Congestion pricing: NYC subways saw millions more riders during Manhattan toll program's first year, transit group finds | amNewYork

"The first year of congestion pricing in New York saw straphangers take more than 90 million additional subway rides than in the previous year, a new report from the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC) found. According to the rider advocacy group's analysis, which it released on Tuesday, ridership on the city's rails grew from 1.21 billion to 1.3 billion between 2024 and 2025."

"Brian Fritsch, PCAC's associate director, said that while there are many factors affecting changes in ridership from year to year, the introduction of congestion pricing was the most consequential. Activated last January, congestion pricing is a state-run program that charges drivers a $9 base-toll to enter Manhattan below 60th Street—a portion of the borough referred to as the Central Business District (CBD) or Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ)."

"Frisch said the ridership bump driven by congestion pricing is evidenced by sizable increases following the COVID-19 pandemic, which mostly leveled off by 2024, leaving few other major factors to boost ridership last year. Ridership shot up by 33% between 2021 and 2022, according to PCAC, and about half that amount between 2022 and 2023, but rose just 3.7% in 2024."

New York's congestion pricing program, which charges drivers a $9 base toll to enter Manhattan below 60th Street, generated significant increases in subway ridership during its first year of operation. Ridership grew from 1.21 billion to 1.3 billion rides between 2024 and 2025, representing a 7.7% increase—double the growth rate from the previous year. The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA attributes this surge primarily to congestion pricing, noting that post-pandemic ridership growth had largely stabilized by 2024, making the program the most consequential factor in last year's increases. Beyond transit ridership gains, congestion pricing has also reduced congestion, cut pollution, and decreased noise complaints within the Central Business District.

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