Uber and Lyft Join Taxi of Tomorrow In Getting Heat From Disability Advocates

Last Thursday, Councilman Corey Johnson of New York City introduced a bill that would require all for-hire vehicles (including e-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft) in the city to require wheelchair accessibility. The move made by Councilman Johnson has received praise from disability advocates. The new bill has halted the previous legislation of “Taxi of Tomorrow” which required at least 50 percent of city taxis to be wheelchair accessible by 2020. The Taxi of Tomorrow legislation has received support from Mayor Bill de Blasio. The new bill also requires accessibility through the side of the vehicle rather from the rear. Some opponents of the Taxi of Tomorrow legislation say that the required Nissan NV200 vehicles are unsafe since the accessible ramps were built into the rear of the vehicle which required the removal of the back bumper. Accessing the rear of the NV200 can be unsafe since disabled passengers would have to enter the road.

 

SOURCE: CAPITOL