Subway station agents will have a new role to play starting next year, leaving the confines of their glass-encased token booths to perform most of their customer service duties.
The MTA announced Thursday it had struck a deal with Transport Workers Union Local 100, which reps thousands of the authority’s rank-and-file employees, to transform the role of the station agent into a more mobile position, assisting riders all throughout stations instead of being stuck in one spot.
Authority and union honchos say the move is necessary as the MTA implements OMNY, which is set to fully replace the MetroCard by the end of next year.
MTA bigs say leaving the enclosed booth — where agents interact with riders through a glass window using a microphone — will enable the authority to more directly engage with and assist commuters, especially those new to the system or who are struggling to figure out the new contactless payment system.
