New York City's subway dilemma: Will overnight train service ever come back?

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7. How many will turn to buying cars?

New Yorkers Are Thinking About Getting Cars Because of COVID-19

New York is the last American city where people of all incomes can live an easy car-free life. That might be changing.

The coronavirus pandemic has radically altered city life, and few cities have been altered as much as New York. Much of what made New York City worth living in—the libraries, museums, restaurants, and nightlife, just to name a few things I desperately miss—has closed, at least temporarily. But for many New Yorkers, one of the best aspects of living in New York is the ability to lead a comfortable car-free life thanks to the city’s robust mass transportation system, relatively bike-friendly streets, and general walkability.

If New Yorkers are afraid of getting back on the subway, it has far-reaching implications for the city’s recovery. New Yorkers use the subways and buses for much more than just commuting. In 2018, the last year for which ridership statistics are available, the average weekend saw about 5.5 million rides on the subway, equal to the average weekday’s ridership. If even a small fraction of those rides were to be replaced with private car trips, the entire city would grind to a maddening halt.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/7kppab/new-yorkers-are-thinking-about-getting-cars-because-of-covid-19