Half a week of congestion pricing has left straphangers feeling like sardines.
Last week’s trains were incomparably busier as more commuters take public transit to avoid paying $9 tolls to drive into Manhattan’s congestion pricing zones. , outraged passengers told the Post.
Average daily subway ridership from Jan. 5 to Jan. 8 was 3.2 million, up 10% from 2.9 million during the same period in January 2024, according to preliminary state data.
Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North also saw ridership increase by 14% and 15%, respectively, in the first few days of congestion pricing, according to state data.
While the controversial tolling program appears to be accomplishing its goal of funneling drivers heading below 60th Street in Manhattan onto public transit, many subway riders are lament that their subways are facing a crisis of congestion.
“People should have some dignity when riding the subway and not bump into each other,” said Brett Oppedisano, 44, an IT manager who rides six trains every weekday at a private school on the Upper East Side. ) was outraged.
“I don’t know if they (MTA) have the infrastructure resources to handle the increased load.”
Nicole Heffernan, a financial services manager in Bayside, Queens, was shocked to find she had to wait for a second train at Penn Station during her morning commute almost every day this week. This was because trains 1 and 2 were full of extra passengers.
“I understand they are trying to reduce congestion, but then they have to add more routes to accommodate us passengers,” said the 33-year-old.
City Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) slammed the transit agency for not being prepared.
“Just like gyms in January, public transit is seeing an initial surge, and the MTA was not prepared to handle it,” he said.
“New Yorkers endure the “fantastic” experience of being crammed like sardines into filthy, feces- and urine-covered, crime-infested hotels in homeless vehicles, only to leave them as soon as the weather warms.” Dew.”
Rush-hour passengers from the suburbs have likewise experienced unexpected crowding on commuter trains since the introduction of the congestion pricing system, where conductors instruct passengers to fill all available seats due to sudden congestion. complained about.
“The conductors kept saying, ‘Use the middle seat, the train is busier than normal and they won’t change the schedule,'” said Matt Morneux, 40, a subway rider. From Westchester, head north to Grand Central Station. “It’s basically a matter of getting used to it.”
However, not all transit users have noticed an increase in congestion in vehicles since Sunday.
Matt Berg, a White Plains resident who was bracing himself to be crushed shoulder-to-shoulder by the crush of new Metro-North commuters this week, said ridership levels on his line were “not out of control. ” he admitted.
“(The MTA) plans to test the total number of people,” he said. “When it’s affected, they add more cars.”
The MTA did not respond to requests for comment.
