For over thirty years, both lifelong New Yorkers and tourists exploring the Big Apple have encountered the all-too-familiar ordeal of a MetroCard swipe gone awry. Swiping the transit card too quickly or too slowly, with the stripe oriented incorrectly, or lacking sufficient fare all resulted in the subsequent, seemingly critical thud of the turnstile striking you. “It’s embarrassing.” Mike Glenwick said “You feel like you’re not an authentic New Yorker if you’re not swiping your MetroCard the right way.” The era of using the blue and yellow plastic cards is coming to an end. Starting January 1, the Metropolitan Transit Authority will cease the sale of MetroCards, mandating that riders utilize OMNY, a contactless fare payment system. Existing MetroCards will still be accepted at terminals; however, the MTA has stated that the “final acceptance date will be announced at a later time.” New Yorkers and the MTA have experienced a significant journey in bidding farewell to the card.
The iconic tokens of the New York City subway served as the standard method of fare payment prior to the introduction of the MetroCard. When tokens were first introduced in 1953, they measured approximately the size of a dime, featuring a hollowed-out Y positioned between an engraved N and C, collectively spelling out NYC. While cumbersome to transport, they offered a straightforward user experience: all transit passengers needed to do was insert the tokens into a turnstile or farebox. The MTA successfully navigated the challenge of raising fares without the need to overhaul fare collection systems to accommodate different types of coins. In 1983, Richard Ravitch, who was serving as the commissioner of the MTA, started to conceptualize an alternative fare payment system. Instead, he proposed a magnetic stripe card with a stored value. “His argument was that New York is a very modern cosmopolitan city and there are other modern cosmopolitan cities that are using this as their fare payment system,” said Jodi Shapiro. However, as his idea gained traction, it swiftly evolved into something beyond merely keeping pace with other cities. At one point, the MTA contemplated the integration of MetroCards with pay phones, allowing callers to avoid the use of coins; however, this idea did not come to fruition. The MTA initially believed that the transition to MetroCards would “spell the death knell for fare evasion,” as many riders had previously managed to evade fares using different coins and tokens, according to Noah McClain. However, that was far from the reality: “Fare evasion certainly endured, albeit often in different forms.” One notable instance involves “swipers,” a term used to describe individuals who sold bent MetroCards, enabling riders to deceitfully evade turnstiles. A group of hackers, working independently, managed to successfully reverse engineer numerous components of the MetroCard.
However, riders observed advantages as well. One of the most compelling aspects of the MetroCard was its provision for users to buy various, more adaptable fares. Discounts were available for seniors, disabled individuals, and students, along with cards that provided unlimited rides for the entire month. Cards also included a significant advantage that tokens lacked: complimentary transfers. With a single swipe of a MetroCard on a bus or subway, riders enjoyed the convenience of not having to pay again when transferring to another bus or subway train. However, just as New York subway tokens became symbols of the city, the MetroCard followed suit. And that was by design. “MetroCards were made to be collected,” Shapiro stated. In 1994, the year the MTA introduced the MetroCard, it also unveiled its first limited edition card. Since then, approximately 400 commemorative MetroCards have been issued. Some of those have featured advertisements, a significant source of revenue for the MTA, while others have commemorated historic events, such as Grand Central’s centennial anniversary and the first game between the Yankees and Mets in 1997, a tradition now known as the “Subway Series.”
Glenwick boasts a collection of nearly 100 MetroCards, with his inaugural cards showcasing the New York Rangers following their victory in the Stanley Cup in 1994, marking the team’s first championship in 54 years. The notion of gathering MetroCards resonated with him instantly: “It was something that was accessible to collect. I didn’t spend extra money because we used the MetroCards anyway,” he said. Thomas McKean has lost count of the number of MetroCards he’s gathered over the last 25 years. It all began during a subway ride when he neglected to bring along a newspaper or a book, a habit he had maintained before the advent of smartphones. In their absence, he occupied himself by staring at his MetroCard, idly contemplating how many words he could extract from its letters. Upon exiting the subway, he collected a handful of MetroCards scattered on the station floor. Once he arrived home, he began creating MetroCards featuring various words. “And then without even realizing it, I got hooked because I love the material and aesthetic,” McKean told. His designs began as two-dimensional creations, utilizing the front and back of MetroCards that were cut and assembled like a mosaic. Over time, he ventured into three-dimensional designs as well. McKean’s art has been showcased at the home goods store Fishs Eddy in Manhattan, and it has also graced the cover of a Time Out New York magazine. His art is set to be showcased in an upcoming exhibit at the Transit Museum’s Grand Central gallery. Throughout the years, he has undertaken numerous commissions. To his surprise, many of those customers are not from New York, yet they display the same admiration for the MetroCard as those who have lived there their entire lives. McKean stated that he possesses several thousand unused MetroCards in his reserves, along with all the remnants from previous projects. “I never throw anything away until it’s just too small to use.”
The transit system going forward, OMNY, short for One Metro New York, replaces swipes with taps at turnstiles using smartphones or smartwatches equipped with mobile wallets, credit cards, or OMNY cards. Currently, riders have the option to use cash to buy OMNY cards for $1 at vending machines located in subways and at various retailers throughout the city. However, there is a growing sentiment that the MTA will soon cease to accept cash, following the trend set by numerous retailers. This shift could effectively marginalize individuals who are unbanked and do not possess a credit or debit card. “While there’s no doubt the MetroCard will remain an iconic New York City symbol, tap-and-go fare payment has been a game changer for everyday riders and visitors, saving them the guessing game on what fare package is most cost efficient for their travels and making using NYC’s transit system much easier,” Shanifah Rieara said in a statement in March, when the phaseout of the MetroCard was announced. At that moment, the MTA stated that the adjustment would result in annual savings of $20 million “in costs related to MetroCard production and distribution; vending machine repairs; and cash collection and handling.” Despite the numerous advantages that the MTA has promoted regarding OMNY, such as unlimited rides after your 12th of the week, Glenwick is not prepared to embrace the change. “I feel like part of my childhood is disappearing… I don’t want to let it go until I have to.”