Back in 2019, the MTA rolled out OMNY – an innovative contactless fare payment system that allowed riders to simply “tap n go.” A rider (whether a daily traveler or a tourist) could simply use their contactless card, mobile wallet or wearable to tap directly on the turnstile to gain access to the platform and the train. This was an innovative and easier way for riders to pay for their journey. As public transit returns to normalcy since the pandemic began in 2020, in July 2021, MTA logged their 100 millionth tap on these systems. This is significant for multiple reasons. First, the MTA manages one of the busiest subway systems in the US and this milestone represents a good rate of adoption for this new process. Second, it also represents how comfortable riders have become with using contactless payments.
