Lyft will give NYC riders credit for January congestion

New York City’s congestion pricing is expected working on Sunday — but in the first month, Lyft said it would be renting to paying passengers.

The New York plan, which is supposed to reduce traffic in lower Manhattan and raise public transit costs, was suspended by Governor Kathy Hochul in June, then reinstated at a lower cost. There is different prices for different cars at different times – during the day, it will cost $9 to drive a regular car in Manhattan under 60th St, while someone who uses ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft will pay $1.50 for each trip.

Lyft riders will be charged like everyone else, but the company said that throughout January, they’ll put the money back in boxes that can be used on Lyft or Citi Bike the following week.

Lyft said the new fee comes on top of the existing $2.75 fee for drivers who start, end, or pass through Manhattan under 96th St. So he described the loan as “a small gesture to help people adapt to some new money – – even though we are trying to reduce the cost of the hike.”