The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that the Authority’s contactless payment system, OMNY, has expanded to the Hudson Rail Link, Metro-North Railroad’s connecting bus service in the Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil sections of the Bronx.
OMNY, the convenient and cost-effective fare payment system for New York City Transit, expanded to AirTrain JFK and the Roosevelt Island Tram last year. Hudson Rail Link users will now be able to join riders of the other services to tap and go with their smart device with a digital wallet, such as phone or watch, or contactless credit or debit card, or OMNY card. As with New York City Transit’s subways and buses, OMNY will allow Hudson Rail Link users to participate in the MTA’s seven-day fare capping program. Customers’ first tap into the system will start a seven-day period in which customers will never pay more than $34, the cost of a weekly unlimited MetroCard. Customers will be charged $2.90 for their first 11 rides, $2.10 for their 12th ride. The 13th and all subsequent rides are free for the rest of the seven days.
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“Riders in Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil have been asking for OMNY on the Hudson Rail Link and today we have answered that call with the full rollout of the contactless payment system on this Bronx transit service,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Contactless fare payment remains the fastest way for subway, bus, and now Hudson Rail Link customers to pay their fares and move around the City and throughout the region.”
“Customers in Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil depend on the Hudson Rail Link to access the Metro North Railroad car-free,”said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “Integrating this system into OMNY means faster passenger boarding and quicker commutes and moves the MTA towards a full rollout of contactless payments throughout our system.”
“Metro-North’s Spuyten Duyvil and Riverdale stations can be difficult to access by foot, and the Hudson Rail Link provides an important connection between Metro-North’s train service and residential areas in this part of the Bronx,” said Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “We welcome the addition of OMNY to the Hudson Rail Link, as it will speed up the time it takes for customers in the Northwest Bronx to get to where they need to go.”
The Hudson Rail Link system connects 900 riders a day on eight routes to the Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil Metro-North stations on the Hudson Line in the Bronx, helping the communities increase their access to Manhattan and Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties. Arrow Rail Link operates the service on behalf of Metro-North from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with 16 buses.
“The inclusion of OMNY on the Hudson Rail Link not only improves convenience but also broadens the advantages of MTA’s fare programs, guaranteeing fair access and acknowledging loyal ridership,” said Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz. This development provides commuters with effortless, contactless payment choices, marking a significant step towards more accessible and efficient transportation. The convergence of diverse transit systems under a single innovative payment system showcases progress, generating a more interconnected and inclusive urban mobility environment.”
Transit customers have used OMNY to tap into the transit system more than a billion times, with the billionth tap occurring on July 26, 2023. In the latest Spring 2023 Customers Count Survey, OMNY posted a 79% fare payment satisfaction rate. Customers have tapped into all 472 subway stations and boarded 204 local bus routes and 31 express buses. Of the 195 countries that issue bank cards, OMNY has processed a card from every single one of them. On Saturday, December 9, 2023, the New York City subway recorded 2,918,691 paid rides, the highest number of weekend rides since the pandemic –58.5% of all rides were OMNY tap-and-go customers, a single-day record.
OMNY market share of full-fare subway rides continue to be at 70% since the MTA updated its fare-capping schedule on Aug. 20.
OMNY also supports reduced-fare customers who are ready to use their smart device, or contactless bank card to tap and go. Reduced-fare customers are encouraged to seamlessly make the switch from MetroCards online with the OMNY digital assistant, which is available 24/7 at OMNY.info.
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