This past Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the MetroCard, and according to new reports, there may not be many more milestone anniversaries to celebrate due to a plan to get rid of the card altogether, according to the Village Voice.
"I was hoping we wouldn't have it this long," said Metropolitan Transit Authority board member Andrew Albert, according to HuffingtonPost. "I think New Yorkers will be very happy when we can put the MetroCard to bed."
The card that has become a staple in New Yorkers wallets was initially set to be discontinued in 2014, according to a 2009 projected plan, but officials have now extended the deadline until 2019, the HuffingtonPost reported.
The overall goal of the MTA is to adopt a system closer to that of London's underground train system which uses "tap-and-go" technology on smartphones or with credit and debit cards, the HuffingtonPost reported.
The main reason for replacing the cards with tap-and-go smartphone or smart cards technology is to reduce the amount of money spent yearly by the MTA for the machines that distribute the MetroCard, and with the printing of the MetroCard itself which costs almost $10 million a year, the Voice reported.
Before the cards become extinct, MetroCard users can look forward to certain limited edition MetroCards like the ones currently being dispensed to advertise and commemorate the Super Bowl playoffs set to take place on Feb. 2, according to the Voice.
MetroCard vending machines have begun spitting out four different Super Bowl designs totalling 1 million cards, or 250,000 cards for each design, the Voice reported.
The 1 million commemorative cards were paid for by the National Football League as advertisement for the price of about 25 to 45 cents per card (between $250,000 and $450,000 total), according to the Voice.
If the MTA meet their 2019 deadline, the removal of the MetroCard and their vending machines could mean riders will have a lesser chance of losing their card, and hopefully less time standing behind tourist who are stuck at the turnstile with their Metro, according to the Voice.
The Super Bowl MetroCards will be dispensed at 400 of the 468 subway stations until Feb. 3, the Voice reported.
