Adams Betrays Workers, Moves to Kill NYC's 150-Year Carriage Tradition

Paul Riverbank, 9/18/2025NYC's historic horse-drawn carriages face extinction as Mayor Adams pushes for modernization amid safety concerns.

The End of an Era? NYC's Horse-Drawn Carriages Face Uncertain Future

I've spent countless afternoons watching those iconic horse-drawn carriages clip-clop through Central Park. Now, after 150 years, this quintessential New York experience might be heading for the history books.

Mayor Eric Adams – who's got his hands full with migrant issues and crime rates – just dropped a bombshell that's got the whole city talking. He wants to phase out these horse-drawn carriages. Not exactly a new fight in New York politics, but this time feels different.

Look, I get it. Three horses broke loose this summer alone, galloping through traffic like something out of an old Western. Not exactly the postcard image tourists expect when they visit Central Park. Adams didn't mince words: these 19th-century carriages just don't mesh with our 21st-century park anymore.

But here's where it gets messy. The mayor's executive order? It's basically a band-aid until the City Council gets its act together on Ryder's Law (named after a horse that collapsed in the street – brutal stuff). The NYPD's cracking down on illegal operations, but without comprehensive legislation, we're stuck in limbo.

I had coffee yesterday with a carriage driver who's been doing this for 20 years. "They're killing our livelihoods," he told me, hands wrapped around his cup. The Transport Workers Union isn't buying what Adams is selling either. Their president, John Samuelsen, called it a desperate move from a struggling mayor.

What's fascinating is watching longtime neutral players pick sides. The Central Park Conservancy – usually Switzerland in these debates – finally broke their silence to back the ban. They're worried about safety, and honestly, who can blame them?

Adams's team is floating the idea of electric carriages, trying to thread the needle between tradition and progress. But let's be real – it's not the same thing. Just ask Liam Neeson, who famously went to bat for the horse-drawn carriages during de Blasio's failed ban attempt.

The city's promising to help carriage drivers find new work, even offering a voluntary license return program. But as one driver told me, "You can't replace tradition with a government program."

Here's the bottom line: New York's always changing, always reinventing itself. Sometimes that means letting go of things we love. But the question isn't just about horses anymore – it's about what kind of city we want to be.

I'll keep watching this one closely. Something tells me this story's got a few more chapters left.

The End of an Era? NYC's Horse-Drawn Carriages Face Uncertain FutureI've spent countless afternoons watching those iconic horse-drawn carriages clip-clop through Central Park. Now, after 150 years, this quintessential New York experience might be heading for the history books.Mayor Eric Adams – who's got his hands full with migrant issues and crime rates – just dropped a bombshell that's got the whole city talking. He wants to phase out these horse-drawn carriages. Not exactly a new fight in New York politics, but this time feels different.Look, I get it. Three horses broke loose this summer alone, galloping through traffic like something out of an old Western. Not exactly the postcard image tourists expect when they visit Central Park. Adams didn't mince words: these 19th-century carriages just don't mesh with our 21st-century park anymore.But here's where it gets messy. The mayor's executive order? It's basically a band-aid until the City Council gets its act together on Ryder's Law (named after a horse that collapsed in the street – brutal stuff). The NYPD's cracking down on illegal operations, but without comprehensive legislation, we're stuck in limbo.I had coffee yesterday with a carriage driver who's been doing this for 20 years. "They're killing our livelihoods," he told me, hands wrapped around his cup. The Transport Workers Union isn't buying what Adams is selling either. Their president, John Samuelsen, called it a desperate move from a struggling mayor.What's fascinating is watching longtime neutral players pick sides. The Central Park Conservancy – usually Switzerland in these debates – finally broke their silence to back the ban. They're worried about safety, and honestly, who can blame them?Adams's team is floating the idea of electric carriages, trying to thread the needle between tradition and progress. But let's be real – it's not the same thing. Just ask Liam Neeson, who famously went to bat for the horse-drawn carriages during de Blasio's failed ban attempt.The city's promising to help carriage drivers find new work, even offering a voluntary license return program. But as one driver told me, "You can't replace tradition with a government program."Here's the bottom line: New York's always changing, always reinventing itself. Sometimes that means letting go of things we love. But the question isn't just about horses anymore – it's about what kind of city we want to be.I'll keep watching this one closely. Something tells me this story's got a few more chapters left.