74% of surveyed OMNY users report issues, most with reader
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NEW YORK (PIX11) -- As the MTA is transitioning from the use of MetroCards to OMNY tap-and-go, commuters have expressed a flurry of complaints with operating the new system.
To take note of commuters' concerns and help make recommendations for improvement, the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC) to the MTA surveyed almost 400 OMNY users between June 2 and Monday.
Among those who responded to the survey, 74% of users reported having issues with the system. The most common report was with the OMNY reader not accepting payment, with 42% of respondents expressing the issue.
Following payment problems, 34% of responders reported charges appearing hours or days after tapping. The problem became most prominently reported in early June, which the MTA attributed to an issue with its contractor, Cubic.
Another 30% of OMNY users said they encountered what they perceived to be "extra charges."
According to researchers, commuters who used digital wallets to tap into the system experienced higher-than-average rates of reported issues. Those who used physical OMNY cards, on the other hand, reported lower-than-average issues.
Despite experiencing these problems, only 22% of respondents said they reached out to the MTA's customer service about OMNY issues, 68% of which said their problems weren't resolved.
When it came to new features, 76% commuters said they wanted to see free transfers to other modes of transportation, such as the Long Island Railroad, NYC Ferry, Metro-North, PATH and New Jersey Transit.
Another 64% people said they wanted to see a 30-day unlimited fare cap, a feature only available on MetroCards currently. OMNY, however, does offer a weekly fare cap in which commuters ride free after spending $34 in a 7-day period.
Following the survey, the PCAC has suggested that MTA update its OMNY interface for that riders can immediately see their remaining balance, expiration date, free transfers, and whether they’ve met or are close to meeting the 7-day 12-ride fare cap.
Additionally, researchers have also recommended that the transit system create a weekly CityTicket with free transfers to subways and buses, as well as a 30-day unlimited option or fare cap.
To help build more public trust, the PCAC has recommended that the MTA invest more in the OMNY website so that commuters can see their ride history, along with launching a major public information campaign to clear misconceptions.
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.