NYC subway ridership surpasses 4 million for the first time since March 2020

The New York City subway system has been struggling with a rise in crime and low ridership since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the most recent data from New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) shows that the city’s subway system has reached a new pandemic-era milestone – 4 million daily passengers.  

The New York City subway carried 4,002,961 paid riders on Thursday, April 20, reaching the highest daily ridership in four years. Although daily ridership remains below the pre-pandemic weekday average of 5.5 million passengers, this is still a turning point for the MTA. The last time the city's subway system welcomed more than 4 million passengers was March 12, 2020.  

"The MTA is the lifeblood of this city, and New York State has made critical investments in our subways to improve the rider experience," said Governor Hochul. "Surpassing four million riders for the first time since the start of the pandemic is a testament to the resiliency of New Yorkers and the importance of supporting the nation's largest transit system."    

The NYC subway system celebrated one more achievement on April 20. OMNY, the MTA’s contactless fare payment system, also set a single-day record, with 1.69 million taps, accounting for 42.5 percent of all paid rides. However, the MTA still needs more passengers to address its budget gap, which is expected to reach $3 billion by 2025. 

While the MTA received billions in federal aid to cover its pandemic-related losses, those funds would likely run out by 2026. Over the past year, the city’s transit system has announced different measures, such as raising the fare from $2.75 to $3 and altering Monday and Friday service to reduce its budget deficit. 

“At the height of the pandemic, ridership dropped by 90 percent, but we kept the system running full tilt to make sure that essential workers could get to hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores and distribution centers, " said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “This record is a testament to the resilience of New Yorkers and a reminder that mass transit is the lifeblood of this city."  

Resources:

“ICYMI: GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES SUBWAY RIDERSHIP SURPASSES 4 MILLION RIDERS IN SINGLE DAY,” (MTA, 2023)

“NYC subway tops 4 million daily riders for the first time since March 2020,” by Aaron Ginsburg (6sqft, 2023)

“NYC Subway Ridership Hits 4 Million For the First Time Since March 2020,” by Michelle Kaske (Bloomberg, 2023)

“Officials: Subways tops 4 million paid riders in one day for first time since 2020,” by Deanna Garcia (Spectrum News NY1, 2023)