Res 1074-2016

By Council Members Vallone, Chin and Mendez Whereas, According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ("MTA"), MetroCards expire two years after the initial date of purchase; and Whereas, Although MetroCards can be refilled, a MetroCard user has up to two years from the date of expiration to transfer any unused balances to a new MetroCard; and Whereas, The balance transfer can be done at a subway station, if done within the first year after the expiration date, or by mailing the expired MetroCard to the MTA, if done during the second year; and Whereas, According to the New York Times article, in the decade between 2000 to 2010, the MTA accumulated $500 million in unspent fares; and Whereas, The MTA is currently developing a new fare payment system, however, according a 2015 report in the New York Post, the new fare payment system will probably not be introduced for several years; and Whereas, While the MTA is developing a new fare payment system, straphangers should not be forced to give away millions of dollars in unspent fares because of expiring MetroCards; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to end MetroCard expiration dates. GZ LS 6978 January 28, 2016