Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Leftover Metrocard Change Infuriates Some
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 30, 2009
Modified Nov 30, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 30, 2009
Modified Nov 30, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Is leftover change on your Metrocard bumming you out? It's bumming everyone out, according to the Daily News today. Ever since the MTA changed how it formulated the bonuses on pay-per-ride cards, from 20% (buy five trips, get a sixth for free) to 15%, New Yorkers have been accumulating Metrocards with unusable spare change on them, while the MTA has been absorbing that decent chunk of unused change!
The News talked to a couple frustrated New Yorkers about those nagging dollars and cents, and direct people to Jim Schwartz, who with friends created a Transit Calculator/Spreadsheet to help figure out what denominations to put on a card to wind up with a zero balance at the end ($4.50, $6.75, $15.65, $29.35, $31.30, $45, $60.65, $74.35 or $76.30). (NBC New York points you to the Metrocard Bonus Calculator.)
The News even stumbles upon what sounds like an ancient proverb, but could also work as an ad campaign: "They won't make a turnstile spin, but they're not exactly worthless." Then again, some of these straphangers could refill their Metrocards—or is that too "optimistic"?
Tagged
math
metrocard
metrocards
MTA
subway
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
Some see a blind spot when it comes to the representation of Black New Yorkers in Mamdani's administration and agenda.
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. ET
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
Prosecutors say the 22-year-old damaged property outside the Fresh Meadows shop twice in May.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
Prosecutors say the 22-year-old damaged property outside the Fresh Meadows shop twice in May.
By
Giulia Heyward
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits
By
Caroline Lewis
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .