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NYC carriage horse drivers beg Mamdani to save their jobs after controversial ban: ‘I thought you stood with us’
New York carriage horse drivers urged Mayor Zohran Mamdani to protect their jobs at a City Hall hearing, arguing that the planned ban would leave working-class and immigrant workers without adequate support. The dispute centres on how to end a long-running industry while addressing drivers’ livelihoods and concerns about horse welfare.
The City Council passed the ban last month with a veto-proof majority, and Mamdani has indicated he will sign it by a late-November deadline. It would take effect on 1 June 2028, ending a 150-year tradition; about 200 drivers would be affected, some of whom paid more than $400,000 for operating medallions. The bill offers job training but no direct compensation, while Mamdani has promised a “fair and just” transition without giving details. The drivers’ union says it will challenge the law in court.
In short
- Drivers say the ban threatens their livelihoods.
- About 200 workers may be affected from June 2028.
- The union plans to challenge the law in court.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Ending carriage rides can protect horses from the risks and stresses of urban traffic and phase out an industry whose welfare standards are contested. The ban also gives the city time to help affected workers retrain, while supporters may argue that public policy need not preserve a tradition when animal welfare is at stake.
The case against
Drivers have built livelihoods around a longstanding, lawful industry, and some have invested heavily in operating medallions; ending it without direct compensation could place a disproportionate burden on working-class and immigrant families. They can reasonably argue that a fair transition should include concrete financial support and job pathways before the city removes their means of earning a living.