Andrew Yang Calls on the MTA to Grant a Fare Holiday for Memorial Day Week to Jumpstart NYC’s Economic Recovery and Bring New Yorkers and Tourists Back to the Subway

Yang’s weeklong “fare holiday” is aimed at increasing ridership and economic activity across the five boroughs. Despite recent health and economic gains, subway ridership is down almost 70% from one year ago, meaning the MTA needs to do everything in its power to bring riders back on to subway platforms. With a citywide unemployment rate several points higher than the national rate, Yang also aims to ensure New Yorkers have every last dollar they can to reinvest into the needs of their families and the New York City economy.  Said Andrew Yang, "There is light at the end of the tunnel, New York. Vaccines are here. Warm weather is here. With little luck, patience, and vigilance, we will be opening up more and more of our economy in the coming months. But so many New Yorkers are facing a long road to  recovery. We need to do everything we can to help them, and help get New Yorkers out to the small businesses and attractions that have suffered so much during this pandemic. Getting more people out to these amazing places will mean more jobs for New Yorkers, better finances for our city, and an economic recovery that brings our city back from the brink. The MTA is about to receive $10 billion in federal stimulus funding, and it's important they spend a portion of those funds bringing riders back on to the subways and across our city. I'm calling on the MTA to give New Yorkers free fares for the entire week of Memorial Day so we can supercharge our City's summer and economic recovery. We’ll all be better off for it." As mayor, Andrew has pledged to take control of the City’s subway system so that we can build a transit system that serves riders, not politicians in Albany. With mayoral control of our City’s subways, New Yorkers would finally be able to hold City Hall accountable for their transit system. The proposal builds on Andrew’s other initiatives to help NYC’s economic recovery, including his small business plan. In early February, Andrew also pushed for the reopening of Coney Island to ensure the boardwalk did not lose another summer’s worth of revenue. The state announced such plans shortly thereafter.