During a recent interview, Ms. Jiao shared her concerns about the new student OMNY payment cards, which have replaced traditional MetroCards this academic year. While the new system allows for four free rides each day, she revealed that issues have arisen just two months into the school year, with parents reporting that their children’s OMNY cards have mysteriously stopped working. After notifying the school about the need for a replacement card, some families have waited over two weeks to receive a new one, leading to complaints about the slow response from the school.
Ms. Jiao’s child is a senior at Stuyvesant High School. She recounted that on October 7, her child was able to use the OMNY card without issue on the way to school, but it suddenly malfunctioned after school. The card showed no physical damage, yet in the following days, the reader repeatedly displayed the message, “Card Not Accepted,” preventing her child from accessing the benefits of the OMNY system and complicating daily commutes.
According to the city’s Department of Education, the process for replacing stolen, damaged, or lost OMNY cards requires students to go through the school. However, when Ms. Jiao’s child reported the malfunction, the school initially stated that there were no spare cards available and that it could take months to order new ones. Ms. Jiao expressed frustration over the prolonged wait and the unexplained failure of the card, noting that the OMNY card is a “thin piece of paper” with no waterproof or reinforced features, making it easily damaged.
Recently, Ms. Jiao shared that her child finally received a new card on the 23rd—though not after waiting several months, it still took over two weeks. She also highlighted that her child’s experience is not unique; approximately nine other students at the school are facing similar issues, and out of the ten affected, only two have received replacements so far.
Jenna Lyle, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, responded via email, stating that they are working with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to investigate the issue. She emphasized that if there are any problems with the OMNY cards, students should contact the school to request a replacement. However, she did not provide an explanation for the lengthy wait times for replacements. It has also been reported that Stuyvesant High School has requested additional OMNY cards, but as of this writing, the school has not responded to inquiries from reporters.
According to official MTA information, if a student’s OMNY card stops working during use, they can seek assistance from station staff. If the card still doesn’t work, a new card request must be made through the school. In response to concerns about the paper cards being easily damaged, city officials have announced plans to roll out an OMNY app by the 2025-2026 school year, allowing students to ride using their phones.
