A Look at Accessible Taxi Service Across the Country
Taxi Service and the ADA
The ADA Private Transportation Handbook, a publication developed by Easter Seals Project ACTION to spell out the ADA transportation requirements, defines taxicab service as follows:
“Taxicab service is generally considered service operated in a clearly marked vehicle for hire, which is typically available 24 hours per day, has a rooftop light, and is equipped with a meter to determine the fare based on time and distanced traveled. The vehicle may be hailed on the street, picked up at a taxi stand, or called in advance. Most taxi service is operated in automobiles, which are exempted from ADA accessibility guidelines. Legislative report language on the ADA indicates that, regardless of vehicle requirements, anyone in the business of providing taxi service shall not discriminate on the basis of disability in the delivery of service. More specifically, taxi companies may not deny service to an individual with a disability who is capable of using the taxi vehicle. The final U.S. DOT ADA implementation rules also state that it would be discriminatory to pass up a passenger because he or she was blind or in a wheelchair, if the wheelchair could be stowed in the cab and the passenger could transfer to a vehicle seat. A company could not insist that a wheelchair user wait for a lift (or ramp) equipped van if the person could use an automobile. It would be discrimination for a driver to refuse to assist with stowing a wheelchair in the trunk (since they often do so with luggage) or to charge a higher fee for stowing a wheelchair than for stowing a suitcase. Finally, though it may take somewhat more time and effort to serve a person with a disability than it might for another passenger that does not justify discriminatory conduct with respect to passengers with disabilities. Under the ADA, taxi companies cannot charge higher fares to people with disabilities.”
Round-up of Cities with Accessible Taxi Service
In August of 2000, in response to interest in the status of accessible taxi service, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) compiled information on accessible taxicab services in the U.S.
In the past many taxi service operators have felt that they could not compete with the lower fares charged by ADA mandated paratransit systems that by law can not charge customers more that twice the fixed route bus fare for paratransit trips. However, this perception seems to be changing, especially in urban areas.
There are cities that have passed ordinances requiring that taxicab fleets add accessible vehicles to their operations. To do this, some cities have increased the maximum number of medallions in their locale provided that a certain number of the new medallions are for accessible vehicles. Usually, medallions for accessible vehicles are priced below sedan medallions as an incentive for operators to use them. There are also cities where companies have added accessible vehicles because they provide complimentary ADA service under contract to their local transit authorities and they use the accessible cabs in regular taxi service when they are not on contract trips.
[Note: Medallions are essentially a licence sold by many cities and municipalities allowing an individual or company to operate a taxicab(s) in a certain area. Pennsylvania does not use a medallion system - except in Philadelphia - and all local taxicab operators in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, are licenced and regulated by the PA Public Utilities Commission. More about this in “Accessible Taxicabs Part 2" in the next issue of ACT.]
While not all cities have addressed the need, the following are cities that have accessible cabs in service.
· Chicago passed an ordinance requiring that every fleet of 15 taxicabs have at least one accessible cab in service. Fleets with more that 100 vehicles have to put a second accessible cab in service and have to add one cab for every additional 100 cabs they place in service. Currently, there are 41 accessible cabs in service in the city. The City of Chicago has also made $1 million available to cab companies to defray the incremental cost of an accessible ramp equipped van vs. a new Ford Crown Victoria ($35,000 vs. $20,000 approximately). See related information on Chicago later in this article.
· San Francisco increased the number of medallions available from 981 to 1,281. Fifty of the 300 new medallions are set for accessible taxi vehicles. In total, 75 of the 1,281 medallions in San Francisco are set aside for accessible taxicabs, of which 55 are currently in service.
· San Diego is proposing to increase the number of medallions from 870 to 1,000 and that 30 of the new medallions be set aside for accessible taxi vehicles.
• Arlington County, Virginia has 655 taxi licenses. A local ordinance requires that two percent of a company’s fleet must be accessible taxi vehicles.
• Fairfax County, Virginia has 500 taxi licenses. It too has a local ordinance that requires that two percent of a company’s fleet must have accessible taxi vehicles.
• For years, the number of taxicabs in Boston was set at 1,525 medallions. Then, a few years ago, the city said it would allow 40 additional medallions as long as the vehicles were accessible. Recently, it auctioned off 75 new medallions with two being for accessible vehicles. The price for the two accessible medallions was set 1/3 less than the other 73 sedan medallions. Now, 42 of 1,640 cabs in Boston are accessible. Boston is raising its number of medallions to 1,775, of which 100 will be set aside for accessible vehicles (in other words, 58 of the 135 new medallions will be set aside for accessible vehicles).
• Los Angeles has required that companies operate two percent of their fleets with accessible vehicles. Currently, 127 of the city 1,931 taxicabs are accessible.
· In Fort Lauderdale, FL, the owner of Yellow Cab incorporated accessible taxicabs into his fleet nine years ago because he had a friend who used a wheelchair and had trouble getting a cab. Currently, 21 of the 541 taxicabs in his fleet are accessible.
· Las Vegas requires that approximately two vehicles from each of its 14 fleets be accessible. There are 28 accessible cabs out of 1,100 in the city.
