Angry Riders Force MTA To Scrap Work On MetroCard Machines

NEW YORK, NY — The angry tweets worked. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority postponed software updates to MetroCard vending machines after straphangers raged over the prospect of having to pay in cash this weekend.

The MTA had said Wednesday that the machines wouldn't accept credit or debit cards from 11:45 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. Irate riders protested on Twitter, questioning why the seemingly routine maintenance would take more than two full days.

"We heard you all loud and clear," the MTA tweeted around noon Thursday. "We’re going to postpone this weekend’s planned MetroCard machine upgrade for a week while we work to shorten the process and more clearly answer customer concerns."

The agency pledged to announce more details on Monday.

MTA vending machines have previously gone down without any notice, leaving cashless straphangers unable to pay their fares. A glitch reportedly halted credit and debit transactions across the city in October. Another outage hit Brooklyn in November.

Commuters on Twitter noted that the outage was planned just after the start of the month, when many straphangers renew their monthly MetroCards for $121.

"I'll plan ahead by practicing @Olympics hurdling, so I can jump the turnstiles!" Eric Rizk tweeted.

The transit authority noted that it's replacing the MetroCard system with "tap-to-pay technology" that will allow commuters to pay with their cellphones. The MTA also suggested signing up for its EasyPayXPress program to have your MetroCard automatically refilled.

(Lead image: People line up at a booth in the Union Square subway station in 2012. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)