Provide discounted, subsidized or free OMNY cards for CUNY students
The Issue
As a Hunter College student, I am pursuing my education at university system that offers high-quality yet affordable education right in New York City. However, like many of my peers, I am part of a low-income and working-class family, and the rising cost of public transportation is increasingly becoming a barrier to accessing this education.
Currently, OMNY fares are set at $3.00 per ride, which forces me, and countless other students, to spend approximately $6.00 each day on transportation alone. This amounts to a hefty $30.00 every week just on to get class, not including train fares for internships, part-time jobs, and leisurely activities to explore NYC. These costs pile up quickly, placing an unjust financial burden on us— students who chose to seek higher education at colleges a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) for the affordability factor
The CUNY system serves hundreds of thousands of students, many of whom are from low-income families, and ensuring access to education means more than just low tuition fees; it also means making sure that students can afford to get to their campuses without financial distress.
I propose that CUNY, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), introduce a program to provide discounted, subsidized, or free OMNY cards to all full-time CUNY students. While there is a pilot program providing a select number of students with free OMNY cards, this would cover only 700 students of the approximate 190,000 full-time CUNY population. I propose to extend this for all eligible students.
Many other cities offer discounted transportation for students— from other U.S. cities to cities across Europe, Asia, and South America— they recognize that this support is important for fostering higher education in the cities. Providing discounted or free OMNY cards to CUNY students isn’t just about making commuting more affordable but also about making sure students have what they need to succeed throughout their academic journey.
Please sign this petition to urge CUNY and the MTA to provide discounted, subsidized or free OMNY cards to full-time CUNY students.
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The Issue
As a Hunter College student, I am pursuing my education at university system that offers high-quality yet affordable education right in New York City. However, like many of my peers, I am part of a low-income and working-class family, and the rising cost of public transportation is increasingly becoming a barrier to accessing this education.
Currently, OMNY fares are set at $3.00 per ride, which forces me, and countless other students, to spend approximately $6.00 each day on transportation alone. This amounts to a hefty $30.00 every week just on to get class, not including train fares for internships, part-time jobs, and leisurely activities to explore NYC. These costs pile up quickly, placing an unjust financial burden on us— students who chose to seek higher education at colleges a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) for the affordability factor
The CUNY system serves hundreds of thousands of students, many of whom are from low-income families, and ensuring access to education means more than just low tuition fees; it also means making sure that students can afford to get to their campuses without financial distress.
I propose that CUNY, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), introduce a program to provide discounted, subsidized, or free OMNY cards to all full-time CUNY students. While there is a pilot program providing a select number of students with free OMNY cards, this would cover only 700 students of the approximate 190,000 full-time CUNY population. I propose to extend this for all eligible students.
Many other cities offer discounted transportation for students— from other U.S. cities to cities across Europe, Asia, and South America— they recognize that this support is important for fostering higher education in the cities. Providing discounted or free OMNY cards to CUNY students isn’t just about making commuting more affordable but also about making sure students have what they need to succeed throughout their academic journey.
Please sign this petition to urge CUNY and the MTA to provide discounted, subsidized or free OMNY cards to full-time CUNY students.
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Petition created on September 8, 2026