The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City (NYC) subway has provided one billion trips in 2022. The billionth customer was identified as Sasha Salazar from the Bronx, who entered the 161 St. Yankee Stadium four-station turnstiles in the morning on Dec. 27.
"We have been working hard to bring customers back by providing safer, cleaner and faster service and hitting one billion riders in 2022 is evidence that our work is paying off," said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. "New Yorkers and tourists alike continue to flock to the subway, proving there is 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 customers in a calendar year since 2019. The subway carried 760 million customers in 2021 and 640 million in 2020. Average daily subway ridership is currently hovering at nearly 60 percent of 2019's pre-pandemic levels, when the system carried 1.698 billion riders.
The MTA's OMNY fare-payment system also experienced usage growth in 2022, with more than 425 million taps. This increase in subway rider market share for OMNY follows the introduction of the "Lucky 13" fare-capping program, the rollout of OMNY for the MTA's reduced-fare customers and the continued expansion of OMNY cards in retail locations.
"In 2022, customers have voted with their MetroCard swipes and OMNY taps, and hundreds of millions have returned to the subway. Hitting this milestone, one billion subway riders in 2022, demonstrates again how essential mass transit is to New York City's economy and continued recovery from the pandemic,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.
"Just in time for the holiday season, serving one billion subways riders in 2022 is a milestone worth celebrating. As we continue to follow our north star goal of giving customers the best possible experience and welcoming them back to transit, I commend the women and men of New York City Transit, who show up every single day to carry millions of New Yorkers and propel the city,” 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 reduced-fare customers to OMNY, to the "Lucky 13" fare-capping promotion, to record ridership market share, in 2022, more customers have tapped their way into 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 that we appreciate the MTA, especially all the workers that work for the MTA,” Salazar said.
The MTA has recorded strong ridership growth in all agencies in 2022. Through October 31, the latest date for which comparable all-agency non-preliminary data is available, subway ridership is up 38.6 percent over similar year-to-date data for 2021, NYC buses are up 13.4 percent, Metro-North Railroad is up 65.9 percent, the Long Island Rail Road is up 56.9 percent, the Staten Island Railway is up 47 percent, Access-A-Ride is up 11.3 percent and traffic on MTA Bridges and Tunnels is up seven percent.
