5 new things with OMNY in New York City
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- Опубликовано: 12 июн 2024
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New York rolled out the OMNY system in 2019. It's been available on all New York subways and buses. Now it's been four years and there have been some changes since. In this video we are going to talk about everything from rolling fare cap, senior discounts, security issues and more regarding this contactless payment system. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe!
00:00 Intro
01:29 Why is OMNY a big deal?
02:20 Update 1 - Rolling Fare Cap
03:12 Update 2 - Security Issues
05:00 Update 3 - JFK Airport & Roosevelt Island Tram
05:36 Update 4 - OMNY Vending Machines at Stations
07:07 Update 5 - Senior & Disability Discounts
08:17 NY transit compared to the world
RELATED LINKS:
How fare capping works → • Why isn't paying for t...
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UPDATE: I was informed (from an Instagram comment) that OMNY vending machines at select stations are functional. And there's a promo where you can buy an OMNY card for $1. 🙌
there is a working matching at Junction Blvd station in Queens
I saw a omny machine at junction bvld and 59th street lex ave
I have never seen an OMNY machine. This is problematic especially fr tourist if his is the only way to ride,. NOT GOOD
One thing I don't like about OMNY and I hope they change is that there's no real feedback given when you tap. They have massive screens, but they don't tell you if you got a transfer or not or how much you paid like it did with the MetroCard. When they roll out the student OMNY card they'll also need to add more feedback to the screens, such as how many rides you have left each day or if the card isn't valid at that time. Hopefully they're able to easily update all of the turnstiles to do that without it being a big and expensive ordeal.
Why? Just go. You go online for feedback.
@@williamerazo3921 That's unnecessarily complicated. There should be real time feedback, just like how there was with the MetroCard. They have massive screens and they're not being used to their full potential.
@@miles8718Ummm, it's in title "TAP N GO". You two, go and keep it moving
Yea not necessary. Plus they want you to tap and go not look at some screen
I agree i dont like that
As an MTA worker I hate metro cards because we can't do anything to help people at the booth besides giving them a ride. Management for whatever reason has never put the infrastructure in place for us to replace metro cards at the booth, instead everyone has to use the very slow and old process of mailing in their metro cards.
Hopefully the OMNY website restores transaction history because it is such a convenient way to get quick help for many issues like overpaying, or why some of your cards aren't working.
As a person WHO WILL NOT share my bank or phone pay information with the MTA,* I want a transaction history available to me in the form of a two factor ID I can do at home with a 5 minute code they change. (That is what my bank does.)
* They will be hacked. Famous organization/ critical infrastructure, it's a matter of time.
I hate Metro cards too because the readers are too sensitive or not sensitive enough the strips are too flimsy and the letters too tiny, but then those big letter error massages on the OMNY reader contained no useful information about why my fare did not go through, and they can't help me with OMNY at the Booth either!
Glad to see these updates! I've been to NYC 3 times in the past 2 years and, since I collect metro cards, I tried really hard every time to buy a physical omni card. Each time I was there I went to at least 3 different 7-11s in Manhattan which were listed on the Omni website as selling omni cards but none of them actually sold the cards, and in most cases the person working there didn't even know the omni cards were supposed to be sold there and gave me a weird look when asked. Being able to actually buy the cards is a big improvement.
Not forcing the pay cap to start on sunday is also great. Last time I was in NYC I flew in midweek and out midweek the week after so I had to go for a pre-paid 7 day metrocard pass; if I did that trip again I could just use omni.
It's also great that the Roosevelt Island government *finally* stopped dragging their feet and now allows you to use omni to board; last time I rode it there were a lot of people who used omni everywhere else so they had to line up and buy a metrocard just to ride the tram once. Glad that's a thing of the past
I work at JFK and one thing I like to see with OMNY on AirTrain is the unlimited monthly rides. But in the meantime still have to use the reliable Metrocard.
Hi Thea! Good video! Thanks for posting!
I love using OMNY when riding in the city, but north of the city, in Westchester, using Beeline buses, they don't have ONNY yet and not for another 2 years or so. So until Beeline buses have OMNY as well I'm still using an EasyPay metrocard.
