Empowering MetroCard holders
to swipe more
New Yorkers
in the subway

Challenge: Fines and court summons given as punishment for fare-begging put low-income New Yorkers at greater economic risk. How can cardholders feel more empowered to swipe others into the subway?

Solution: The Slidekick card program encourages weekly/monthly cardholders to swipe others into the subway via a small donation to the MTA.

Case: Lower the amount of arrests tickets/summons administered for fare-begging at MTA turnstiles

Services: Service Design, Branding

For $10, you can connect someone to family, make a job interview happen, or keep someone safe.

Slidekick gives paying MTA passengers agency over their city’s infrastructure while increasing New York City Subway access for low income New Yorkers. The program exists as two parts: the redesigned MetroCard and the Slidekick app. Paying passengers choose to upgrade their standard weekly or monthly MetroCard to a Slidekick MetroCard for an additional $2.50 or $10.00, respectively. By paying the extra fee, participating New Yorkers agree to swipe in New Yorkers without MetroCards and have that fee contribute to the current 34 billion dollar MTA renovation.

A Reason To Believe

During my onsite visit to the 23rd Street F station to capture photos of the Slidekick prototype, a woman asked my friend and I for some money. For this photoshoot, I didn’t have any cash on me, but I told her I could offer a swipe. She graciously accepted my offer and thanked me. Since then, I am always on alert when I exit the subway for people who may need a swipe. And at the cost of an unlimited monthly card, what do I have to lose?

Concept: FriendsSwipe

Compete with friends to see who can get the most out of their MetroCard

Friend Swipe is a mobile application and game that tracks the monetary value of swipes used to assist those who need them. You can compete with friends to rack up the highest value while making the most out of your unlimited weekly or monthly MetroCards. You can challenge friends to start playing.

GrubHub Partnership

Replace your tip with a donated single ride ticket

FollowThru, a fictional advocacy group, and their hypothetical partnership with GrubHub allows GrubHub customers to give single ride MetroCards to low income New Yorkers. The donation works as another method of tipping through the app. The restaurant will take a hit for this one, but isn’t their reputation for good public service totally worth it?