MTA Celebrates Milestone: NYC Subway’s Billionth Rider Rewarded in 2023
November 15, 2023A man from New Jersey won several items, including a T-shirt, a $100 OMNY card, and an eyeglass cleaning cloth, as the billionth subway rider in 2023. The man, named Brian Jones, was surprised when MTA officials stopped him at the 175th St. A train station in Washington Heights. He was on his way to a meeting when he received the surprise. Jones was happy with his winnings and stated that it was unexpected. The MTA held a news conference to celebrate his milestone, giving him a podium sign as a memento. MTA officials emphasized that hitting the billionth ride is indicative of the subway system’s post-pandemic recovery. Although ridership numbers are increasing, they are still considerably lower than pre-pandemic levels. State comptroller Tom DiNapoli warned that the MTA could lose a significant amount of money for every 5% drop in ridership.