Were Going To Salute The Metrocard 🫡
Wonderful video, thank you for the updates. I will be traveling to NYC in April for the first time finally
Would be nice if they added OMNY for PATH trains or the Nassau County bus. I still carry a Metrcard for these reasons.
nice and SuffolkTransit are the redheaded stepsiblings of The TA and they need to be on the OMNY network.
Well NICE still uses Metrocard and I can transfer between them and the subway. I don't see why they can't buy into OMNY. @@videonut1988
The difference between PATH and subway needs to be more transparent (or what would be better would be integrating the systems thought that probably won’t happen)
PATH trains don’t accept OMNY and also don’t honor the unlimited metro card.
They have to add it to NICE and Westchester Bee because they only use MetroCard, or coins
One thing I would note is the fact Metrocards are $1 and can be replaced for free. At this moment there is no plans to replace OMNY cards for free once they expire. That result the user paying again every 5 years until something changes.
Been riding the subway since there were "Y" cutouts in the token...progress is good.OMNY odyssey
Love your vids so much ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I don't live in NY, but I am glad I got myself a MetroCard last year! (I like to collect transit cards from all cities I have visited)
Me too!
@@jjkazakoff-eigen4662 🙋
"Moving mountains to get small incremental wins" will spiral me into a depression.
Thanks for the video! I'll celebrate this OMNY Odyssey.
Would you consider doing a video on Access-A-Ride? They are the paratransit service for the disabled and those that cant use the regular bus/subway system. It's incredibly flawed and many new yorkers rely on this every day
I took a long weekend trip to New York in mid June 2023. I decided to give OMNY a try on that trip, so I bought my OMNY card at a small retailer near Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave. This was before the fare hike & the rolling fare cap. I knew about the Mon-Sun timeline, so I booked my trip to be from Wed-Sun. Now it would be easier for me to make a Sat-Wed or Sat-Sat trip to New York with the rolling fare cap. I actually liked using the OMNY card while I was there. The card will likely expire before my next trip there, but I did keep the card as a souvenir. I just wish they had functional OMNY vending machines in the stations when I got there. Stations that cater to tourists should get them first though(Jackson Hgts/Roosevelt Ave, Sutphin Blvd/Archer Ave, Penn Station, etc.)
Just don't pay at all I'm a MTA BUS driver in Queens New York and MTA tell us not to challenge the fare and let everyone ride if they don't want to pay. do you ever notice how so many people just walk right pass us. the next time you ride the bus just observe how many people just walk right in for free like its a shuttle bus or something. Trust me you don't have to pay!!
Just threw out my metro card this week. I live on Roosevelt Island and am so glad it's no longer needed. 🥳
I watched your previous videos about using the MTA and it helped out immensely. KUDOS to you! We use our phones for all OMNY transactions while using the directions of Google Maps.
Looks like they were getting new machines for the OMNY pay installed on 12/4/23 for the AirTrain. The gates were open, and we were instructed to walk through without paying for BOTH ways.
Arriving in NYC with little sleep navigating to the subway during morning rush with people that have been riding the subway all their life in a hurry was interesting. We had a little problem at Fulton station trying to find the train going in the correct direction and it did not help little sleep. The signs had us going in circles. The signs were probably labeled correctly we were extremely tired.
One detail I did not notice was on the A train when we were returning to the airport. We were on an old train that did not have all the stops listed inside and the speakers sounded like they were behind a pillow. At one stop a local could obviously see we were tourist and told us to get off now and catch the next train if we wanted to go to the airport. I will pay it forward and help the next confused tourist in my town. At the stop there were other confused tourist along with one lady that knew how to navigate that the subway. We let 2 A trains pass and the third A train we got on to go to the airport. I did not understand how that worked.
I'll be visiting New York in September 24 so found this very useful indeed. Especially useful is the rolling fare cap since i'll be arriving on a friday and leaving the following Tuesday.
10:22
I felt exactly the same the first time I bought my city's monthly pass! And every month I still feel the same!
