Ask the MTA | OMNY payments, subway flooding, Grand Central Holiday Fair

amNewYork Metro, in conjunction with the MTA, present “Ask the MTA,” a column where MTA officials answer your questions about transit service in New York City. If you have a question for the MTA about subways, buses, commuter rails and more, email askthemta@amny.com.

Q: Can you use the same digital wallet or OMNY card to let multiple people into the system at once? I have family visiting from out of town soon and want to be ready. Darren Q., St. George

A: Yes, you can pay for up to three additional riders on a single trip. However, only your first tap counts toward the 7-day fare cap. Additional taps are charged the full fare and do not apply to your cap. Similarly, if you have reached your fare cap, only the first tap will count as free.

If it’s your first time using a bank card with the OMNY system, you may need to wait about a minute before you can tap again. Your bank has to approve the transaction before any other fares are paid. – Isabel Reyes, Senior Associate, MTA Strategic Initiatives

Q: Every time it rains, I see videos all over social media of flooding in subway stations. What is the MTA doing about this? Jeff A., Williamsburg

A: Most of the flooding you see on social media is the result of stormwater runoff into the subway system. We just updated our Climate Resilience Roadmap to describe how we are managing these intense rainfall events and other escalating impacts of climate change.

There are some things we can do on our own that reduce stormwater runoff into the subway system. You might have noticed we’ve installed elevated subway stairs in certain locations to prevent the flow of water from the street into stations. We can also keep catch basins free of trash and debris so they can drain stormwater away from the subway.

But increasing overall stormwater capacity will require close partnership with the City’s Departments of Transportation and Environmental Protection. As managers of sidewalk curbs and sewers, we need their commitment to modernize the system, and we hope to get work started soon at 10 priority locations identified in the updated Roadmap. – Eric Wilson, Senior Vice President, Climate & Land Use Strategy, MTA Construction & Development

Q: When does the Grand Central Holiday Fair start? Jasmine P., Woodlawn

A: Our famous Holiday Fair returns this Monday, November 10, running for six weeks through December 24, open every day except Thanksgiving Day. More than 35 local small businesses and artisan merchants will join Grand Central Gift Shop and Uncommon Goods in the historic Beaux-Arts Vanderbilt Hall, selling an eclectic mix of handcrafted goods and gifts you can only find at Grand Central Terminal. Happy shopping! – Justin Vonashek, President, Metro-North Railroad