A Brooklyn surfer on Tuesday became the billionth subway rider of 2025.
Zayd Nubani of Greenpoint tapped into the subway system at the Lafayette Avenue C Station at 10:40am marking the milestone, according to officials from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
“This has been a crazy detour,” Nubani said in a statement. “I was going to surf the nor’easter today and didn’t expect this to happen. I’m super happy to be the billionth. MTA, you guys are awesome – I ride you every day!”
Subway ridership has increased this year, marking about four million riders each day. This year’s billionth subway rider, who received a $100 OMNY card, comes three weeks earlier than 2024 and nearly three months earlier than 2022.
“We keep getting to the one billionth subway rider mark sooner and sooner, and not by accident,” said MTA Chair and Chief Executive Officer Janno Lieber. “Fast, frequent, more accessible service is a powerful incentive."
Crime in the subway was down 31% in September 2025, compared to the same time last year. Summer 2025 was the safest summer since 2009, with major subway crimes down nearly 10% from 2024. Felony assaults were also down every month between June and September when compared with the same time period last year. July and August 2025 were the safest July and August since modern record keeping began in 1995, the MTA said.
Subway and transit rider can take the Fall 2025 Customer Count Survey by clicking here.
