Improved subway ridership is a good sign that many workers have returned to the city post-pandemic to work in the office there.
A new survey from some of the city’s biggest employers backs up the hypothesis. The data, collected by the Partnership for New York City, shows the number of workers back in the office has climbed 9 percentage points, to 58%, between August 23rd and September 15th. That’s compared to 49% for the same period last year. Lower Manhattan and Midtown had two of the highest increases in ridership.
The survey also estimates that when incorporating off time like vacations, business travel, and holidays, the decline between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic in-person is even less; the percentage of workers back in the office is actually more like 72 percent of “normal.” Overall, the trains have gotten back to approximately 68% to 72% of their pre-pandemic ridership.
Around 75% of Manhattan office workers are now coming in at least three days a week, per the survey. It’s also important to note that ridership has surged with the backdrop of the end of the summer holidays, the beginning of a new academic year, and the renewed push to bring workers back to the office.
