Metro-North Railroad says it will stop asking customers to choose a gender when they buy monthly passes.
For years, riders had to choose their gender at the ticket booth, and their passes would be printed with a small “M” or “F” for male or female.
Metro-North says the gender markings were intended as an extra identification step to stop riders from letting other people use their monthly passes to ride for free. A Metro-North spokesperson said the railroad concluded after months of study that it was no longer effective or necessary.
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy called the move a step forward. He said antiquated gender norms shouldn’t be used as a method of personal identification.
The railroad plans to reprogram ticket machines to stop asking riders to choose a gender some time this month.