Honestly there need to be OMNY machines in EVERY STATION for OMNY to make a difference. Also the card readers don't tell you WHY your OMNY card did not work right then and there in the moment when you need it to work. I used the OMNY card, I don't want the MTA to have digital information linked to my bank or my phone or anyone else -it is a matter of time before they get that hacked too so NO, I will NOT use my phone or my bank card.
All of the comments are confirming why I have been slow to update to OMNY! I will but - yeah. Thanks y'all💕
This hasn’t happened to me recently, but I also used to be charged while exiting the turnstile. It might be where I keep my phone versus where are used to keep it, but that was pretty annoying. Now that I have unlimited with the fair capping it’s not as big of a deal, but it is in the same way.
My first OMNY Odyssey was during my latest 4-night trip. Some of my tap-ins took over 24 or even 48 hours to show on trip history. But NBD since I hit the fare cap on the afternoon of my 4th night
WMATA SmarTrip rail tap-ins or outs usually load within 1 hour. Bus trips can be much slower to load
I also agree with you that I can’t check my OMNY records for the balances of the express bus that I keep taking but I would have to keep calling OMNY customer service and ask them to check my card balance instead of checking it online! It’s so ridiculous and wish they bring them back but with the new OMNY machines rolling out, it’ll be more complicated to me tag finding a pharmacy to refill it each month
I don’t why I’m excited about new Omny vending machine thanks
Recently spotted a usable/in service OMNY Card vending machine at the Junction Blvd 7 station in Queens
Bring back the subway token, the small ones where the best.
Glad the 7 day cap has been fixed!
Yes I love Madrid Spain and Japan system
I flew out of jfk last month and preloaded a metrocard for two airtrain trips so I wouldn't have to wait in line when I got back. The next week I got back and they had installed OMNY on the airtrain 🙃
As you said, comparisons!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Here in Chile (Santiago) the system was implemented 20+ year ago. Same in Valparaíso (where i live) and Concepción, the second and third largest cities in the country, respectively.
And yes, is a pain in the butt when you go to NYC! And don't even let me get started with the LIRR and Metro North! It's madness! The so called capital of the world can't allow itself to have such a messier fare payment system.
MTA's TrainTime app allows for purchase of tickets for both LIRR and Metro North, but not NJ Transit regional rail as well (separate app)
That's the thing! As an example in the Bay Area you can use the Clipper Card for more thah 15 different services/agencies. The tech is available. Is the political willing the issue.
Thea what are the pros and cons of metrocard vs pros and cons of OMNY
I miss the subway token system. Foolproof.
OMNY odyssey! Been following the project for a while, and it's a shame that it's taken this long (other major U.S. cities have had similar systems since 2013), but it's great that NYC is finally getting full contactless.
NYC should have never done MetroCard. My understanding is that the technology for tap and go was almost complete and that we could have just held onto using tokens another year or two..
@@stevenroshni1228This is called 20/20 hindsight. Everything looks obvious in the rearview mirror. What if they waited for the technology to be ready and it took an extra two years? That's multi millions of lost revenue and countless person-hours of inconvenience. I work in the software industry and "almost complete" is a mirage. The last 10% of development can take 90% of the time.
In technology it is better to get the MVP (minimal viable product) out the door than to sit on it waiting for perfection or the next iteration of the technology. Metrocard has lasted a very long time and had much better benefits vs tokens. Don't let perfection be the enemy of good enough. Metro Card was good enough.
New York may have taken lon 10:56 ger than other cities, but seriously, what other city even comes close to the number of people per day, number of train stations, number of different modes of transport, etc? None.
@@stevenroshni1228 Metro Card is better. You can’t have unlimited rides with a token.
My wife and I both qualify for the senior discount. Getting the discount with the old Metrocard was easy but doing it with the new OMNI system on my cell phone was near-impossible. I had to call OMNI for help.
I adore your last points on praising a victory for any small progress in the US even though I am not an American citizen. 🎉
do you think mta will ever do a monthly fare cap, like the one you previously suggested
I love OMNY.
