Second Ave. Sagas Podcast, Episode 5: OMNY with the MTA’s Al Putre

In 2016, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority issued a Request for Proposals for a new Fare Payment System. Funding of $419 million to support this project was included within the $32 billion MTA 2015 – 2019 Five Year Capital Plan. This new fare collection system is now known as “One Metro New York.” In 2015, the proposed original project schedule called for testing in 2018, initiation of implementation in 2019 followed by substantial completion in 2021.

Fast forward to 2019. Both the budget and schedule may have been overly optimistic, just like other MTA NYC Transit new technology projects. MTA awarding a contract for $573 million to Cubic Transportation Systems may not be the best use of these dollars. The new anticipated final completion date has slipped two years to 2023. The budget went up by $154 million. It was not a great start budget or schedule wise for this project. How will riders without smart phones accompanied with software such as Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay or Pay With Google, debit cards or credit cards embedded with chips that rely on wireless technology known as near field communication use this new system? Not all students, seniors, poor and working class riders plus out of town visitors have these options. There is no commitment that OMNY will be intergrated with NYC Economic Development Corporation’s Private Ferry System. The same holds true for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed $2.7 billion Brooklyn Queens Street Car Connector. (Assuming they can ever find $1.4 billion in Federal Transit Administration New Starts funding to build it). Why will Cubic Transportation Systems open up a call center in Buffalo to support future customers using this new fare collection system with out of work NYC residents looking for employment?

These dollars might have been better spent as a down payment toward funding NYC Transit President Andy Byford’s proposed ten year $37 billion Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize NYC Transit subway and bus system. What good does a new fare collection system do if you are still stuck on the platform waiting for a train. How about finding a seat rush hour or some personal space just to stand without being surrounded in uncomfortable positions? Funding for a new fare collection system could have been postponed till the next MTA 2020 – 2024 Five Year Capital Plan.

NYC Transit has a poor track record for new technology projects when it comes successful completion on time and within budget. Previous projects such as Public Address Customer Information Systems, Automatic Train Supervision, Communication Based Train Control and Underground Police Radio systems combined costs totaled close to $1 billion dollars. All four projects suffered significant delays during project scooping, design and engineering, procurement process, actual construction followed by installation and testing. This resulted in each being completed several years beyond the original project date milestone schedules as contained in the Federal Transit Administration grants which provided funding for many of these projects. The final bill ended up above each Project Engineer’s original cost estimate accompanied by change orders impacting budgets. Time will tell if OMNY will suffer the same fate.

(Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for grants supporting billions in capital projects and programs on behalf of the MTA and NYC Transit)