One in two taxis in New York City is now wheelchair accessible. The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) celebrated on the 5th, saying, “We have finally achieved the ‘50% wheelchair accessibility rate for taxis’ goal that began in 2013 with an agreement with disability rights groups,” and “After 10 years of effort, it has become incomparably easier for wheelchair passengers to use taxis than ever before.”
According to the TLC, out of 13,587 medallion taxis registered with the TLC at the end of 2013, only 213, or 1.6% of the total, were wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) .New York City has been making all-out efforts to expand WAVs, including operating a pilot program that provides a total of $5 million in support to medallion taxi drivers who want to convert to WAVs.
Regarding this, a wheelchair passenger welcomed the improvement, saying, “I am glad that 50% has finally been achieved. However, it should have been achieved a long time ago,” and “It will make transportation much more convenient as other means of transportation have been improved in addition to trains, subways, and buses.”