NEW YORK (PIX11) -- After 27 years, it’s the end of an era for student MetroCards.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that public school students will start receiving OMNY cards this upcoming 2024-25 school year.
Unlike its predecessor, the OMNY card will be valid for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with up to four free rides a day. It’s a striking difference from the original student MetroCards that only allowed three free rides on school days between the hours of 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“Since its founding, our Youth Council has been dedicated to expanding the number of hours during which students can use their MetroCards to commute to school, internships, sports and other school-related activities,” said New York State Assemblymember Harvey Epstein. “For far too many students, the status quo prevented the use of student MetroCards on nights and weekends, when many extracurriculars take place.”
The expanded student OMNY card program will allow kids to keep the same card for the entire year, including during the summer. Schools will also distribute flyers outlining the new program's benefits. Still keeping with some of the old traditions, the new OMNY cards will be the neon green New Yorkers typically associate with student cards.
“These expanded student OMNY cards are a game-changer for families across New York City, particularly for working-class families that need just a little more help to afford our city,” said Adams.
New York City Public Schools will increase funding to cover the new student cards, raising the budget from $45 million to $50.5 million. According to the transit authority, the funding will also increase to align with future MTA fare increases.
The move comes as the MTA continues its plan to phase out MetroCards by 2025.
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.
