Over 375,000 New Yorkers Now Enrolled in Fair Fares Program
New York City Residents Can Visit 15 MTA Customer Service Center Kiosks to Enroll
15 New Customer Service Centers Coming Next Year
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), in its continued partnership with New York City Department of Social Service’s (DSS) Fair Fares program, is announcing that customers can now visit 15 Customer Service Center (CSC) kiosks with newly installed iPads, where on-site enrollment in the discounted transit fare program will be available. The announcement comes as the number of New York City residents enrolled in the Fair Fares program has reached more than 375,000.
“Transit is one of the few things that makes New York affordable, and we’re glad to do our part to help expand the reach of the City’s Fair Fares program,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Making it easier to enroll is good for everyone – the folks who’ll get the half-price fare and the MTA, which sees less fare evasion when more people sign up for benefits.”
"The MTA is committed to continuously providing access to Fair Fares conveniently where the people who need it most ride every day,” said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “Customers can simply tap the Fair Fares button on the Customer Service Center kiosks’ iPads to begin the application process. It's completely self-service and readily available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."
“The Fair Fares transit discount is a critical tool in our effort to advance equity and ensure that the city’s public transit system is affordable and accessible for all New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) First Deputy Commissioner Jill Berry. “We applaud the MTA for creating new opportunities for New Yorkers to enroll in the program at their Customer Service Centers and hope to see many more New Yorkers take advantage of this opportunity to begin saving 50 percent on transit costs. DSS is proud to continue to build on its ongoing, collaborative outreach efforts with the MTA which include monthly enrollment events and participation in the Authority's TransitTalk program."
Customer Service Centers are now open 24/7 in the following stations:
The Bronx
- 161 St-Yankee Stadium
- Fordham Rd
- Parkchester
Brooklyn
- Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr
- Coney Island-Stillwell Av
- Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs
Manhattan
- 34 St-Penn Station
- 125 St
- 168 St
- Fulton St
- Times Sq-42 St
Queens
- Flushing-Main St
- Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av
- Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport
Staten Island
- St. George
New York City residents looking to enroll in the Fair Fares program can visit the Access HRA website on any of the CSC kiosks’ iPads to begin the application process. Once there, customers can download the ACCESS HRA app to upload documents that may be requested. If approved, an OMNY card will be mailed to the customer.
The MTA is also expanding the number of CSCs to 30 by 2026. A final list of the 15 additional stations with new CSCs will be announced in the coming months. Customer Service Centers 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 and retail outlets, and feature enhanced accessibility, OMNY technology, and a dedicated, more welcoming visual presentation for customers through new lighting, branded wrapping, and canopies.
In addition to the 15 CSCs across New York City, customers can also visit any of the five Fair Fares offices – one for each borough – where members of the Fair Fares team are available to help Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The five offices are located at:
- 132 West 125th Street, 4th Floor, in Manhattan
- 201 Bay Street in Staten Island
- 2400 Fulton Street, 4th Floor, in Brooklyn
- 888 Garrison Avenue, 3rd Floor, in the Bronx
- 165-08 88th Avenue, 3rd Floor, in Queens
MTA Mobile Vans also visit 58 locations across the city where customers are able to:
- Enroll in the Fair Fares program
- Apply for Reduced-Fare or get help with an application
- Get more information about OMNY and sign up
- Transfer value from MetroCard (full-fare or Reduced-Fare) to an OMNY card
- Report a lost/stolen Reduced-Fare MetroCard
- Ask the MTA about any OMNY-related issues
- Add money to OMNY cards
“Despite being a game-changer for low-income New Yorkers, the Fair Fares program has yet to reach its full potential to transform our mass transit system into a gateway to economic opportunity for all New Yorkers struggling with transit affordability. Making enrollment in the program convenient, fast and hassle-free for eligible New York City residents is an important step toward maximizing the impact of Fair Fares,” said Community Service Society of New York President and CEO and MTA Board Member David R. Jones. “Currently almost one million New Yorkers are eligible for Fair Fares, but only 37 percent are enrolled. CSS research shows that a large share of eligible New Yorkers simply are not aware of the program. With the MTA’s introduction of 15 customer service center kiosks located in subway stations across the city, and 15 more coming online next year, New Yorkers will now have more options for applying and enrolling in Fair Fares. Together with a more robust public awareness effort, we can help spread the economic benefits of Fair Fares to more New Yorkers.”
“Fair Fares is a crucial income support and pathway to economic security for eligible New Yorkers, but only if they can access it,” said Riders Alliance Policy & Communications Director Danny Pearlstein. “The MTA has been a steadfast partner in spreading the word about the benefit. New Customer Service Center kiosks will not only tell riders about the discount, they'll sign people up for the program on the spot.”
The MTA has partnered with the City of New York on raising awareness and helping customers sign up for Fair Fares since 2022. Enrollment in discounted fare programs, such as the Fair Fares program, was one of several recommendations made by the Blue-Ribbon Panel on Fare and Toll Evasion in the transit system.
For more information on how to save money on transit fares, customers can visit mta.info/save.