WESTCHESTER COUNTY PREPARES FOR OMNY ROLLOUT WITH FULL BEE-LINE INSTALLATION
New Fare Technology Will Speed Boarding and Expand Payment Options for Riders
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins toured the Bee-Line Bus garage in Valhalla to view newly installed OMNY fare scanners on the Bee-Line fleet. The visit marked a major milestone ahead of the official County-wide launch of OMNY (One Metro New York) on January 4, 2026, at 5 a.m., when the Bee-Line bus system will fully adopt the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) contactless fare payment system.
Beginning January 4, Bee-Line fares will also be adjusted to align with MTA’s new fare rates. The changes include a 25-cent increase to the base and on-board cash fare, a 15-cent increase for reduced fares for seniors and people with disabilities, and a separate adjustment for the BxM4C express route. Aligning fares allows Bee-Line riders to continue receiving free transfers between Bee-Line buses and MTA subways and buses and to benefit from the seven-day OMNY fare cap of $35 for unlimited trips, excluding the BxM4C. The fare cap for reduced-fare riders is $17.50.
“Westchester deserves a transportation system that works the way people live today. Installing OMNY across our entire Bee-Line fleet is about making transit easier, faster, and more reliable for riders while ensuring access for everyone. This is a smart investment in modern public transportation that strengthens mobility across our County,” CE Jenkins shared with Black Westchester.
Joining the MTA, Beeline buses are replacing the MetroCard that was first tested in the system in 1993, debuting to the larger public in January 1994 with a pay and go system where you can pay your fare with credit or debit cards as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, as well as digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Fitbit Pay. The last day to buy or refill a MetroCard is Wednesday, but the cards will be accepted into mid-2026. The final acceptance date is yet to be announced.
Liberty Lines Transit President Thomas Murphy said, “Our staff has worked closely with the County to support the installation and launch of OMNY for Bee-Line riders. The new fare payment option is designed to enhance convenience and modernize the boarding process, contributing to an improved overall payment options and experience for the many customers who rely on the Bee-Line system each day.”
Department of Public Works and Transportation Commissioner Hugh Greechan said: “This was a fleet-wide effort that required coordination, testing, and hands-on work across all Bee-Line buses. Our team worked closely with Liberty Lines to install the OMNY equipment efficiently and safely so riders can benefit from a modern fare system starting day one.”
Department of Planning Commissioner Blanca Lopez said: “The Department of Planning played a key role in coordinating logistics of the OMNY rollout, including work on the back-end databases critical to OMNY operations on Bee-Line, integration with the system’s on-board technology, and coordination of program timing and public outreach. OMNY brings Westchester in line with transit systems across the region and helps ensure riders have access to a simple, consistent fare payment experience.”
While OMNY officially launches on January 4 at 5 a.m., riders may continue using MetroCards on Bee-Line buses as long as the cards are not expired. MetroCard sales will end on December 31, 2025, and cards will no longer be reloadable after that date. Riders may transfer remaining MetroCard balances to OMNY cards through the OMNY Mobile Sales Van, which continues to visit locations across Westchester.
For riders who use weekly or monthly MetroCards, those cards must be activated by January 31, 2026, in order to be valid. Passengers can purchase OMNY cards at select retail locations. To find the nearest store that carries OMNY cards, visit: https://omny.info/retail-locations.
The Mount Vernon School District (MVCSD) uses the Bee-Line Bus System for student transport, and these buses accept OMNY tap-to-pay (contactless cards/phones) for fare payment, but also offer special passes for students (like free passes for middle/high schoolers), with details found on the Westchester County Transportation site, making it easy to ride by tapping your card/phone or using specific student/reduced fare options on the county’s Bee-Line buses.
The district provides subsidized or free passes for students (e.g., middle/high schoolers get an annual pass), often requiring sign-up through links or QR codes. Check the MVCSD’s Instagram or website for specific student pass enrollment info.
When the MetroCard replaced the New York City subway token in 1994, the swipeable plastic card infused much-needed modernity into one of the world’s oldest and largest transit systems. Now, more than three decades later, the gold-hued fare card and its notoriously finicky magnetic strip are following the token into retirement.
OMNY cards are accepted on MTA buses, subways, Staten Island Railway, Roosevelt Island Tram, Hudson Rail Link, and AirTrain-Howard Beach, and AirTrain Jamaica stations, and now on Beeline buses in Westchester County. Riders can also register for an OMNY account online, link their card and set up automatic reloads, according to OMNY’s website.
In addition to OMNY, riders can continue paying with coins on Bee-Line buses. This ensures flexibility and continued access for those who prefer using cash fare. For more information on the OMNY rollout in Westchester County, visit http://www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus or call the Bee-Line customer service center at (914) 813-7777.
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