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10/28/2021
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced new pandemic-era subway ridership records on the New York City Subway, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad.
Subway ridership continued a robust recovery with daily ridership surpassing 3.1-million riders for three consecutive days (Oct. 19-21), with a new pandemic-era record set on Oct. 21 at 3,264,278, MTA officials said in a press release.
Staten Island Railway reached a record-high ridership of 7,490 on Oct. 21. The LIRR carried a record 155,242 riders on Oct. 20, while Metro-North carried a record 131,127 riders on the same day. Average weekday ridership has been at 125,000 riders since early September.
MTA’s contactless payment system and disinfecting protocols during the pandemic have boosted ridership and trust in the rail service, MTA officials said, adding that the authority has given millions of face masks to its riders and has rolled out extensive public education initiatives.
Weekday average ridership totals fell an astonishing 95% in April 2020 after the insurgence of COVID-19, but the MTA is confident that use of public transit is going through a revival period for public transit in the tristate area.
“These ridership records are really encouraging,” said MTA Acting Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Life for New Yorkers is getting back to normal. People are going to Broadway shows and sporting events. They’re eating at restaurants and are back at school. They trust the MTA to get them where they’re going.”