MTA Announces Five New Customer Service Centers Open in The Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn

Brings Total Number of Open Customer Service Centers to 21 Citywide

First 400 Customers to Transfer Balances at Customer Service Centers Get Fee-Waived OMNY Cards

Nine Additional Customer Service Centers Coming to Stations Across New York City Soon

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced five new Customer Service Centers (CSCs) are open at subway stations in The Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn. Agents at CSCs are on hand 24/7 to assist riders in the transition to tap-and-ride, help customers sign up for the Fair Fares and Reduced-Fare programs, and provide service information, among other features. To celebrate the opening, the first 400 customers at each of the five new CSCs who transfer their balances from MetroCards to OMNY will receive fee-waived OMNY cards.

"Customer Service Centers make it even easier for the MTA to meet customers where they are and these five additional centers are giving riders even more options to get assistance," said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. "Whether they're transitioning to tap-and-ride or signing up for Fair Fares, we're ensuring customers are getting the support they need."

"Five additional Customer Service Centers mean even more customer service agents in the field improving the rider experience," said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. "We are committed to making these locations customer-friendly and accessible, with nine new CSCs set to open soon."

The new Customer Service Centers are available at the following stations:

• E 180 St

• Church Av

• Jay St-MetroTech

• 96 St

• Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy

The fee-free OMNY cards will be loaded with balances remaining on the customers' MetroCards on the spot by a CSC agent. The OMNY cards will not have preloaded trip value. OMNY cards were originally priced at $5, but to facilitate the transition to Tap and Ride, in October of 2023, the MTA reduced the cost of an OMNY card to just $1. The fee for a new OMNY card will increase to $2 next year.

Customer Service Centers, first introduced in 2022, feature services historically provided by the MTA exclusively at 3 Stone Street in Lower Manhattan in the neighborhoods where riders live. The centers comprise repurposed booths, retail outlets and feature enhanced accessibility, OMNY technology, and a dedicated, more welcoming visual presentation for customers through new lighting, branded wrapping, and canopies.

Station agents working at Customer Service Centers assist customers with transitioning to tap-and-ride, including helping Reduced-Fare MetroCard customers switch to OMNY and providing applications to first-time Reduced-Fare customers. Additionally, Customer Service Centers provide customers with information about how to submit complaints and receive updates and information on travel delays. Customer Service Centers also assist customers with wayfinding through the transit system. Agents working at Customer Service Centers receive dedicated training on OMNY equipment and all dedicated customer service functions the centers provide. Customer Service Centers are staffed by station agents 24/7, with the exception of St George, which is open Monday to Friday from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm.

"I applaud MTA's opening of five new Customer Service Centers across New York City," said NY Congressman Jerrold Nadler. "These CSCs will help improve the rider experience and ensure public transit is accessible and easy to use for all New Yorkers. The new center at 96th St will make sure Manhattanites and commuters have access to vital resources and services, from reduced fair assistance to help with transitioning to tap-and-ride."

"As the MTA continues expanding Customer Service Centers across New York City, riders in every borough will benefit from more accessible, reliable, and in-person support," said State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud. "These new centers will make it easier for customers to transition to OMNY, enroll in Fair Fares, and navigate our transit system with confidence. Riders getting help right in their own stations 24 hours a day strengthens equity, improves service, and keeps our neighborhoods connected."

"Every day, the riders in our community rely on our transit system to get to work, school, medical appointments, and family responsibilities - and the opening of a new Customer Service Center at Church Avenue strengthens that daily journey," said Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. "I'm proud to welcome this expansion, which brings Fair Fares enrollment, OMNY transition support, and personalized rider assistance directly to the neighborhood. The MTA is investing in the dignity of New Yorkers and modernizing its system by making customer service more accessible, more responsive, and truly centered on the needs of the people who keep this city moving. "

"As the transition to OMNY tap-to-pay and the phase out of the MetroCard continues, it's essential that the MTA keeps riders informed and supported with widespread public engagement and accessible customer service" said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. "I'm glad that the MTA is opening additional Customer Service Centers in subway stations across the city, including on Manhattan's Upper West Side, so that New Yorkers can learn about the transition, trade in their MetroCard for a new OMNY card, sign up for reduced fare cards, and more."