Following last month’s letter to the MTA expressing concerns regarding shared rides through the Access-a-Ride program, pressure to accommodate the intersections of disability and transit access has extended to ride-hailing companies in NYC. While regulation around companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Via has increased in the past few years, measures to ensure they are accessible have been long overdue.

City & State reported on the strides the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission have made so far, incoming metrics that will evaluate these companies by stricter guidelines, and the efforts that need to be made to ensure riders with disabilities have the same experience as fellow New Yorkers.

Justin Wood, NYLPI’s Director of Policy, commented:

“I think the basic problem is that there’s still no reliable, affordable service for people who need an accessible vehicle for any reason…. We’re for the city making other policy interventions to increase the supply of accessible vehicles, and make sure they’re more affordable.”

Read City & State’s full piece here.

Read about Access-a-Ride and NYLPI’s co-authored letter to the MTA here.

For more information on disability and for-hire transportation services, read NYLPI’s 2018 report “Left Behind” here.