Disability activist Dustin Jones questions the accessibility of the newly launched OMNY tap-and-go fare payment system, as the discounts for disabled people and seniors remain unavailable months after its implementation. Since October 2020, riders using non-discounted trips were able to pay with their smartphones or contactless cards at all subway stations or on all buses while the same option is unavailable for users with discount fares. This situation creates an additional economical barrier for disabled people in accessing and using the transportation infrastructure but also underlines that access remains an afterthought in NYC’s transit system. To this date, support for expanded fare options is still not implemented on the trains, buses, and paratransit known as Access-A-Ride. —Yan Grenier
