Provides improved access to taxicabs for persons with disabilities

Summary of specific provisions

Amends the general municipal law:

- provides a definition for "accessible taxicab";

- Requires that by December 31, 2012, in cities with a population of one million or more, the locality will adopt ordinances to provide that, by June 30, 2013, no taxicab owner will put a taxicab into service that is not an accessible taxicab;

- Provides a definition for "assistive listening system";

- Requires the Commissioner of Transportation to promulgate rules, regulations, and standards necessary to effect this act;

-Act taking effect immediately.

Justification

It is a matter of fairness and in spirit with the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act that all residents and visitors to New York city are afforded equal access to all modes of transportation.

New York city is home to one of the largest taxi fleets in the world, and while New Yorkers and tourists hailing a taxicab is a common sight, this mode of transportation, virtually synonymous with the New York city experience, is not accessible to all.

An estimated 60,000 wheelchair-users live in New York city, but only 238 of the 13,000 medallion yellow cabs (less than 2%) are able to accommodate a wheelchair passenger. Even fewer livery vehicles and limousines are accessible for wheelchair customers. This inequity is an every day really for wheelchair users who are often left stranded without access to a key element of New York city's transportation infrastructure. The remaining modes of transportation available to wheelchair users are far from perfect. While New York City Transit buses are wheelchair accessible, only 67 out of 468 of the subway stations are accessible to wheelchair users. In this most basic of ways New York City lags behind other comparable cities, like London, England, which has maintained a 100% wheelchair accessible taxi fleet since 1989.

This bill requires that all new taxicabs be equipped with a lift and ramp that allows for the safe transport of wheelchair users and scooters.

Over 300,000 New Yorkers are estimated to be blind or of low vision. For these individuals, consistency is the key to accessibility. So when credit card machines, for instance, are in different locations within a vehicle's cab or are designed differently, this is a barrier to service for low-vision or blind individuals. Similarly, if a taxicab does not have enough floor space to accommodate a service animal, an individual traveling with one is not able to ride. Also, because many hybrid vehicles make far less noise than conventional gasoline-powered cars, many people of low-vision or blind individuals are unable to hear these vehicles approach, creating a hazardous situation. Another problem exists in relation to signage. In 1997, New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission ordered all taxicabs to have Braille signage that provides the taxi's medallion number, the word "complaints," and a customer service telephone number located in a consistent location. Unfortunately, signage relating to the rights of taxi cab consumers and fare schedules are not provided in Braille and generally the font size for all of these signs is very small, making it difficult for people who are of low vision to read. This bill requires that taxicabs are compliant with standard technology (with an exception for the testing of pilot programs for new systems), provide sufficient floor space for a service animal, require that hybrid-powered taxicabs are outfitted with a device that enables the blind or low vision individuals to hear the vehicle approach, and provides for large-print and Braille signage.

Approximately 10% of the U.S. population has some form of hearing loss, putting the estimated number of New York City residents who are deaf or hard of hearing at just under one million people. For these individuals it is commonly difficult to communicate with the taxicab driver about their destination, their preferred route, or to converse about the fare and payment. This bill requires that new taxicabs be fitted with an assistive listening system so that people who use a hearing aid can be connected to an intercom, video, or audio system.

Prior legislative history

None.

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.