MTA Announces High Paratransit Customer Satisfaction Drives Ridership Record in October

1.4 Million Riders Completed More Than One Million Access-A-Ride Trips During October 2025

Comes as Paratransit Shifts to OMNY, Allowing 180,000 Paratransit Customers to Pay Without Cash

OMNY Provides Seamless Link Between Access-A-Ride and Transit System

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the completion of more than one million Access-A-Ride paratransit trips for the first time in its history during the month of October, carrying 1.4 million riders to their destinations. This record came as paratransit continues a trend of record high on-time performance (OTP). In October, more than 96% of trips were picked up within 30 minutes of promise time, and more than 90% of trips within 20-minutes. 75% of Access-A-Ride vehicles arrived within 10 minutes of the pickup time.

Paratransit continues to meet and exceed key performance indicators for on-time performance, no shows and ride time. Additionally, customer satisfaction continues to rise in 2025, with levels in the high 70s or above every month. Last trip satisfaction has been at or above 84% every month this year. Access-A-Ride now transports more than 50,000 riders on average weekday.

"Our main objective at New York City Transit is to provide safe and reliable service. Paratransit continues to deliver on these promises." said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. "New fare payment options and new customer support tools make using Access-A-Ride easier and more convenient than ever. We're excited that our riders have been responding with more booked trips and more positive feedback."

"I am incredibly proud of the paratransit team for continuing to deliver such reliable service even as demand continues to grow," said NYC Transit Vice President of Paratransit Rachel Cohen. "Our record ridership month again highlights the need to continue working with our City and State partners to ensure we have the funding in place to support our growth and maintain the level of service our customers demand and deserve."

"For many New Yorkers with disabilities, we were once limited to travel to medical appointments or using emergency transportation services," said MTA Chair of Paratransit Advisory Committee RueZalia Watkins. "With a more reliable Access-A-Ride system, we have more freedom to work, visit family and friends, worship, shop and do all that New Yorkers do. The success is in the numbers: the milestone of completing one million rides in October means that we disabled New Yorkers are able to do the things we need or want to do."

This record ridership comes as New York City Transit (NYCT) and paratransit shifts to the OMNY Tap and Ride fare payment system. 180,000 Access-A-Ride customers already have or will have an OMNY card by the end of November 2025. More than 60,000 paratransit trips were booked using OMNY in October, allowing paratransit customers for the first time ever to pay without carrying exact change.

In addition, OMNY seamlessly integrates with the subway system and buses, as AAR customers can use their OMNY cards to tap and ride on subway and bus as well. And, with new accessibility upgrades at 6 stations in 2025 and more accessibility features rolling out on our buses, paratransit customers now have more options than ever to use the Transit system.

The majority of subway and bus customers use OMNY. As of October 2025, Tap and Ride accounts for 88% of all subway and bus trips - this includes 97% percent of Regular Fare customers, 90% of Reduced Fare riders and 87% of Fair Fare customers. There has also been a 63% increase in student OMNY card usage, compared to 2023 when students were issued MetroCards.

"This milestone is a testament to what's possible when we center equity and accountability in transportation," said NY State Senator Leroy Comrie. "Access-A-Ride has helped thousands of New Yorkers travel to work, medical appointments and community spaces with greater independence. As the system modernizes with OMNY, we must continue pushing for an MTA that meets the needs of every rider accessible, reliable and reflective of the city it serves."

"One million paratransit riders in October is a monumental achievement that shows what a difference investing in accessible infrastructure can make in New Yorkers' lives," said NY State Senator Kristen Gonzalez. "I'm proud to continue partnering with the MTA to increase transit access, fund the MTA Capital Plan, and protect programs like congestion pricing that make these improvements possible."

"Access is not charity-it's justice in motion," said NY State Senator Robert Jackson. "When the government delivers for those too often left waiting, that is progress worth celebrating. The MTA's record paratransit ridership is more than a milestone-it's a statement of values: that equity can be engineered, and inclusion can be built into the very infrastructure of our city. Every Access-A-Ride trip is a promise kept-that public transit can and must be truly public for all. As the MTA modernizes with OMNY and expands accessibility, it reaffirms a truth we all share: mobility is a civil right, and every New Yorker deserves to move through this city with dignity, freedom, and respect."

"Access-a-Ride has long been fodder for complaints, but the MTA appears to be improving its operations," said NY State Senator John Liu. It's important that New Yorkers of all ages and abilities have this important mass-transit system to maintain independence and livelihood. We will continue to work with the MTA to improve service even more."

"I commend the MTA on reaching a new ridership milestone of one million paratransit trips," said NY Congressman Adriano Espaillat. "Time and again, communities across the five boroughs demonstrate that there is overwhelming demand for accessible, reliable, and affordable mass transit options. I look forward to continuing my collaboration with the Authority, state and local advocates, and the incoming administration to realize a network of mass transit options that will dependably service all New Yorkers."

"Every New Yorker deserves access to safe, reliable, affordable, and inclusive public transit," said NY Congressman Jerrold Nadler. "I'm proud that the MTA has reached this remarkable milestone of helping more than one million riders access mass transit through its paratransit services. Paratransit is key in ensuring accessibility to keep New Yorkers moving, which is exemplified by its high customer satisfaction and record-high on-time performance. Congratulations to the MTA on this historic accomplishment."

"I was so pleased to hear that the MTA's Access-A-Ride program reached a milestone ridership record of 1 million trips this October," said NY Assemblymember Deborah Glick. "The success of the program is a testament to the MTA's dedication to serving all New Yorkers, including people with disabilities and older adults. I look forward to continuing my support of the MTA's critical work in creating a city that is accessible for all."

"With an aging population and many older adults in our communities, modernizing New York's public transportation services is more important than ever," said NY Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas. "I'm especially proud of the work we've done in partnership with SelfHelp at the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) in Jackson Heights and the Daytop Samaritan Village Senior Center at NYCHA Woodside Houses, which serve as vital hubs for older adults. Together, we worked hand-in-hand with the MTA to provide hands-on training sessions that empowered our neighbors to use the Access-A-Ride app to schedule rides and expand their access to public transit. This collaboration is a powerful example of how community partnerships can make our transportation system more inclusive and responsive. Let's keep up the momentum and continue strengthening the MTA for everyone's future."

"Access-A-Ride is a critical lifeline for New Yorkers who rely on paratransit every day, and these record-breaking ridership numbers show the importance of continued investment and innovation in this service," said New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I look forward to continuing our work with the MTA to ensure paratransit remains reliable, accessible, and responsive to the needs of riders, including through improvements in technology, expanded service, and better connections to the broader transit system."

"Access-A-Ride is a lifeline for thousands of Lower Manhattan residents, especially seniors and neighbors with disabilities who rely on it to reach medical appointments, cultural institutions, and community centers across the city," said Councilmember Christopher Marte. "These record ridership numbers show what's possible when the MTA invests in accessibility and reliability. Expanding OMNY to paratransit will make it even easier for riders downtown to connect seamlessly with subways, buses, and ferries. We must keep pushing to ensure every neighborhood-from the Battery to Chinatown to Two Bridges-has the same level of service, so that all New Yorkers can move through our city with dignity and independence."