Q&A
OmniCards distribution and eligibility for student transportation
1:55:10
·
130 sec
Council Member Rita Joseph discusses OmniCard distribution and eligibility with John Benson, focusing on expanding access and addressing limitations for after-school activities.
- Currently, about 560,000 students are eligible for OmniCards, costing the department $50,500,000 annually
- Expanding eligibility to all students regardless of distance would potentially double the eligible population
- The department is in preliminary discussions with the MTA about expanding eligibility, but cost is a significant factor
- A limited after-school access option exists: schools can request 2-trip OmniCards for students who aren't eligible for full-time cards but need transportation for specific activities
Rita Joseph
1:55:10
We wanna talk about this is great.
1:55:12
We worked on this as well with the administration, the OmniCards.
1:55:16
The report that the OmniCards are generally everybody's happy, unfairly restricts from participating after activities, Python jobs after school.
1:55:25
If they don't meet the distance requirement, what would it take to give all students access regardless of distance?
John Benson
1:55:31
Yes.
1:55:31
So I've been involved in that process negotiating the new MOA with the MTA about the Omni Cards.
1:55:37
So just for perspective, right, in terms of the currently eligible students, we have about between 5,600,000 students year in year out that are eligible that receive these cards.
1:55:46
Right?
1:55:47
We pay $50,500,000 to the MTA for those cards.
1:55:51
If you think about the swipe value, 4 swipes a day, 2 90, 365 days, 500 1000 students during the billions in terms of swipe value.
1:56:00
So that's why making this adjustment is so difficult.
1:56:03
We've had preliminary conversations with the MTA.
1:56:06
About can we expand and if so how?
1:56:08
I will say, if you're asking what it's gonna take, I can say for sure, there's gonna be a dollar sign associated with it.
1:56:12
I don't know exactly what that's gonna be.
1:56:14
But if you look at the kids that live within a half mile of their schools, just students in that category is another 500,000 students.
1:56:21
So we'd essentially be doubling the eligible population.
1:56:24
So
Rita Joseph
1:56:25
Had a colleague reach out to me and said some of the kids in his in his district didn't receive any cards.
1:56:31
Have you considered a limited after school access at least very least to see if everyone could get one?
1:56:37
It's an idea.
John Benson
1:56:38
Absolutely.
1:56:39
That that's been in place even going back to the metro card.
1:56:42
When it was the metro card, it was called an X One card.
1:56:44
That's a 2 trip card available by by school request for after school activities or school related activities the weekend that went beyond the hourly threshold that used to be in place with the metro card.
1:56:54
Now we have a 2 trip OmniCard that schools can request.
1:56:57
So for students who aren't eligible for the student card based on grade and distance, if there's an activity that child needs to participate in at night, or on the weekend.
1:57:04
That's a 2 trip card.
1:57:05
There's a form the schools fill out.
1:57:07
That comes to us.
1:57:08
We send those cards to the school.
1:57:10
So that's that addresses some of the need.
1:57:12
It does not fully address the 247365 availability afforded to the students who are eligible but it does help with the after school and weekend aspect.
