Subway booth agents now providing customer service on platforms in New York City
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Nearly 2,300 former token booth clerks have taken on new roles starting Thursday to provide customer service to people on subway platforms in New York City.
The agents are walking through stations, helping riders navigate the sprawling transit system and assisting with OMNY, the payment system that is replacing MetroCards.
(Video in media player from previous story)
Three new customer service centers also opened Thursday.
They are located at Fulton Center in Manhattan, Roosevelt Ave-Jackson Heights 74th Street station in Queens, and at Myrtle Wyckoff Ave station in Brooklyn.
The service centers are helping customers complete transactions that they used to have to go to MTA Headquarters to complete.
There are now a total of nine customer service center around the city.
"Our station agents who have been in those booths in our stations for many decades are coming out of the booth this Thursday. So for the very first time, our agents' primary responsibilities will be to provide customer service outside of their booths," said Richard Davey, NYC Transit President. "You might see them in there from time to time to do some work, but the principal responsibility will be outside which is great. People will probably see it around morning rush hour. So, that's the goal."
The MTA says it is prioritizing safety for agents who will have special training and gadgets.
As for the booths, they'll still be around.
Subway booths will remain for workers' use for communications, paperwork, and to rest -- but they will no longer be used for customer payments and interactions.
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