New York Public Transit Demand Is Now Almost Half Pre-Covid Mark

(Bloomberg) -- New York’s public transport usage has risen to almost half the typical level before the coronavirus outbreak, a recovery that has yet to extend to the restaurant industry.

Demand for trains, buses and city bikes this week improved to 53% below pre-Covid 19 levels, compared with a 57% decline last week, according to Moovit App Global Ltd. data.

The number of seated diners in New York restaurants, which can only serve customers outdoors, was 94% lower than a year ago, according to OpenTable Inc. Last week, it was 97% lower than a year before. The city this week decided to delay the return of indoor dining as several U.S. states experience a jump in virus cases after their restrictions were eased.

Congestion on New York city streets increased to 33% at 5 pm on July 1 from 29% a week earlier, according to the TomTom Traffic Index. The year-earlier level was 72%.

Average daily turnstile traffic in the mass transit system rose 11% to 928,205 last week, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

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