Customers would walk up to token booths and exchange money for subway entry tokens. In the 1990’s, the fare collection system was replaced with the Metro Card which is still very dominant today. A personal card, though while disposable is counted upon by so many in NYC.
While having the Metro Card for so long the negative aspects on it comes more to the forefront the more time passes. The biggest issue people, more specifically NewYorkers face, with having Metro Cards is how easily the card can become damaged. Thus bringing us to the next point of the Metro Card making the money it contains useless as its damaged. The process to even attempt to get the users money back is a whole ordeal as one must send in either a paper receipt if payed by cash or bank statements if by card. Along with these components the damaged Metro Card itself must also be sent in the mail to the MTA legal department.
In tangent to the issue above the Metro Card can also expire in which it will need to be replaced and if possible attempt to transfer the money to a new card. Which if any New Yorkers tried this know its not always a smooth transaction.
On a more macro view, the team thought about what happens to all the damaged, expired and misplaced cards. How does the MTA dispose of the tens- even thousands- of Metro Cards in circulation in New York and how does it affect the environment.
