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A little for Uber and Lyft, and not for taxis. The MTA's one-year evaluation (January 2026) found that in January–September 2025, average daily Uber/Lyft trips to, from and within the zone fell 4.5% compared with the same months of 2024, while yellow taxi trips rose 17.3% (MTA evaluation). All taxi and FHV trips together went up 1.4%.
Both the MTA and TLC say the toll is only part of the story. Changes in how trips are dispatched, especially Uber sending requests to taxis, started before the toll and kept growing.
The numbers and where they come from
The MTA counted trips with a pickup or drop-off in the zone or on the excluded highways (FDR Drive, West Side Highway), using TLC trip records. Those records can't show trips that only pass through the zone, so those are left out.
The Uber/Lyft share of zone trips fell from 73.3% to 69.1%, and the yellow taxi share rose from 26.0% to 30.0% (MTA Table 3-4).
What the numbers do and don't mean
Two reasons the officials give:
- Uber forwarding trips to taxis. TLC's February 2026 license review says congestion fees "may have contributed" to fewer Uber/Lyft trips in Manhattan, "but the growing practice of Uber forwarding trip requests to taxis may be a larger factor." Uber does this through the e-hail apps Curb and Arro. TLC found that more than 80% of trips forwarded to taxis had Manhattan pickups. In the latest month it looked at, over 800,000 Uber requests in Manhattan went to taxis.
- Flex Fare growth. Flex Fare lets e-hail apps dispatch yellow taxis. The MTA reports it made up 3% of yellow taxi trips in 2022 and 2023, 10% in 2024 and 23% in January–August 2025.
The two charges are also different sizes. A rider pays $1.50 for an Uber/Lyft zone trip and $0.75 for a taxi trip (as of October 12, 2026). Neither report measures how much that gap moved riders.
Meanwhile, TLC counted Uber/Lyft trips rising in every other borough: Bronx +7.5%, Brooklyn +8.4%, Queens +7.8%, Staten Island +9.4% (January 2026 vs January 2025). TLC says forwarding "likely supported" that, because app cars could stay in the outer boroughs.
How it looks in the latest trip data
Our own count of TLC trip records shows how many trips per day were charged the congestion fee in the most recent 12 months. It uses a different method from the MTA (any trip with the fee, including trips that only pass through), so don't compare it directly with the MTA's figures.
What to do next
- Look at your own numbers, not only averages: trips, hours and pay in the zone vs outside it.
- Remember who pays: the $1.50 or $0.75 is the passenger's charge. It isn't taken from your pay.
- More data: month-by-month shares and fees in congestion zone trip statistics; speed in taxi and FHV speeds; total driving in vehicle miles in the zone.
- Is the toll still on? Yes, as of October 12, 2026: is congestion pricing still in effect?
- The charges go up in 2028 and 2031: what changes then. Tunnel credits for your own car: crossing credits. Your own car: personal car rules.
Overview: congestion pricing for TLC drivers. More in the tolls hub.
Frequently asked questions
Did Uber and Lyft trips go down after congestion pricing?
In the zone, yes, a little. The MTA's January 2026 evaluation found that average daily Uber/Lyft trips to, from and within the zone fell 4.5% in January–September 2025 compared with the same months of 2024: from 225,998 to 215,809 a day.
Did taxi trips go up?
Yes. Yellow taxi trips in the zone rose 17.3%, from 79,963 to 93,794 a day, over the same months. All taxi and FHV trips together rose 1.4%.
Was the toll the reason?
Not clearly. The MTA says the shifts appear to be driven by changes in the industry that started before tolling: yellow taxi trips began growing in March 2024, and Uber/Lyft trips had been falling since 2023. TLC's February 2026 review says Uber forwarding trip requests to taxis 'may be a larger factor' than the fee.
What does 'forwarding' mean?
Uber sends some ride requests to yellow taxis through e-hail apps Curb and Arro. TLC says more than 80% of trips forwarded to taxis had Manhattan pickups, and in the latest month it reported, over 800,000 Uber requests in Manhattan went to taxis.
Does this mean I should stop driving in Manhattan?
These are citywide averages, not advice for your shift. They don't show pay per hour, wait times or which areas pay best for you. The per-trip charge is paid by the passenger, not you.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- MTA: Congestion Relief Zone Tolling First Evaluation Report (January 2026) mta.info
- TLC: February 2026 For-Hire Vehicle License Review nyc.gov
- NYC TLC Trip Record Data nyc.gov
- MTA: Congestion Relief Zone taxi and FHV tolls mta.info
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.
TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.