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

The New York City Council and the City University of New York launched the CUNY OMNY Pilot Program to provide free, unlimited OMNY cards to students. Council Speaker Julie Menin, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, and Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu announced the program at the City College of New York, alongside the MTA, the CUNY University Student Senate, and Council Member Harvey Epstein. The initial cohort will serve an estimated 700 students, funded with $700,000 secured by the Council in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget.

Eligible students must be Pell-eligible, enrolled full-time with at least 12 credits in both fall and spring semesters, and taking a minimum of two in-person courses. Students already receiving transportation support through programs such as CUNY ASAP are not eligible. Of roughly 54,000 CUNY students who met the criteria, more than 28,500 completed an interest form. Selected students were notified by email on September 22 and instructed to pick up cards on campus. Cards are active from October 5 through December 25, 2026, with a 120-day unlimited pass for the spring semester beginning January 28, 2027. An additional 300 students were placed on a waitlist.

The program builds on the CUNY ASAP model, which already provides unlimited OMNY cards as part of broader financial support. Speaker Menin said the pilot is part of a push to fund targeted transit affordability programs, adding that students will no longer have to worry about whether they can afford the journey to school. Chancellor Matos Rodríguez said free, unlimited transit will ease a real financial burden and reflects CUNY's mission as an engine of opportunity. The Council also secured approximately $20 million for other CUNY programs, including $14.6 million in additional funding for ASAP beyond the $85 million in baselined funding.

What remains unknown is how the pilot will be evaluated and whether it will expand beyond the initial 700 students. The announcement does not specify performance metrics, renewal criteria, or long-term funding. It also does not state how waitlisted students will be prioritized or whether the MTA's projected virtual wallet capability, expected by the end of 2026, will affect card distribution or usage tracking.