By Michael V. Cusenza
Starting this fall, eligible pupils will receive Student OMNY cards, instead of the MetroCards that have been distributed citywide to students since 1997, Mayor Eric Adams, Schools Chancellor David Banks, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber announced on Thursday.
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 a day. These changes will significantly expand flexibility for student travel, as students were previously limited to only three free rides each day from only 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 class.
Eligibility is based on a student’s grade level, walking distance between home and school, and existing accommodations based on a medical condition, housing status, or safety assessment. Visit schools.nyc.gov/school-life/transportation/bus-eligibility for more information on transportation eligibility.
Adams characterized the expanded Student OMNY cards as “a gamechanger for families across New York City, particularly for working-class families that need just a little more help to afford our city — families where older siblings pick their younger brothers and sisters up from school, or where kids have after-school and summer jobs to help make ends meet. This builds on the work we’ve done to make our city more accessible, particularly for young people and low-income New Yorkers. From our subways, to our ferries, to our greenways, we’re making it easier and more affordable to get around New York City.”
Student OMNY cards will be valid on the MTA’s subway lines; on local, limited, and Select buses; on the Staten Island Railway; on the Roosevelt Island Tram; and on Hudson Rail link; and will include free transfers from one mode to another. Students will also now keep the same card for the entire year, through the summer. The expanded benefits provide the foundation for City students to learn how to utilize the public transit system and build a culture of tapping.
The cards will be distributed to students at the start of the school year by each individual school across the five boroughs. In addition to the cards, students will also receive promotional flyers outlining the benefits of the enhanced program. The MTA and City public schools will work together to evaluate and promote card usage across school districts.
“Hundreds of thousands of our children rely on public transit to commute to school and it’s time we put them on the express train to success,” said Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven). “We will make their commute the most convenient and accessible it has ever been with the implementation of Student OMNY cards, combined with the expansion from three free rides a day to four. These OMNY cards will allow students to ride our world class transit system to earn a world class education, while also providing them extra rides for enriching extracurricular activities. I am proud to partner with the mayor and MTA chair to make public transportation affordable and accessible for the next generation.”
OMNY stands for One Metro New York. More information about Student OMNY cards is available on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=hDKrlq8Kp5U