· Some taxicab companies have accessible taxicabs in operation because they have contracts to provide complementary ADA paratransit services and operate the cabs in taxi service when not in contract services. ITLA has members in Buffalo, Cleveland, Albuquerque, Houston, Montgomery County, MD, Baltimore and San Jose where this is the case. The number of accessible cabs in these cities represent one percent or less of the total cabs on the street.
· The most interesting case is in Long Beach, California where the transit authority, in 1999, purchased 12 new ramped, accessible 5 and 6 passenger vans and leases them to the operator, Yellow Cab of Long Beach for a nominal monthly fee providing Yellow Cab operates the vehicles in regular 24-hour taxicab service.
It should be noted that some very large cities, Philadelphia (1,600 cabs including 160 new medallions), Dallas (1,900) cabs, Detroit, (1,320 cabs), and Seattle (850 cabs) do not appear to have accessible taxicabs in service. In fact, Seattle just re-wrote its taxi ordinances, and stated that accessible cabs were not an issue at this time, although it was an issue that they might re-visit at a later date. However, in New York City the Taxicab and Limousine Commission (TLC) is considering a rule to require that all 12,187 yellow medallion cabs be converted to accessible vehicles.
Two Updates
Since the TLPA completed its national overview, additional accessible cab services have come to light.
Yellow Cab Service Corporation of Coach USA
TLPA member Frank Genovese, President and CEO of Yellow Cab Service Corporation (a Coach USA subsidiary), Houston, TX, reports that their company, which operates in many cities has undertaken, “the largest wheelchair-accessible taxicab market test ever to be conducted.” Frank stated, “Our studies show that a sizable population of mobility-challenged people who need curb-to-curb taxi service have not been getting the service they need in many cities. . . . Wheelchair-accessible taxis expand their options so they can have their transportation needs met . . .” The corporation is currently testing wheelchair-accessible taxis in seven markets: Kansas City, MO; Indianapolis, IN; Denver and Colorado Springs, CO; Austin and Houston, TX; and Clearwater, FL.
Mr. Genovese said, “We are finding an overwhelmingly positive reception.” He added that the corporation is likely to add wheelchair accessible taxis to its twelve other fleets across the country once the vehicles have proven successful in their test markets. The wheelchair-accessible taxis currently in use are Ford Windstar minivans. He noted that the vans operate as regular taxicabs. They are outfitted with a mobile data terminal and meter just like the rest of the fleet. Mr. Genovese said, “All riders, not just those with disabilities, appreciate the vehicles’ comfort and attractive appearance. However, the vans also have special-use capabilities. They meet ADA standards and can accommodate wheelchairs up to 31” wide.
Mr. Genovese said that although the cab drivers participating in the test are independent contractors, they must chose to participate in a Passenger Assistance Orientation session in order to qualify to drive an accessible taxicab. The orientation covers topics such as sensitivity to the special needs of people in wheelchairs, and how to safely secure both the passenger and the chair. He noted that the corporation had solicited input from local organizations that work with the disabled community. For example, in Clearwater Florida, the Caring and Sharing Center for Independent Living will provide guidance to Clearwater Yellow Cab on the content of the company’s Passenger Assistance Orientation. The Center is also consulting with management on how to spread the word to the disabled community and on how to make the curb-to-curb wheelchair-accessible taxi service as consumer friendly as possible.” He continued by stating, “When we began our wheelchair service at the request of advocacy groups in Colorado Springs, one of the groups, the Independence Center of Colorado Springs, showed their appreciation by organizing a press conference and presenting us with a plaque.
Mr. Genovese concluded, “There will always be a need for specialized transportation providers. The wheelchair-accessible taxi service isn’t for every passenger, but it is a great boon for those who can take advantage of it. It also provides an additional source of income for the independent contractor taxicab driver.”
Chicago Taxicab Companies Form Central Dispatch for Wheelchair Accessible Cabs
Chicago taxicab companies that have wheelchair accessible cabs in their fleets have reached a voluntary agreement to participate in a centralized dispatch system in order to improve service to those needing accessible taxicab transportation. The combined fleets have 41 wheelchair accessible taxicab vehicles -- the owner companies each currently dispatches its own vehicles. The new agreement will allow for greater efficiency in dispatch response time and ensure improved service for the disabled community.
The new centralized system will be known as Chicago Accessible Taxicab Service (CATS) and will have a dedicated toll-free phone number by which passengers can request service — 866/458-CATS (2287). Those people requesting service will have the closest wheelchair accessible van dispatched to fill the order, rather than the current method where a passenger requesting service has to call an individual company, which may or may not be able to fill the order due to vans being unavailable because of earlier requests. Passengers currently request rides through a company's dispatch center or by arranging rides with the driver directly. Under the new system, passengers requesting rides will have a larger pool of vans from which to receive service and can still arrange rides with an individual driver. The centralized system will be administered by Yellow Cab Management's dispatch center. Yellow Cab's computerized radio dispatch system will have dedicated call takers on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure better wheelchair accessible service. The service was expected to be activated by December 1, 2000.
Thanks to Hal Morgan, TLPA Director of Education, for much of the information in this article. His e-mail: hmorgan@tlpa.org