Archive for the 'MetroCard' Category

The 14-day Metrocard hasn’t caught on yet

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Yesterday, I was planning my next few months of Unlimited Ride MetroCard purchases. My 30-day monthly had expired, and I’m spending two weeks in August out of the city. So I figured I would be able to purchase a monthly for May 21-June 20 and a monthly for June 21-July 21. That handy time frame [...]

Answering Racked on the new prepackaged MetroCards

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

When the MTA introduced the new fare scheme and new 15 percent bonus system in March, the authority also revamped their prepackaged MetroCard program. Chief among the new pre-paid options were two pay-per-ride cards — one for the odd total of $17.39 and the other for the off-kilter sum of $52.17.
When a Racked reader [...]

MTA sets June grace period on all pre-hike MetroCards

Monday, March 10th, 2008

Shortly before the MTA raised the fares last week, the agency announced a grace period of indeterminate length ending no early than today. With that early deadline upon us, the MTA has issued guidelines for all pre-fare hike MetroCards that savvy straphangers looking to save a few bucks purchased.
According to the release, the MTA, [...]

Calculating the MTA’s new math

Tuesday, March 4th, 2008

With the latest fare hike, the MTA whittled away the once-simply 20 percent pay-per-ride benefit to a 15 percent bonus. Gone are the days of getting two free rides for every $20 spent. Now, straphangers get three free rides for every $40, and that Ninth Grade algebra just became a lot more relevant than anyone [...]

With fare hike upon us, beware stockpiled MetroCards, says MTA

Friday, February 29th, 2008

Back in the dark ages of the New York City subway, before the dawn of the MetroCard, fare hikes were momentous occasions around my house. My parents, who kept 10-packs of tokens in a Keds shoe box, were always prepared to beat the system when the MTA announced higher subway fares.
Unlike with MetroCards where [...]

The end of the MetroCard is somewhat near!

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Near, of course, being a relative term in MTA speak. Anyway, as I

If the MetroCard design ain’t broke, don’t fix it

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

Over at The Times’ Cityroom blog on Monday, Sewell Chan posted a diatribe on the design of the MetroCard. His thesis is that the MetroCard design is, in a word, terrible. The ubiquitous yellow cards with the familiar blue writing aren’t the most exciting of graphics in the subway world. Taking his cue from five [...]

The MetroCard Challenge and thoughts on a fare hike

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

The anti-fare hike forces aren’t going to like this one too much.
At the end of November, I started the 30-Day Unlimited MetroCard Challenge. My goal at the time was simple: I was going to track the number of times I swiped my 30-Day Unlimited to see how much I pay per ride. Could I [...]

Introducing the MetroCard Challenge

Monday, November 26th, 2007

With all of talk swirling about $2 base fares and Unlimited Ride MetroCard cost increases, I thought it would be fun to see just how much per ride I pay for my 30-day Unlimited Ride MetroCard each month. I take at least two rides a day during the work week as I commute to and [...]

Requiem for a MetroCard

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

Amidst all the hoopla surrounding the fare hike, the MTA is starting to make preparations that will lead to the phasing out of the MetroCard, a 13-year-old subway icon. Gone will be the familiar gold-and-blue flimsy plastic cards. In its stead, we’ll have touch-and-go SmartCard RFID technology that should speed up lines and make [...]