Horse-Drawn Carriage Drivers Protest Proposed NYC Ban, Accuse Officials of Hypocrisy

Horse-drawn carriage drivers rallied in Central Park on Friday, protesting a proposed ban on their industry and accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin of hypocrisy. The union workers, who fear job loss and financial devastation, are demanding that city officials reconsider the legislation, known as Romanch’s Law, and re-enter negotiations with them.

At the rally held at the park's 59th Street and 7th Avenue entrance, drivers expressed frustration that Mamdani, whom they recall participating in a hunger strike for taxi medallion owners facing financial hardship, would now support a measure that threatens their livelihoods. "How can you fight for one group of medallion owners while allowing another group to face financial devastation? To us, that feels hypocritical and humiliating," said Atakan Aktay, a 13-year veteran driver who claims to have invested his life savings into his business.

The proposed bill, which Council Speaker Menin intends to bring to a vote next week, would outlaw horse-drawn carriages in the city starting in June 2028. While the legislation includes provisions for a workforce transition program offering career counseling and job referrals, it does not guarantee compensation for drivers who have invested heavily in their businesses. Christina Hansen, a horse carriage driver and TWU Local 100 shop steward, criticized the bill, stating, "This is not a plan. It’s a concept of a plan that sometime in the spring, the mayor will assign some agency to look at some consideration, to publish on a city website of what he’s going to do with absolutely no funding, no legislative mandate or anything."

Hansen also directed criticism at Menin, who she claims supported the union workers until changing her stance after the June death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, the namesake of the bill. "She calls herself a friend of labor. She is no friend of labor… This is going to hurt people. People are gonna get evicted, people are not gonna be able to take care of their kids or pay for their schools," Hansen stated.

In response, a spokesperson for Menin affirmed her commitment to worker protections, stating, "Speaker Menin was clear that the transition away from horse carriages in Central Park must include meaningful protections for the workers. Through thoughtful conversations with labor and other stakeholders, the Council developed a framework to ensure better economic opportunities for these New Yorkers."

City Hall indicated that the Mamdani administration is developing a comprehensive plan for the industry's transition and has initiated discussions regarding compensation for medallion owners. Mayor Mamdani had previously pledged, "we are not leaving anybody out to dry," but this assurance has done little to comfort the approximately 200 drivers and union members facing uncertainty.

Danielle Slot, a carriage driver with 10 years of experience, questioned the prioritization of banning horse-drawn carriages while unregulated pedicabs and e-bikes operate freely throughout the city, sometimes resulting in fatal accidents. She also referenced the suicides of nine taxi medallion drivers who faced severe financial distress, warning that a similar fate could await the carriage drivers.

"Nine suicides on your steps, and now this is the course of action that you are taking. I suppose it’s unsurprising, as you’re still prioritizing the destruction of our industry," Slot remarked. "After yet another death on your steps in recent months, caused by yet another e-bike collision. And we’re the priority. How exactly do you justify any of this?"