The bright lights of Times Square, views of the Statue of Liberty and horse-drawn carriage rides through Central Park are all staples of a first-time visit to New York City. But now, the New York City Council has voted to put an end to one of these iconic NYC traditions.
In an Oct. 22 vote, the New York City Council passed legislation that would phase out horse-drawn carriage rides by June 1, 2028, bringing an end to a tradition that has been part of the city for 168 years.
The legislation requires Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office to put together a plan by next April to help the more than 150 remaining drivers and others who work in the industry to find jobs, reports NBC News. It requires City Hall to come up with a program that provides job referrals, education, and career counseling for the displaced workers, and allows the administration to consider a form of compensation for those affected by the end to the Central Park tradition.
“The mayor will sign this bill,” said a spokesperson for the mayor after the vote, “and the Mamdani administration is working every day to ensure we can do so while providing the strongest possible protections for the owners and workers in this industry.”
The vote follows years of concerns about animal welfare and public safety. The latest push to end the carriage rides came after the death of a teenage tourist in a carriage-related incident in June 2026.
Still, longtime carriage drivers are speaking out with concern about how they’ll make a living or care for their animals with the ban in place.
“Without a job, how can I take care of my horses?” Alexus Lawson, a 28-year-old carriage driver, told NBC News. Another driver, Medet Fidan, 56, said, “I think the city is leaving us a big mess. We’re going to lose our businesses, we’re going to lose our jobs, we’re going to lose our livelihoods.”
This story was originally published by Parade on Oct 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.