Mamdani praised over move to dismantle controversial NYC industry — but insiders say there’s more to the story

New York City to Phase Out Horse‑Drawn Carriage Rides by 2028

The city’s mayor and council speaker announced a deal to end the operation of horse‑drawn carriage tours, a move that will erase a 168‑year‑old tradition and leave roughly 200 drivers without a livelihood. A bill, now called “Romanch’s Law,” is slated for a vote next week and would prohibit carriage rides citywide beginning in June 2028.

The proposal follows a series of safety concerns that have plagued the industry. In June, 18‑year‑old tourist Romanch Mahajan died after falling from a carriage near Central Park. The incident has reignited calls from animal‑rights groups and the public to eliminate the practice. Footage of horses collapsing or escaping into traffic has also fueled criticism that the industry is unsafe for both riders and animals.

Under the bill, carriage owners would retain their horses but would no longer be able to use them for rides in New York City. Horses could be sold, transferred, or taken to rescues or sanctuaries; they could not be sent to slaughter, used in another carriage business, or placed “in inhumane purposes.” Owners who have invested heavily in the industry—such as Frank Riccobono, who runs NYC Horse Carriage Rides—will face significant losses. Riccobono owns 12 horses and three carriages and paid nearly $400,000 for a medallion, the license that authorizes carriage operation in the city. He told reporters, “I am going to take a very, very big loss here and there’s no reimbursement in this bill.”

Riccobono also criticized the city’s decision, saying, “You have pedicabs flying around, so why are they permitted to have a business?” He described his bond to the animals, noting, “I had horses give birth in front of me. I’ve owned their mom and I have their baby and it’s like taking a child away from me.” While he insists the horses receive “the most perfect lifestyle” and certified veterinary care, he calls the legislation “brainwashing” that seeks to criminalize a working animal.

The drivers themselves are concerned about their futures. Christina Hansen, a veteran carriage driver and shop steward for Transport Workers Union Local 100, said she feels “as if we don’t matter, as if we don’t count.” She pointed out that the industry’s only cruelty has historically been to the people who work in it, not to the horses. Hansen added that the city’s plan for the horses is unclear and that “there’s no funding from the city or anything like that to say, we’re going to make sure that, you know, the city pays for the horse’s retirement.” Her concern is that shelters and sanctuaries, already struggling with limited donations, may be unable to accommodate the influx of retired carriage horses.

City officials, meanwhile, have promised to facilitate a transition. Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters that “we have a civic responsibility to ensure that we are not leaving anybody out to dry.” He and Council Speaker Julie Menin have pledged to help the drivers find new employment opportunities. Menin’s spokesperson said the council would “remain involved in the transition that must include meaningful protections for the workers” and that a new working group would include the TWU and city administration.

The proposed law echoes earlier attempts by former mayor Bill de Blasio, who in 2014 also tried to ban carriage operations and had promoted electric “vintage‑style” vehicles as a replacement. That effort was rejected, and the carriage industry has since continued to thrive, albeit amid ongoing debate.

The bill’s future will hinge on the upcoming vote. If passed, it will formally end one of New York City’s most iconic tourist attractions and will require the city to address how to support both the drivers who depend on the medallion system and the horses who have been part of the city’s landscape for centuries. The debate underscores a broader tension between preserving tradition and addressing contemporary concerns about safety, animal welfare, and economic equity.