Westchester County is preparing to implement the OMNY contactless fare payment system across its Bee-Line bus fleet, with the official launch scheduled for January 4, 2026 at 5 a.m. The installation of OMNY fare scanners marks a significant change in how riders will pay for their trips on the Bee-Line system.
County Executive Ken Jenkins visited the Bee-Line Bus garage in Valhalla to observe the newly installed equipment. He said, “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.”
With the introduction of OMNY, Bee-Line fares will be adjusted to match new Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) rates. These changes include an increase of 25 cents to both base and on-board cash fares, as well as a 15-cent increase for reduced fares available to seniors and people with disabilities. There will also be a separate adjustment for the BxM4C express route. Aligning these fares allows continued free transfers between Bee-Line buses and MTA subways and buses, along with eligibility for OMNY’s seven-day fare cap of $35 for unlimited trips—excluding BxM4C—with reduced-fare riders capped at $17.50.
Thomas Murphy, President of Liberty Lines Transit, commented: “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 stated: “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.”
Blanca Lopez, Department of Planning Commissioner, added: “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.”
Although OMNY launches in early January 2026, MetroCards can still be used if they are not expired; however, sales end December 31, 2025 and reloading will no longer be possible after that date. Riders may transfer any remaining MetroCard balances onto OMNY cards using an OMNY Mobile Sales Van operating throughout Westchester.
Weekly or monthly MetroCards must be activated by January 31, 2026 to remain valid. Passengers can purchase new OMNY cards at select retail locations; details are available at https://omny.info/retail-locations.
Coin payments will continue as an option on all Bee-Line buses alongside digital payments through OMNY. Additional information about this transition is provided at http://www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus or via phone at (914) 813-7777.
