OMNY

UX/UI Design

My take on what NYC's MetroCard replacement should look like

UX/UI Designer2026Research and Strategy

Summary

In 2023, the MTA announced that it would phase out the iconic MetroCard by 2026. When the OMNY card was introduced, it brought a lot of concerns regarding privacy and data. Various consumers reported that their personal bank cards had been overcharged or that double fares had been taken from their OMNY cards.

User sentiment analysis of OMNY cards New Yorkers took to Reddit to express their frustrations with the new fare card. Many mentioned difficulties reloading cards, double charges, and accused the card of stealing money from bank accounts.

While customers have gotten used to the change, there are still issues and concerns. I ideated a mobile app that replaces the OMNY.info website and makes managing payments, trips, and balances a bit easier.

Project Details

I was inspired by Japan's SUICA digital card for this project. While physical smartcards have become common, there is always a risk of running out of chips to make the cards. Providing a digital option can be a great low-cost way to keep the card in circulation and also make it accessible to anyone with a smartphone.

Key pain points, obstacles or problems:

Customers found double charges when they used their bank cards to pay. This created mistrust and concerns regarding data in the the OMNY during it's early launch.
In the early launch, some New Yorkers had difficulties finding OMNY vending machines.
Machines inside stations are prone to having problems or being temporarily out of service.

Solutions

Create a digital wallet for the OMNY card where New Yorkers can easily pay and refill their card without direct links to the their bank accounts