Quote:
Originally Posted by C.
I remember reading about this back in the day. I'm glad that it's finally happening. Those MetroCards were okay back in the day, but it was well past the time to upgrade to modern technology.
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One of the worst part about the MetroCard is that its magnetic strip is so delicate. I understand the rationale behind charging a fee for new cards (helps the MTA save on costs, and helps keep excess trash from entering the landfills). But it is borderline highway robbery to charge $1 for something that costs the agency (as of 2013, according to this article) about 6 cents to make:
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york...icle-1.1342198
The cheapo in me always keeps cards until they can't read anymore, which occurs about 6-8 months after the initial swipe with regular use (if you're lucky). The problem is that the "expiration" dates of the cards are always a year or so later, not a few months. So the MTA knowingly sets these unreasonable expiration dates , even though they know their 6 cent products are going to fail after a few months of regular use.
The most reliable way to get a replacement MetroCard for free is to try to refill a card that is expired or about to expire at the vending machine. The machine will automatically transfer the fare data over to a new card for free.
However, since the expiration dates are well past their actual real-world lifespans, you're stuck with two options. Swallow your pride, and pay $1 for a new card. Or go to a surly subway booth attendant (if you can find one, usually only at bigger stations) and explain that your card doesn't read anymore. The attendants sometimes make you jump through a few hoops before eventually transferring the fare data on to a new card.