For a lot of City University of New York students, the biggest hurdle to getting a degree is not the coursework. It is the swipe at the turnstile. Student leaders and campus unions are pushing city and state officials to cover OMNY transit cards for CUNY students, arguing that the daily cost of getting to class is the make-or-break bill on already thin budgets. Advocates say those fares are driving students to skip classes, cut back on meals, or even drop out entirely.
Students Ask For A $1.4 Million Pilot
The University Student Senate is pressing lawmakers to create a $1.4 million commuter grant pilot, split evenly between the state and the city. The program would give eligible students a five-day OMNY pass, roughly 75 trips per participant, with priority for student parents, students with disabilities, and other high-need groups. In its pitch, the Senate labels transit costs as a form of “hidden tuition” and argues that targeted fare help would boost student retention and graduation.
According to University Student Senate testimony, the commuter grant would seek $700,000 from the state and $700,000 from the city.
Council Floated A Smaller Pilot In Last Year’s Budget Talks
City Council leadership signaled support for a more modest version last year. In its FY26 budget response, the Council recommended $500,000 for a commuting program it said would provide transportation benefits to about 473 students. The Council described transportation as a central barrier to attendance and urged the mayor to include the funding in the executive budget, according to the City Council's budget response.
Unions And Street Rallies Turn Up The Heat
The Professional Staff Congress, which represents roughly 30,000 CUNY faculty and staff, has linked arms with students in rallies in Albany and at City Hall to press for the OMNY benefit and broader CUNY funding. In a February release and student testimony, union allies highlighted a message from University Student Senate Chair Akkeem Polack, who said free OMNY cards would “remove one of the most immediate financial burdens our students face” and would directly strengthen New York’s workforce.
The union’s platform and its joint effort with students are laid out by PSC and in the group’s press release.
Why Advocates Say Transit Funding Pays Off
Student testimony and City Council documents describe transportation costs as a recurring hit to already tight budgets, tying those expenses to missed class time and delayed graduations. The University Student Senate has noted that many students report skipping meals or arriving late to class because they cannot afford fares.
Policy groups focused on economic mobility in New York City have recommended targeted OMNY support as a relatively low-cost way to remove a major barrier to college completion and improve long-term outcomes. For background on the OMNY and Fair Fares shift and related policy ideas, see the University Student Senate testimony, the Center for an Urban Future report, and the Mayor's office announcement on OMNY.
What Comes Next In Albany And At City Hall
The fate of free OMNY passes for CUNY students now sits inside the spring budget talks in Albany and at City Hall. Student leaders have been filing testimony and lobbying for the commuter grant as those negotiations unfold. Students submitted testimony to the state in late February, while CUNY officials have outlined their broader budget needs in recent City Council hearings, suggesting that transit benefits will be part of the eventual budget tradeoffs.
Local coverage of the push has included TV reporting on the proposal, and organizers say more public outreach is on the way as budget deadlines get closer. For more detail on the City Council discussions and the media coverage, see the City Council transcript and PIX11.
