Mobilizing the Region

Issue 216 April 16, 1999


More Convenient MetroCards

The MTA said this week it would eliminate the monthly and weekly MetroCard's worst feature - the 18-minute subway "lock-out" that presently follows the card's use. The lock-out is designed to prevent unlimited ride card users from sharing the card with unlimited comrades, but it can delay riders who take a series of short, quick trips or who try to transfer between subway lines that cross but do not formally intersect.

At some point in the future, the lock-out will cease to be system-wide, and will only apply to the station at which the card is swiped. This will preserve the feature's security function while boosting the card's flexibility and convenience. Bizarrely, NYC Transit told the NYC City Council that it would not publicly announce when the lock-out change would happen. So much for planning your transit trip.

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Last week, NYC Transit officials proposed buying 580 MetroCard vending machines in addition to the 1,000 currently on order. All major subway stations are slated to have the machines by the end of 2000.


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