are on hold at least until Tuesday, the union representing drivers said, as safety protocols are reviewed in the wake of a death of a young tourist who jumped from a runaway horse carriage.
Alexander Kemp, administrative vice president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, said in a statement Friday that 鈥渙ur hearts go out to the family鈥� of Romanch Mahajan, 18, who died after he got off the four-wheeled carriage as its horse sprinted through the park without the driver.
鈥淲ords can鈥檛 express the enormity of this tragedy,鈥� Kemp said. 鈥淲e are taking the first steps towards addressing safety issues.鈥�
Among the safety protocols to be reviewed are how to maintain control of the carriage horses at all times, he said.
Mahajan is believed to be the first person to die in a horse carriage accident since they were introduced in Central Park more than 150 years ago, according to the labor union representing the industry and the Central Park Conservancy, which manages the 843-acre (341-hectare) park.
Mahajan had traveled from India with his family to celebrate his recent high school graduation when the family decided to take a ride on one of the park鈥檚 often photographed, richly decorated carriages, his father told .
The carriage driver hopped off to take a photograph of the family near a fountain when the horse suddenly bolted. Romanch鈥檚 mother fell out of the carriage, and the teen jumped out in an attempt to save her, according to his father.
The Central Park Conservancy was among those arguing Thursday that the carriage industry should be suspended until more protections can be put in place. Mahajan鈥檚 death was the eighth horse-related incident in the park over the past 13 months, the group said.
The conservancy has argued that horses can no longer safely share park roads teeming with joggers, cyclists, pedestrians and motorized scooters, noting that other U.S. cities, including Chicago and San Antonio, have also recently done away with the nostalgic rides.
But carriage industry leaders said the fatal crash underscores the need for better protections, not outright elimination of the quaint attraction that harkens back to a romanticized, bygone New York.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani reiterated his support for ending the industry, saying he鈥檇 work with the council, the industry and animal welfare advocates to 鈥渄eliver a just transition that protects workers while ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once and for all.鈥�
Other recent mayors have made similar pronouncements. Mayor Bill de Blasio the industry 鈥渙n Day One鈥� in office, only to come up against . Mayor Eric Adams, Mamdani鈥檚 predecessor, came out against the industry of his single term.
Kemp said Friday that the union wanted to 鈥渄o all that we can, collaborating with the City, to improve safety and prevent any accidents from occurring as we move forward.鈥�
The union said it supported increased oversight of drivers including regular checks in the parks and enforcement of protocols that require drivers to be in their seats when passengers get on board, throughout the ride and when they exit. Idle horses should also be tethered.
Animal welfare activists have long said the carriage horses are overworked, can get easily spooked on city streets and live in inadequate stables while their drivers regularly flout city rules. All of those allegations have been denied by the horse and carriage owners, who say the animals are well cared for and the stables are fine.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
