New York City Council voted 40-7 on Thursday to end horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by June 2028. The bill was developed with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office, and his spokesperson said he would sign it.
The vote has left carriage drivers worried about their future. Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents operators, says the measure lacks protections for workers. The union says 150 active, licensed drivers hold 68 carriage medallions.
The Central Park Conservancy backed the bill ahead of a June council hearing, citing eight horse-related incidents in the park over the preceding 13 months. The debate drew renewed attention after a visiting teenager died in June following a fall from a carriage.
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