MTA New York City subway hits one billion trip milestone in 2022.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City (NYC) subway has offered one billion rides in 2022. The billionth customer was identified as Sasha Salazar of the Bronx, who entered the four-station turnstiles of the 161 St. Stadium. Yankee morning on December 27.
“We’ve worked hard to bring customers back by providing safer, cleaner and faster service, and hitting one billion riders in 2022 is proof that our work is paying off,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. “New Yorkers and tourists alike continue to flock to the subway, proving there’s no better way to get around New York City than mass transit.”
The milestone marks the first time the NYC subway has carried one billion riders in a calendar year since 2019. The subway has carried 760 million riders in 2021 and 640 million in 2020. The subway’s average daily ridership is currently at about 60 percent of pre-2019 pandemic levels, when the system carried 1.698 billion riders.
The MTA’s OMNY fare payment system also saw increased usage in 2022, with more than 425 million taps. This increase in subway ridership market share for OMNY follows the introduction of the “Lucky 13” fare cap program, OMNY’s introduction to MTA customers with reduced fares and the continued expansion of OMNY cards at retail locations.
“In 2022, customers have voted with their MetroCard swipes and OMNY taps, and hundreds of millions have returned to the subway. Reaching this milestone, one billion subway riders in 2022, demonstrates once again how essential transportation is massive for New York City’s economy and continues to recover from the pandemic,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.
“Just in time for the holiday season, serving one billion Metro riders in 2022 is a milestone worth celebrating. As we continue to pursue our north star goal of delivering the best customer experience possible and to welcome them back to transit, I applaud the women and men of New York City Transit who show up every day to transport millions of New Yorkers and move the city forward,” said NYC Transit President Richard Davey.
“2022 was a year full of milestones for MTA customers, especially those who have made the switch to tap and go with OMNY. From welcoming customers with reduced fares to OMNY, to the promotion of Lucky 13 fares, to the marketplace ridership record. So, in 2022, more customers have entered the transit system with OMNY than ever before,” said MTA Acting Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara.
“Every New Yorker uses the subway every day, and I know we appreciate the MTA, especially all the workers who work for the MTA,” Salazar said.
The MTA has posted strong ridership growth across all agencies in 2022. Through Oct. 31, the latest date for which comparable non-preliminary all-agency data is available, subway ridership is up 38.6 per percent compared to comparable year-to-date data for 2021. NYC Bus is up 13.4 percent, Metro-North Railroad is up 65.9 percent, Long Island Rail Road is up 56.9 percent, Staten Island Rail Road is up 47 percent , Access-A-Ride is up 11.3 percent, and traffic on the MTA Bridges and Tunnels is up seven percent.
