updates that will make travel easier and more affordable for people with mobility challenges. eligible students to travel to school and after-school activities by public transportation. Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, students will receive Student OMNY cards, instead of the MetroCards that have been distributed to students citywide since 1997. The new Student OMNY cards will be valid 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with up to four free rides per day. These changes will significantly increase student travel flexibility, as students were previously limited to only three free rides per day from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the cards could only be used on days when the student’s school was open for classes.

“These expanded OMNY student cards are a game changer for New York City families, especially working-class families who need a little extra help paying rent in our city — families where older siblings pick up younger siblings from school, or where kids have after-school and summer jobs to make ends meet,” said Mayor Adams“This builds on the work we’ve done to make our city more accessible, especially for young people and low-income New Yorkers. From our subways to our ferries to our greenways, we’re making getting around New York City easier and more affordable.”

“I am excited about the launch of OMNY Student Cards, as expanding access to public transportation means more students will have the opportunity to explore our city and experience all that New York has to offer,” said New York City Public Schools Chancellor Banks“I am grateful to our partners at the MTA and across the city for making this possible for our students.”

“In its diverse neighborhoods and communities, New York City is a city that inspires and teaches. Our city is one of the best classrooms in the world. And now, as part of the city’s broader transition to OMNY, New York City’s children have greater and better access to it,” said Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Operations and MTA Board Member“Together, the city and its world-class public transportation system are making New York City a little more livable for the families who live here. Our kids deserve 24/7 access to a city that works 24/7, and now they get it.”

“The OMNY Student Card program makes it even easier for kids to use the public transit system, teaching them how vital it is to New York City,” said Lieber, MTA Chairman and CEO“With the help of Mayor Adams and New York City Public Schools, students can learn the value of public transit and ensure they continue to use it after graduation.”

““Providing students with tools to use public transportation seamlessly teaches them that the system is simple, efficient and cost-effective,” said Shanifah Rieara, MTA Chief Customer Officer“New York students have busy schedules, and we’re making it easier for them to manage their studies and activities by offering more rides throughout the year.”

“The subway and buses are the best way to get to school, sports, extracurricular activities, internships, jobs and more,” said Demetrius Crichlow, interim president of New York City Transit“With extended hours and more taps available, we hope more students will use bikes.”

OMNY student cards will be valid on MTA subway lines, local, limited and Select buses, the Staten Island Railway, the Roosevelt Island Tram and the Hudson Rail Link. They will include free transfers between modes. Students will now keep the same card year-round, through the summer. These expanded benefits provide a foundation for New York City students to learn how to use the transit system and create a culture of tapping.

The cards will be distributed to students at the beginning of the school year by each school in the five boroughs. In addition to the cards, students will also receive promotional flyers describing the benefits of the enhanced program. The MTA and New York City Public Schools will work together to evaluate and promote the use of the cards in school districts. More information about OMNY cards for students is available online.

This announcement builds on the Adams Administration’s efforts to make commuting in New York City more accessible and affordable, particularly for young people and low-income New Yorkers. In the FY 2025 Enacted Budget, the Administration partnered with the City Council to invest an additional $20.7 million in “Fair Fares NYC,” expanding eligibility for half-price fares to those earning 145 percent of the federal poverty level. The Budget also included $11 million to provide free MetroCards to participants in the Summer Youth Employment Program, who—thanks to the Adams Administration’s efforts—are also eligible for free two-month Citi Bike memberships. In 2023, Mayor Adams launched a historic Greenway expansion to build 25 new miles of protected bike infrastructure in the outer boroughs, providing safer and greener transportation options in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. In 2022, Mayor Adams unveiled NYC Ferry Forward, which created a discount program similar to Fair Fares in which seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income passengers pay reduced fares for ferry rides.

“I applaud the MTA’s initiative to expand the OMNY program to a broader audience, including all New York City students starting this school year,” said New York State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud“This efficient and user-friendly fare payment system will improve the comfort of students travelling by public transport and will provide essential support for improving school attendance.”

“At this pivotal moment, New York City is not just updating a curriculum, but transforming the daily commute of our students,” said New York State Senator Robert Jackson“I applaud the collaboration between the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Education, and the MTA to improve access and ensure no student is left behind. With Student OMNY cards, every trip becomes a pathway to potential, weaving seamless travel into the fabric of our students’ academic experiences and expanding their horizons every day of the year.”

“Hundreds of thousands of our children rely on public transportation to get to school and it’s time to put them on the express train to success,” said New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar“We will make their commute more convenient and accessible through the introduction of OMNY student passes, combined with the expansion of three to four free rides per day. These OMNY passes will allow students to ride our world-class transit system to gain a world-class education, while providing additional rides for enriching extracurricular activities. I am proud to partner with the Mayor and the MTA Chairman to make public transportation affordable and accessible for the next generation.”

“Since its inception, our Youth Council has been dedicated to increasing the number of hours students can use their MetroCards to travel to school, internships, sports and other school-related activities,” said New York State Assemblyman Harvey Epstein“For far too many students, the status quo prevented them from using their student subway cards on evenings and weekends, when many extracurricular activities take place. In 2020, we ended the practice of charging half fare to the 130,000 students who live within two miles of their schools, making public transportation free for all students. Today’s announcement builds on that success by extending four rides per day, 24/7, to all students. This change in student transportation policy will help hundreds of thousands of students and their families. I want to thank the MTA for making this possible and our current and former Youth Council members: when you lead, you can make a difference in our world that helps millions more.”

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