NYLPI and Access-A-Ride Reform Group Write MTA Leadership, Citing DOJ Findings Regarding Access-A-Ride Service Failures

February 15, 2023

Access-A-Ride, Access-a-Ride Reform Group, Community Justice, Disability Justice, Health Justice, Media Coverage, News, Transportation

Image of a cell phone being used to hail an accessible for-hire-vehicle ride in New York

NYLPI joined Access-A-Ride Reform Group coalition partners in writing a letter to Richard Davey, president and Chris Pangilinan, vice president of Paratransit, New York City Transit Authority.

“On October 17, 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) wrote the MTA about major shortcomings in Access-A-Ride, which reflects the experience of Access-A-Ride riders we work with.

Our groups, which represent Access-A-Ride riders across New York City, write to ask: What are the MTA and Access-A-Ride doing in response to the DOJ letter to rectify the problems that we know about and the DOJ letter described?”

Jean Ryan, president of Disabled In Action of Metropolitan NY, testified at the NYCT committee meeting regarding the critical questions regarding paratransit services in New York. Elizabeth Valdez and Cara Liebowitz, both of Brookyln Center for Independence of the Disabled, testified powerfully about the letter and service quality of Access-A-Ride services.

NYLPI stands with co-authors Disabled In Action of Metropolitan NY (DIA), Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID), Center for Independence of the Disabled NY, Staten Island Center for Independent Living, Bronx Independent Living Services, Harlem Independent Living Center, Greater New York Council of the Blind, Transportation Equity Working Group, Downstate New York ADAPT.

Read and download the DOJ letter here and advocates’ letter here.