MetroCard Machines Break Down During Morning Rush

NEW YORK — A citywide MetroCard vending machine breakdown briefly forced straphangers to buy fares in cash during the Wednesday morning rush hour, the MTA said.

A mainframe computer software problem prevented credit and debit card transactions from being communicated to banks starting around 9 a.m., the transit agency said. That meant riders could only pay with cash during that time.

Technicians fixed the problem and had the system restored to full functionality at 9:18 a.m., the MTA said. New York City Transit only alerted riders to the problem on Twitter at 9:23 a.m., five minutes after it was fixed.

The MTA said it accommodated riders who needed to get onto platforms with courtesy passes or entries during the breakdown.

traphangers pointed out that the breakdown inconveniences riders who may not have cash and need to put fares on a credit card.

"(A)ll that work to pay more in fare for less service that barely runs without delays anyways. what a joke," Christopher Volpe tweeted.