What's up with the MetroCard Subway Fare?

Question

The other day I was in New York with some people and I asked the person in the booth for 10 rides on the Metrocard ($2 = 1 ride for those that don't know). So I handed the person a $20 bill and she gave me $10 back. Why?

Answer 1

She mis-heard you, that's all.  Usually, we don't state MetroCard value in terms of rides; number of rides varies depending on what services you use ($2 subway/bus, $5 express bus, $5 AirTrain, etc.).  We usually state MetroCard value in "dollars."  So, when she heard "ten," she probably automatically thought "ten-dollar MetroCard."

Simple mistake, and easily corrected.  Just go to a MetroCard vending machine, use the "Refill Your MetroCard" option, and add that same $10 bill to it.  It'll give you another $11.50 in MetroCard value, the same 15% bonus you got on your $10 card, and the same 15% bonus you would have gotten on your $20 card.

If you haven't used your card yet, you'll now have a $23 MetroCard, just as you would have had if you'd bought the intended "ten-ride" card.

Keep in mind, a "ten-ride" card actually will give you 11 1/2 rides because of the 15% bonus.  Everything used to come out so much more cleanly when the bonus was 20%...hmm...