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New York City phases out horse-drawn carriages by 2028

New York City phases out horse-drawn carriages by 2028

Rule Changes

Council passes Romanch's Law after a tourist's death; drivers' union files suit

Yesterday: Council passes Romanch's Law; union sues

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

New York City's horse-drawn carriages will stop running in Central Park by June 2028. The City Council voted 40-7 on October 22 to pass Romanch's Law, ending an industry that has operated for more than 160 years.

The law, named for a teenage tourist who died in June after a runaway carriage threw him, ends future carriage licenses and forbids selling retired horses for slaughter. A transition plan must find new work for roughly 150 drivers. The drivers' union filed a lawsuit within hours over medallions worth up to $400,000 each.

Why it matters

A 160-year-old New York institution ends by 2028 if the ban survives a union lawsuit that could cost the city tens of millions.

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Key Indicators

40 of 51
Council members voting for the ban
Seven voted against, two abstained; the mayor is expected to sign.
$25M
Combined value of the city's 68 carriage medallions
Drivers paid as much as $400,000 each and say the law takes them without fair compensation.
~150
Active carriage drivers facing job loss
The union plans a workforce transition program to place them in new roles.
2007–2026
Years of debate since the first ban bill
Twelve prior attempts failed before this week's vote.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

2007 October 2026

5 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Council passes Romanch's Law; union sues

    Latest Legislation

    Vote is 40-7 in favor of phasing out carriages by June 2028; Transport Workers Union files suit the same day.

  2. Council holds hours-long hearing

    Hearing

    City Hall hearing gathers input from agencies, community members, labor, and advocates on the industry's future.

  3. Menin announces hearing on the industry

    Statement

    Speaker Julie Menin says the council will examine legislative action after Mahajan's death.

  4. Tourist dies after runaway carriage crash

    Incident

    Romanch Mahajan, 17, is thrown from a carriage in Central Park and dies, reigniting the ban campaign.

  5. First ban bill introduced

    Legislation

    The council proposes banning horse-drawn carriages; the bill fails, starting 19 years of debate.

Scenarios

1

Union lawsuit stalls the ban for years

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: TWU President John Samuelsen; CBS New York legal analysis

The union's takings argument—that medallions worth up to $400,000 each are private property—wins an injunction. The foie gras ban passed in 2019 is still in court seven years later and sales continue uninterrupted, a precedent TWU cites. Court filings could tie up the license phase-out past 2028.

2

Ban survives challenge, industry winds down by 2028

Possible Resolves by Jun 1, 2028

Discussed by: Council Speaker Julie Menin; ASPCA

Courts reject the takings claim or find the transition plan adequate compensation. The city places drivers in new jobs by April 2027, horses retire humanely, and no carriage licenses remain valid after May 31, 2028.

3

City and union settle on a buyout

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Mayor Zohran Mamdani (compensation comments); Bloomberg Law

Rather than litigate, the city negotiates compensation for medallion owners and drivers. Mamdani has already said adequate payouts need to be worked out. A settlement in the tens of millions lets the phase-out proceed on schedule while satisfying the union's property claims.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2019

New York City foie gras ban (2019)

The city council voted to ban the sale of foie gras, and Hudson Valley producers sued. Seven years later the case is still active and foie gras remains on New York menus.

Then

The ban never went into effect while the litigation played out.

Now

The case became the template for how New York animal-product bans get tied up in court for years.

Why this matters now

TWU President John Samuelsen cites foie gras as proof that Romanch's Law could face the same multi-year legal grind before any carriage stops running.

1860s-2026

Carriage industry's 160-year run in Central Park

Horse-drawn cabs have ferried tourists through Central Park since the park's early days. The industry survived traffic, regulation, and repeated bans, reaching roughly 200 active drivers before this week's vote.

Then

The council's 40-7 vote is the first successful ban bill in 19 years of attempts.

Now

If upheld, the industry's full phase-out by June 2028 would end a fixture of New York tourism older than the automobile.

Why this matters now

The industry's longevity made this a political test: an institution that predates cars was ended by a single law passed after a tourist's death.

Sources

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