So I got an #OMNY card today but the machine wouldn't accept my benefits card. Then, because i'm sick of having to choose between not getting my free rides after 12 rides OR getting out a credit card at the turnstyle, I registered my card online and put money on it from my benefits card that way, which, before I was exhausted from the dumb machine, I remembered saying I would never do. This is how they get you, sigh.
What a nothingburger of a scare-story this is. First off, getting someone’s credit card number is not some easy task, you won’t just be able to casually track someone. Second, if you register your credit card on an OMNY account it doesn’t let you look up the ride history on the card without logging in to the account so it’s pretty easy to protect yourself #mta#omnyhttps://www.404media.co/i-tracked-nyc-subway-rider-home-omny-mta/
'the main contractor on the project, Cubic — which also developed the MetroCard — “has not provided sufficient resources” to manage OMNY operations'....
'The 15-cent fare hike was supposed to kick in Aug. 20 but arrived early, the MTA said, because of “prematurely implemented software changes” by Cubic Transportation Systems, the contractor that developed the #OMNY fare-payment system.'
The #OMNY context -- #transit agencies worldwide trying to move to contactless fare payment -- is fascinating. How do we ensure access for unbanked or privacy-conscious riders? Agencies save money because they need less fare-related infrastructure (e.g. kiosks) but lose the "float" of pre-paid fares that haven't been used yet. Deferred transaction reconciliation enables faster turnstile throughput, but risks nonpayment...