It is worth noting that the same year the MetroCard became usable on the entire system (1997) Hong Kong launched its Octopus smartcard, which is just tap and go and works even if, say, your card is in a wallet inside a handbag.
WMATA in DC would introduce a smartcard in 1999, so New York mostly bought a technology at the tail end of its life and had to pay the increasing costs of maintaining it.
WMATA in DC would introduce a smartcard in 1999, so New York mostly bought a technology at the tail end of its life and had to pay the increasing costs of maintaining it.