UCLA Luskin’s Brian Taylor weighed in on the retirement of New York City’s iconic MetroCard, a fare payment staple for more than three decades, in a recent 1010 WINS article exploring the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s shift to a contactless system. The MetroCard, introduced in 1994, will be fully phased out as riders increasingly adopt tap-and-go payment technology.

Taylor, a professor of urban planning and public policy, highlighted the broader transition away from legacy payment systems. “A lot of these various digital payment systems that arose in the 80s and 90s are looking pretty archaic,” he noted, while emphasizing the need to ensure accessibility for riders without credit cards or digital payment options.

His perspective underscores the balance transit agencies must strike between modernization and equitable access as cities update critical infrastructure.