NEW YORK (PIX11) \u2014 Riders are speaking up about their experiences with OMNY and a group of students is bringing concerns about the system’s student cards to the MTA and the New York City Department of Education.<\/p>\n
The student cards are issued through schools and paid for by the city and state. Some students laminate the cards.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0Stay connected with community stories that matter: Visit our homepage\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n “The card is made of paper, so with normal wear and tear, it starts degrading and stops working,” said Maya, a student who will be a senior this school year.<\/p>\n A group of classmates conducted a survey about the student OMNY program. On Wednesday, they brought the results and their requests to the steps of City Hall.<\/p>\n “A lot of the issues stem from the quality of the card,” Maya said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The group collected about 700 responses. They say 88% of students surveyed reported that their cards become damaged through everyday use.<\/p>\n Students also say replacements can take weeks, forcing some to pay out of pocket for transportation. Student OMNY cards provide four rides each day.<\/p>\n “You have to wait three weeks. That’s $250,” Maya said.<\/p>\n The students are part of a youth council working with New York City Councilmember Harvey Epstein.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0More Local News\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n “We’re working on what to fix looks like and the timeline for that. Students, you’re starting school in a couple of weeks. Some students don’t even have them working today. We need them to come with short-term and long-term fixes to the program,” Epstein said.<\/p>\n For Maya and her classmates, the effort is also about giving young people a voice in operational policy.<\/p>\n “Government policy has a lot of impact, so there should be a way for students to voice their concerns,” she said.<\/p>\n The MTA acknowledges the concerns about the paper cards and says it is working with the Department of Education on improvements.<\/p>\n MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara has heard the concerns.<\/p>\n “We appreciate the feedback from student customers. The MTA plans to provide plastic sleeves to students to protect current cards, with a durable plastic version of the Student OMNY card coming in time for the 2027-2028 school year. In addition, we are piloting a program this year that will allow students to tap with their phones just like other riders are already doing today.”<\/p>\n The agency is working on details because not all students have phones.\u00a0<\/p>\n