City Council announces success of CUNY pilot OMNY card program

The New York City Council announced Oct. 30 with the City University of New York that students are participating in the CUNY OMNY Pilot Program, which provides free OMNY cards through council funding.

Seven hundred students were selected for the program, and 693 have picked up their cards, according to a news release from the council.

Speaker Julie Menin and Majority Leader Shaun Abreu launched the program last month alongside CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and the CUNY University Student Senate, among others, the council said.

The program is funded by $700,000 secured by the council, according to the release.

“Even though transit is an essential service for the millions of New Yorkers who navigate the city every single day, rising costs present a major barrier, particularly for students who already have to cover tuition fees and may otherwise have limited sources of income,” Menin said.

She added the program had nearly 30,000 interested students, and that the pilot will help expand the initiative in the years to come.

The CUNY University Student Senate said it has advocated for transportation accessibility for three years.

“This is more than a transportation initiative; it is a meaningful step toward educational equity and student success,” the student senate said.