I just use my credit card, save 5% per transaction and I get a notification each time I use it so I know if I have a transfer
The Metrocard works for both the NY subways and the PATH trains, connecting Manhattan and New Jersey. Will OMNY do the same?
Thanks!
Can you use smartphone tap for airtrain to Newark?
I take it that a smartphone works for Roosevelt Island tram based on what you said, and that it’s not just an OMNY card.
Is there a provision for the 10-ride pass at the JFK AirTrain with OMNY?
I just used omny via my credit card and I took 16 rides in 7 days (thursday-thursday) but the cap didn’t come into effect, i still had to pay vor all 16 rides
The student Metrocards might just be OMNY by January. It expires on Jan. 29, 2024 instead of the 31st of Jan. Idk if the regular Metrocard will expire then
I'm flying into New Jersey and taking a train to Penn station. Do they use the OMNY system as well?
If trip history was a thing back when I was in college, I'd never have had as much freedom to travel. My mother used to read my bank statements when they came in; I don't know what she would have done if she could find out exactly where I was going and when. I was a good student, mind you, I just enjoyed the occasional after-class outing. That's the main reason I'm not looking forward to the end of the MetroCard. Riders have varied needs for privacy and security that I'm not certain the OMNY system is prepared to accommodate.
standardization is key
So, in London we have Oyster & Contactless accounts where all your oyster and debit/credit cards are stored so you can see your trip history with any. Idk why the MTA didn’t think of that with OMNY especially given the fact that OMNY is ran by Cubic.
Does this OMNY fare capping also sum up with Long Island Rail Road ?
Any one have any updates on a possible app? That would be super convenient and could probably help with the security feature with two step authentication or finger print scan.
Does the Airtrain price add up to the 34 dollar fare cap
Coming in from Europe soon. Is the fare cap at Omny based on number of trips or the amount spend? Does the Airtrain fare (8.5 each way) add up to the 34 dollar fare cap?
Simple fix for one issue - have the card tally your number of trips but not the location. Should be easy to code
The Metrocard $1.00 fee is only assessed with the initial purchase. You can transfer any residual value( even if 0) onto a new card within 1 year
of the expiration date on the back of the card.Furthermore if you mail in a damaged Metrocard you are supposed to be able to be reimbursed for the dollar fee you pay for the interim replacement card you purchase until you get the mailed card back. You just have to include the serial # of the interim card you buy on the claim form. Peeps have not been told this. Cha ching
What happens to the balance left on my metro card after the systerm goes exclusively to OMNY? nowhere in any documentation does it tell me how, or if my remaining balance is refunded. Your video is outstanding, Thank You.
Does 7day cap for OMNY work for express? I take it Mo-Fri. Only reason why I would use the MetroCard over the OMNY, otherwise I would not save money.
Is it possible that they removing the feature because one the installing of the new machine and are they getting prepared to release their own OMNY app
OMNY Odyssey. Hopefully soon we can use OMNI on the PATH, Air Train Newark/Liberty, and NJ Transit, even if we don't get free or discounted transfers.
Yes, that would indeed be great! Even if it's not OMNY but another contactless that accepts a card directly.
@@UrbanCaffeinenj transit is contactless at least 🙌 You have to have their (free) app, and you can buy your ticket with your card on your phone. Then when they come around to check for tickets, you show them your phone 👍
Awesome video! Can you make a video about how to ride Amtrak in New York City?
Hi 👋 What do you want to learn most about Amtrak?
What Amtrak routes stop in New York! My family wants to visit New York and we want to know how to get to New York via Amtrak from Toronto. I'm not too familiar with American rail so a video like that would be awesome!@@UrbanCaffeine
@@UrbanCaffeineI’m not the OP but since I moved to NJ from lifelong queens, I’d love to learn more about NJTransit and the connections to NYC. Also, I’d love to learn how and why certain cities are on the NJTransit network and why some aren’t. There was passenger rail to nyc in tons of towns in the 60s and now most are just freight.
