All Of It with Alison Stewart — “Goodbye, MetroCard”

Date: December 30, 2025
Guest: Jodi Shapiro, Curator at the New York Transit Museum
Theme: Farewell to the MetroCard—reflecting on its history, culture, and impact as New York transitions to a new fare payment system.

Episode Overview

Alison Stewart and guest Jodi Shapiro bid farewell to the iconic New York City MetroCard, marking the system’s transition to contactless fare payment. They explore the MetroCard’s cultural significance, technological innovation, and the unique collective memories and emotions tied to this piece of city infrastructure. Listeners also call in to share their personal MetroCard stories as part of a citywide sendoff, and the New York Transit Museum’s new “Farewell MetroCard” exhibit gets a spotlight.

Key Discussion Points

1. Origins of the MetroCard and Technological Push

• Why the Switch?

  • The MetroCard was less about solving a “problem” and more about modernizing fare collection, inspired by global systems moving away from tokens.
  • “Tokens had been around since the 50s… [magnetic stripe cards] were pretty much the only excuse that [the MTA] needed to say, let’s try and do that for ourselves.” — Jodi Shapiro (02:09)

• Subway System in the 1990s

  • Subway cars like the Redbirds and R32s were iconic.
  • Stations were dimmer, with fewer stops than today.
  • Ridership had dipped but was rebounding post-disinvestment.

2. Transition Challenges and Public Education

• Transferring Difficulties

  • Earlier, transferring from subway to bus required paper transfers and person-to-person interaction—barriers the MetroCard helped eliminate.

• Learning to Swipe

  • Most Americans hadn’t seen swipe cards before.
  • “Changing the minds of millions… who are used to paying with a token... That was a huge challenge.” — Jodi Shapiro (05:21)
  • MTA launched campaigns to teach New Yorkers to swipe at the right speed and check balances, skills that were entirely new.

• Memorable Ads and Tricks

  • MTA ran ads with instructions, and riders devised their own swiping “tricks.”
  • Alison recalls: “I remember going to work. Like, I don’t understand.” — Alison Stewart (06:43)

3. Listener Memories and MetroCard Anecdotes

• Emotional Attachments

  • Callers and texts pour in with stories of MetroCard’s impact—from the relief of unlimited rides to the heartbreak of losing that coveted yellow ticket.
  • “The one thing you never wanted to do was lose your wallet or keys and your monthly Metro card because it was a nightmare.” — Caller Camillo, Glendale, Queens (07:55)

• Defects and Hacks

  • Early MetroCard flaws allowed riders to “bend” cards for free rides until MTA fixed it.
  • “If you dented it in the right place… it would pass and give you free rides.” — Caller Peter, Jackson Heights (08:48)

• MetroCard as NYC Status Symbol

  • A Florida vacationer earned instant New Yorker “clout” by flashing his MetroCard at a bar.
  • “At least I showed I wasn’t lying about being a New Yorker.” — Listener text (14:16)

4. MetroCard Mascot: The Misfit Cardvark

• Unrealized Mascot
  • A marketing proposal for “Cardvark”—an orange, MTA uniform-clad aardvark with a swiper on his arm—never materialized but is now part of the Transit Museum’s exhibit.
  • “He’s ridiculous. I do. He’s ridiculous. I love him.” — Jodi Shapiro (18:44)

5. From Blue to Gold: Card Features and Perks

• Evolution of the Card

  • The original MetroCards were blue, eventually replaced by MetroCard Gold (yellow) in 1997, which unlocked multi-ride, unlimited ride, and discount transfer features.
  • “MetroCard Gold basically eliminated [the two-fare zone].” — Jodi Shapiro (22:58)

• Notable Media

  • Classic advertisement for MetroCard Gold plays; listeners guess the celebrity voice.
  • Correct answer is Mandy Patinkin (28:54), though another commercial featured then-Governor Pataki (32:17).

