MANHATTAN — Straphangers will be able to refill their monthly and weekly unlimited MetroCards starting Feb. 1 — part of an effort by the agency to cut down on cost and waste, an MTA spokesman said Wednesday.
The refillable cards present an option for riders to avoid a planned $1 surcharge that will accompany buying a new MetroCard next year.
"The plan remains to move forward with the surcharge on new cards in 2013 so this would be another way to avoid the surcharge in the future," said MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz in an email.
Straphangers will be able to refill their cards anytime after they first use them, but it must be for the same length of time as the original, according to the MTA.
The card will hold one refill at a time, which will kick in with the first swipe after the original period ends.
Even if straphangers want to skip a month or week after the initial period ends, the refill does not kick in until the first swipe.
The MTA also expects the new system to save them money and cut down on waste.