I actually love that idea! I think these could both be like a megavideo together: Every Single Way to Leave New York City by train! @@JohnPaul-gd5db
Penn Station is the only Amtrak stop in NYC. Within New York state within the metro area Yonkers, Croton-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie are on the lines going upstate with
New Rochelle towards Boston
We don't go to NYC often. If I'm just going to use a debit or credit card, do I need to get an OMNY account? ...or does just tapping the card work? If my kids are with me, do I just tap the card and then a kid goes through and then I tap again for the next kid and then tap again for myself???? (that's how I used to do the Metro card)
Hi there. You don't need to create an account. It's optional. You can just use your card directly. And yes, tap it and let someone through just like the MetroCard.
I think they mean display-not feedback. The display could read “transfer” or something like it. I gave up on OMNY card last year cuz its usage was so limited. Will see if I can set up again. In a city filled to the brim with tech heads they still can’t blow us away with a stellar system. Sad!
5 of our family used it but after 4 went through I got stuck because the machine has limit to how many can go with one credit card but I didn't know that. I got stuck and couldn't get in.
OMNY hasn’t been perfected in current stage:
Use on other modes
Machines
Balance Checking
I hope these get fixed soon. But it’s the future!
what cost is SENIOR OMNY CARD ?
I just tried to sign up for Omny. Amazingly buggy. Will have to try again at some point.
As an FYI, it now works. Seems like race conditions in the implementation
Long overdue
Im still waiting for a monthly fare plan, until then ill stick with the metrocard.
Just don't pay at all I'm a MTA BUS driver in Queens New York and MTA tell us not to challenge the fare and let everyone ride if they don't want to pay. do you ever notice how so many people just walk right pass us. the next time you ride the bus just observe how many people just walk right in for free like its a shuttle bus or something. Trust me you don't have to pay!!
Seeing those machines sitting there doing NOTHING but being useless are nothing but frustrating.
I am getting older, and when I turn 65 I do NOT want to do interface with a damn poorly trained AI to identify myself to get the half fare card. The MTA needs to make the OMNY readers give SPECIFIC information, activate those machines and get more WORKING, and STOP buying new fare systems every 7- 10 years, it costs money they should be spending on hiring TRACK WORKERS, not new management!
They can just not store location info and just let you track when you used it and the payment. That should be enough info to be useful. Not optimal, but a quick fix that can be done in a day instead of taking indefinite amount of time.
Ok so you're promoting the OMNY but I can't use computer with out issues WHERE can I go to physical store and get the OMNY. how to get the card with out going on the computer
I’m a tourist coming to nyc for 8 days in Feb, would u recommend a metro card or omni? Thanks
If it's just you, both work just the same and cost the same. If you use your credit card or phone directly on the OMNY reader, you save yourself a dollar by not buying a MetroCard or OMNY card.
Hi, thanks for ur quick reply. It sounds to me that Omni is easier/more straightforward to use?
I’m gonna have a pre-paid travel card that is contactless.
Would be nice if we could buy OMNY virtual cards off of Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
Hi Thea this is kevin patino a subscriber on your RUclips channel first of all I gotta say I love your content I appreciate you for what you do for animation you should work for Disney. Lol jk if you would though?🤔 so the reason I came here to comment on your channel today is that I agree a lot of your arguments post that you stated was “ the omny is very good and they had a way that you can see your charges from station to station “ I agree I missed that option because I have been using it recently and say oh where is my charges are going etc yeah I think it’s a great idea to bring it back. Second for my claim about omny card who has smaller income values how they’re going to make it happen. For me coming from a place doing three two part time jobs that has a biweekly pay my money will go down the drain with this omny card. I really hope they can offer cash. Just like a metro card had because I live in White Plains Westchester County so bee line buses are way to slow on their upgrades. Now question do I retire the metro card or keep it for memory or I can still use it in Westchester buses. Because it will be way to difficult to add money if they will be gone on the subway machines. I love the video as well I can’t wait to see the features they have on a new Omny card machines.
Sincerely kevin patino
Thanks for the comment! Someone told me that OMNY machines at some stations are functional now so you can buy and refill a card with cash. But it's at select stations for now as a trial.
