219,000 Fewer Vehicles Entered the Central Business District in the First Work Week
Overall Travel Times 30-40% Faster on Inbound River Crossings
Bus Routes Crossing East and Hudson Rivers Saw Greatest Improvement in Speeds with Time Savings of Up to Four Minutes Per Trip
View Preliminary Data
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today released data on traffic volumes, travel times, and transit ridership from the first week of the nation’s first congestion relief program which took effect on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Preliminary data shows that traffic was down 7.51 percent last week, compared to the same time last year and approximately 219,000 fewer vehicles entered the Central Business District in the first week the program launched. Drivers saw faster and more reliable trip times, and many express bus riders benefitted from shorter commutes.
“The early data backs up what New Yorkers have been telling us all week – traffic is down, the streets feel safer, and buses are moving faster,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Positive change wasn’t guaranteed, and it’s exciting to hear commuters – including drivers – talking about how much time they are saving since the program kicked off a week ago.”
Initial data strongly supports anecdotal reports of reduced traffic and shorter travel times into New York City. Data provided by TRANSCOM for morning commutes on Wednesday, Jan. 8, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. showed improved travel times into the Congestion Relief Zone on all Hudson River and East River Crossings, with nearly all crossings seeing a 39 percent reduction in travel time compared to the same day last year.
East-West streets in the Congestion Relief Zone also saw travel time improvements, especially in the afternoon peak period between the hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. with reductions in travel time ranging from 6 percent to 36 percent. Westbound travel time on Canal St on Wednesday, Jan. 8, was 34 percent faster than the average p.m. peak January speed for 2024, shaving off four minutes.
Less traffic on the road also means better bus speeds. Overall, in the first week, buses are moving faster, especially in the morning peak period, keeping to schedule more closely and improving Customer Journey Time performance. Routes that cross the East or Hudson River into New York City, many of which are express bus routes, saw the highest reduction in travel time. The SIM24 saved a total of seven minutes across the Lincoln Tunnel compared to last year. The B39 spends the majority of its route on the Williamsburg Bridge and during last week’s morning commute, B39 inbound trips saved 3.9 minutes relative to their run times in January 2024, a 28% reduction in travel time.
“When a car is able to travel faster over a bridge or through a tunnel, that motorist saves a few minutes, but when a bus is able to do the same, 50 people benefit from those time savings,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “We hope to see a continuing trend of better bus speeds, which will only make the transit network stronger, and complement the best subway on-time performance in over decade and increased service frequencies across 12 subway lines.”
Transit Ridership and Capacity
Although the Congestion Relief Zone program is likely incentivizing some drivers to switch to transit, the trend is difficult to detect because the MTA system is so large and already carries the vast major of those who travel to Manhattan. MTA officials, however, are taking a closer look at express bus ridership from neighborhoods that have had disproportionate numbers of drivers. Express bus routes with the highest increase in ridership included the BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4, SIM9, SIM24, QM16, and QM17. The express bus fleet continues to have ample capacity with only 3.4% of buses reaching Service Capacity Guidelines (90% full).
“Bus ridership has seen the strongest comeback since the pandemic and now we’re seeing slight ridership increases on express bus routes which goes to show how integral buses are to New York’s transit system,” said NYC Transit Senior Vice President of Buses Frank Annicaro. “Less cars on the road improves bus service reliability for the hundreds of thousands of riders that rely on bus service every day.”
“There’s never been a better time to take the LIRR than now,” said Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free. “The railroad achieved a record on-time performance of 95.65% – all while providing more travel options than ever before. LIRR customers are noticing the improved customer experience, as reflected in our most recent survey that reported an increase of 6 percentage points in customer satisfaction.”
“Hundreds of thousands of riders already take advantage of Metro-North’s reliable service with its record setting 98+ percent on-time performance and we welcome new customers that make the switch,” said Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “Choosing mass transit is not only cost efficient but also more convenient and contributes to a more sustainable future.”
Commitment to Transparency
Beyond its legislative requirements and commitment in the Final Environment Assessment, the MTA will continue to provide updates as more information is collected and analysis is completed. A fuller set of insights and publication of January data can be expected in mid-February.