6. MetroCard Math and Balancing Woes

• Keeping Track
  • Riders found it tricky to track balances, resulting in odd leftover amounts (“MetroCard math”).
  • “There used to be a website where you could…figure out how much money you had to put on the card to get an even number of money... I would rather not spend my time doing that.” — Jodi Shapiro (16:23)

7. Security, Data, and the System’s Impact

• Security Questions
  • Caller asks about MetroCard being hacked; Jodi demurs, but acknowledges public curiosity (26:09).
• Crucial for Data Analysis
  • The MetroCard’s electrified, computerized system crucially enabled the MTA to collect granular ridership data, helping shape service and policy.
  • “On the surface, it’s a way to pay for your fare. But deeper down, it is a way for the MTA to improve service.” — Jodi Shapiro (27:14)

8. The MetroCard in NYC Culture and Art

• Art and Merchandise
  • MetroCard artwork and designer items (e.g., a Kate Spade coin purse).
  • Listeners share making art and crafts or collecting special edition cards (e.g., Supreme, David Bowie).

9. Is the MetroCard as Iconic as the Token?

• Enduring Legacy
  • Jodi predicts the MetroCard will become as iconic as the subway token:
  • “I think it will… In time, the Metro card will be that way also.” — Jodi Shapiro (29:13)
  • She describes its symbolic value for freedom of movement and the city’s unique fabric.
  • “New Yorkers are very, very emotionally wrapped up in our transit system… Our city would not be what it is.” — Jodi Shapiro (31:12)

Notable Listener Quotes & Moments

• Unlimited Card = Freedom:
  “Having the monthly Metro card and being able to just go wherever was such a huge… sense of freedom in New York.”
  — Caller Marissa, Brooklyn (24:05)

• MetroCard Math:
  "Every time there was a change… you'd have to start doing the math all over again."
  — Jodi Shapiro (16:23)

• Cardvark the Mascot:
  "Cardvark is, as you would expect, an aardvark. He is orange. He is wearing an MTA uniform, and he's got a swiper on his arm to teach people how to swipe. And he was just a concept. It never happened."
  — Jodi Shapiro (18:44)

Timed Highlights

• 00:08–01:53: Alison introduces episode theme; MetroCard’s impending retirement.
• 02:09–03:15: Jodi explains the MTA’s rationale for introducing the MetroCard.
• 04:18–05:21: Listeners invited to share MetroCard memories; public education campaign memories.
• 06:43–07:48: Swiping challenges and early adopter stories.
• 07:55–09:16: Callers reminisce about MetroCard’s role in everyday life and early glitches/hacks.
• 09:42–11:54: The massive infrastructure and technology overhaul needed for MetroCard rollout.
• 14:16–14:38: MetroCard conferring New Yorker “clout.”
• 18:23–20:23: Anecdotes about the MetroCard mascot and challenges replacing the token.
• 23:16–23:41: 1997 MetroCard Gold advertisement (voice: Mandy Patinkin).
• 24:05–25:19: Freedom conveyed by the monthly MetroCard (Caller Marissa).
• 27:14–28:16: MetroCard’s role in providing valuable data to the MTA.
• 29:13–31:12: Will MetroCard reach iconic token status? Jodi explains her take.

Memorable Quotes

“It was a huge challenge to change the minds of millions of people who use your system who are used to paying with a token.”
— Jodi Shapiro (05:21)

“The Metro card served so much purpose in my life. It helped me transition from the underground to above ground. I was able to get a car, get insurance because of the Metro card. I was able to save money.”
— Caller Camillo (07:55)

“Having the monthly Metro card and being able to just go wherever was such a huge… sense of freedom in New York.”
— Caller Marissa (24:05)

“On the surface, it’s a way to pay for your fare. But deeper down, it is a way for the MTA to improve service.”
— Jodi Shapiro (27:14)

“New Yorkers are very, very emotionally wrapped up in our transit system... Our city would not be what it is.”
— Jodi Shapiro (31:12)

Final Thoughts

This episode serves as a heartfelt farewell to a New York icon, blending nostalgia, history, technological insight, and the quirky emotional ties New Yorkers share with their transit system. The MetroCard’s practical and symbolic significance echoes across generations and neighborhoods—cementing its future as an urban artifact, even as the city steps into a new contactless era. The Transit Museum’s “Farewell MetroCard” exhibit captures these stories, ensuring the yellow card’s legacy endures.

For further MetroCard memories or images, listeners are encouraged to tag @allofitnyc on Instagram or visit the New York Transit Museum’s current exhibit.