OMNY odyssey ❤
Off topic QUESTION: In both Montréal and Washington, signage in metro stations is based on line colour/number and end station for that disrection.
In Manhattan, I found it was uptown or dowtown with borrough as end point (eg: brooklyn, queens etc). When you are outside of Manhattan, how are directions signed? If in brooklyn, I assume "uptown" and "downtown" don't have much meaning.
When you're outside of Manhattan, it's usually "Manhattan bound" if it's headed to Manhattan and "Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx bound" if going further into Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx. Other times it'll just say the end of the line like "Far Rockaway bound"
Thanks! being from Montréal, our end point stations is second nature to me because I live here, but when in Washington, I found myself having to check a map to see what direction I needed to go. Manhattan seemed intuitive within the island, but wasn't sure how it worked outside of it. @@UrbanCaffeine
I’m using my OMNY card whenever I ride the express buses. I also dislike that I have to go to a pharmacy and refill my OMNY card but whenever each machine is being rolled out throughout the city, I’ll refill my card whenever I travel into Manhattan by subway or express bus
I set up my OMNY for automatic refill when it gets low. Very convenient feature
@@EPMTUNES That’s if you have a debit or credit card! I don’t have a debit or credit card so that’s why I would ask my dad to take care of the OMNY card for me when it means necessary
If i pay with an nfc credit card then do i get the transfer free within 2 hours ??
Yes, just make sure to use the same card.
Taking too long to roll out the machine in NYC 😮 only 5 stations
I just would like to know if with your OMNY card. You can buy your fare travel online?
Yes you can. Just have to create an omny account after that you can link your cc to the omny card
Thank you so much for your answer
Thea Dont Forget We Now Have OMNY Machines
OMNY odyssey!
Update your tooling to track your MTA usage withouht getting obliterated. Excel would do.
I'm not sure that my subway/bus history is the thing I'm worried about if someone has my credit card number.
The instructions never mention if you need to turn your phone on. Or take it out of airplane mode. And why is it both touchless and 'tap here' ?
The phone has to be connected to the Internet. It's "tap and go" payment, so it has to almost touch
OMNY odyssey
Whoohoo 🙌
I am a tourist coming first time to NYC Jan 2024, will be there 4 days. Will probably use the subway 4 times, all within the city. Older not tech savvy. Which method of payment should I use? which is most simple? I don't care about fare cap, or unlimited, just want to pay and ride.
The simplest is to pay directly with your debit/credit card (if it has tap-and-pay).
I use my phone most of the time and have my card loaded to use in case my phone dies
OMNY Odyssey
The omny
The Omny card
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👍🌟🌟🌟🙂
Credit cards can be hacked or tracking your account
Good riddance of the end of the Metrocard. Only hold a metrocard now for NICE and Beeline busses. Im using a Smartlink Card for PATH and they will have their own open loop system open next year. NJT just started accepting contactless cards for their busses and light rails (tap on the validator on the light rail or tell the bus driver how many zones/ transfers and tap. Next year NJT will have a transit card as well for those using cash. The NJT app is still needed for suburban rail transit or one can buy a ticket with a TVM or via a human at a big train station terminal.
If only PATH would start accepting OMNY.
So where Is the Omny machines
Slow and overbudget is the only way the MTA knows how to operate.
Maybe you can do it faster and better then.
I don't care that they turned off the trip history for anyone's credit card but the fact of the matter is is that they turned it off for the Omny card as well basically defeating the whole purpose for me also I don't like that there's a minimum spend with Omny card as a government agency the MTA should be willing to take as much or as little money from me at any point of my choosing and putting a minimum I don't think is equitable or reasonable
OK soooo, I won't be a snarky Londoner who will point out that the Oyster system has been around for 20 years and celebrate with you. In all seriousness, I'm looking forward to using my phone to get around next time I'm in NYC.
Never use your credit/bank card on these systems. Anyone with data access would be able to look you up by name, and see your daily routes and places you frequently visit.
Pay for a metro/Omni card with cash and change it every 3 months.
Yes, the data on where you go is being sold by the MTA to advertisers and malicious actors.