New York City Council and CUNY Announce Launch of New Pilot Program Giving Free, Unlimited OMNY Cards to Students

 Initial cohort of 700 CUNY students will receive the transit cards, funded with $700k secured by the Council in FY27 budget

The New York City Council and the City University of New York (CUNY) launched the CUNY OMNY Pilot Program to give free, unlimited OMNY cards to students. Council Speaker Julie Menin, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, and Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu — together with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the CUNY University Student Senate, and Council Member Harvey Epstein — made the announcement this morning at the City College of New York.

The press conference was streamed here, and photos will be available here.

Speaker Menin and the Council secured $700,000 in the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget to fund the new pilot program, which will serve an estimated 700 students in the initial cohort. These students were notified by email last Tuesday, September 22, and instructed to pick up their cards at a designated location on their respective campus. The cards will be active beginning next week.

“I am thrilled about the launch of this new pilot in partnership with CUNY, part of our major push to fund targeted transit affordability programs supporting the New Yorkers who need them most,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “Hundreds of students will no longer have to worry about whether they can afford the journey to school, a barrier that in part forces some to drop out. Instead, students can focus on the destinations that matter most: graduation, a good-paying job, and upward economic mobility.”

“Free, unlimited transit will ease a real financial burden and help CUNY students focus on what matters most: their education,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “This pilot program reflects CUNY’s mission as an engine of opportunity and demonstrates what is possible when we invest in equitable solutions that support students both inside and outside the classroom. We thank Speaker Menin and the New York City Council for recognizing that transportation access is educational access.”

Affordable, reliable transportation is a critical component of student success — a principle already demonstrated through established Council-supported programs, like CUNY ASAP, which provides unlimited OMNY cards as part of a broader package of comprehensive financial support. This new standalone pilot program builds on that model, extending transportation assistance to CUNY students beyond those in the ASAP program.

To participate, students must be Pell-eligible, enrolled full-time with at least 12 credits in both the fall and spring semesters, and taking a minimum of two in-person courses. Students who already receive transportation support through other programs, such as CUNY ASAP, are not eligible for this pilot.

Students selected for the fall cohort will be screened again for continued eligibility before receiving the spring benefit. In addition to the 700 students selected, 300 students were placed on a waitlist to fill spots should current participants become ineligible. Of the approximately 54,000 CUNY students who met these eligibility criteria, more than 28,500 completed an interest form distributed by email, demonstrating a widespread need for and interest in this program.

Participating students will receive a physical OMNY card configured for unlimited usage, active from October 5 through December 25, 2026, for the fall semester, and a 120-day unlimited pass covering the full spring semester beginning January 28, 2027. Students will have the option to add their cards to a virtual wallet once the MTA introduces that capability, projected for the end of 2026.

The OMNY card pilot represents part of the Council’s broad push to support transit affordability programs in the FY27 budget. Importantly, Speaker Menin and the Council secured funding for the largest Fair Fares expansion in program history, increasing eligibility from 150% of the federal poverty level up to 200%. An additional 340,000 low-income residents will soon have access to half-price subway, bus, and paratransit fares, raising total eligibility to approximately 1.3 million New Yorkers. Last week, the Council passed legislation, introduced by Council Member Hudson, aimed at increasing Fair Fares program enrollment by streamlining the application process.

As part of the FY27 Adopted Budget agreement, the Council also secured approximately $20 million for other CUNY programs, including $14.6 million in additional funding for ASAP between the associate- and bachelor’s-degree pathways, beyond the $85 million in baselined funding.