In a landmark decision, a federal judge has mandated that all new taxis in New York City must be wheelchair accessible, extending a longstanding court-ordered obligation for the city’s taxi fleet.
The ruling, issued on August 30 by Judge George Daniels, addresses the city’s failure to comply with a 2013 settlement that required 50% of the yellow cab fleet to be wheelchair accessible by 2020.
The New York Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has been under scrutiny for its progress towards meeting these accessibility requirements.
Currently, only 28% of the 13,587 yellow cabs in the city are equipped to accommodate wheelchairs, totaling 3,752 vehicles. Despite regular trips made by 42% of the fleet, the TLC has lagged behind in fulfilling the settlement terms.
Judge Daniels’ order requires the TLC to make all new and renewed taxis wheelchair accessible until the fleet reaches the 50% accessibility benchmark. The ruling rejects the TLC’s previous claim that meeting this goal was financially impractical and would deter drivers due to the cost of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
“The record simply reflects a lack of will and creative solution,” Judge Daniels stated in his ruling.
Court documents indicate that if every new cab were made wheelchair accessible, the TLC could meet the 50% requirement by the end of 2024. Disability advocates, including the Taxis For All Campaign, United Spinal Association, 504 Democratic Club, and Disabled In Action, have praised the ruling.
They argue that equal access to transportation is a fundamental right. Madeleine Reichman, Senior Staff Attorney at Disability Rights Advocates, noted that “wheelchair users deserve to have as many opportunities to use the City’s iconic yellow taxi service as non-wheelchair users.”
TLC Commissioner David Do has expressed support for the ruling, affirming the city’s commitment to accessibility.
“Our commitment to accessibility is unwavering, and we will move swiftly to propose rules reflecting Judge Daniels’s decision,” Do said. “Ensuring people with disabilities have the same access to transportation as everyone else has always been a top priority.”
The 2013 settlement was hailed by Judge Daniels as “one of the most significant acts of inclusion in this city since Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers,” highlighting the previous inaccessibility of over 98% of the city’s yellow cabs.
