NYC Council to Ban Central Park Horse-Drawn Carriages, Plans Workforce Transition

The New York City Council is expected to pass a bill on Thursday that would ban horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park by June 2028, ending a practice that has operated for more than 150 years. The legislation requires the mayor’s office to develop a transition plan by next April to help the roughly 150 carriage drivers find employment in other city sectors, such as transit, hospitality and taxi services, and to provide career counseling and possible compensation.

"We have a civic responsibility to ensure that we are not leaving anybody out to dry," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

City officials say the plan will include referrals to job openings and discussions on compensation for displaced workers. Council Speaker Julie Menin’s office indicated that the council will stay involved in the transition process.

Drivers expressed concern about the loss of income. Alexus Lawson, a 28-year-old driver from Queens, said she worries about caring for her horses without a job. Former cab driver Medet Fidan, who has driven a carriage for 15 years, said the ban would threaten his livelihood. Industry spokesperson Christina Hansen warned that the ban does not address how drivers will cover basic expenses while seeking new work.

The push for the ban intensified after an 18-year-old tourist died in a carriage accident last spring, the first fatality linked to the rides in Central Park. The victim’s family has called for an end to the service, describing the incident as a safety failure.

The drivers’ union has said it will file a legal challenge as soon as the legislation is signed. Previous mayors, including Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams, had also proposed ending the carriage industry, but those efforts did not result in a ban.