NYC Council approves ban on horse-drawn carriages, cites safety and animal welfare

The New York City Council approved legislation on Thursday that will end horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park by June 2028. The measure follows the death of an 18-year-old tourist last spring and is part of a broader effort to address animal-welfare concerns.

The bill requires Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office to develop a workforce-transition plan by next April, including career counseling and referrals to jobs in transit, hospitality and taxi services, and it allows the city to consider compensation for displaced workers.

"The city has a civic responsibility to ensure that we are not leaving anybody out to dry," Mamdani said.

Carriage drivers expressed uncertainty about their future. Alexus Lawson, a 28-year-old driver from Queens, said she worries about caring for her horses without a job. Medet Fidan, who switched from taxi driving to carriage work, warned that the ban could jeopardize livelihoods.

"We’re going to lose our businesses, we’re going to lose our jobs, we’re going to lose our livelihoods," Fidan said.

Council Speaker Julie Menin said the city will remain engaged in the transition process and emphasized that the legislation aims to protect workers while removing horses from the park’s pedestrian areas. The drivers’ union announced it will challenge the law in court.

President Donald Trump posted on social media that the ban eliminates a “quintessential New York experience,” calling the rides a “Great Tradition” that will be missed.

The proposal gained momentum after the fatal incident involving Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old Indian tourist who died after jumping from a runaway carriage. Mahajan’s family has urged the city to end the rides, and his uncle Gaurav Mahajan praised the legislation at a rally.

City officials have not yet detailed how compensation will be funded, and the transition plan is expected to be released in the coming months.