NYC Congestion Pricing Cuts Ambulance Response Times by Over a Minute

Urban Congestion Pricing and the Response Times of Emergency Medical Services

New York City’s congestion pricing program, which charges drivers entering Manhattan’s core, has reduced total emergency medical service (EMS) travel times by just over a minute on average, according to a new NBER working paper. The study, which analyzed citywide EMS data, found that the policy’s traffic reductions translated into faster ambulance trips, with the largest gains during peak hours. The findings suggest that congestion pricing can yield public health benefits beyond its intended environmental and traffic goals.