Taxis for All Finally Get A Hearing in the City Council
The Big Apple continues to lag behind other world-class cities like London and San Francisco when it comes to providing taxicab service for everyone including wheelchair users. I was gratified that, after years of stalling, the City Council’s leadership finally consented to hold a hearing on legislation introduced by Bronx Councilman Oliver Koppell to transition the Big Apple’s taxicab fleet to full wheelchair accessibility. The measure has enough votes to pass – if it is allowed onto the Council floor for a vote.
I recently wrote an op-ed that appeared in the New York Daily News supporting Councilman Koppell’s bill and arguing that the City’s failure to require the new Nissan van taxicabs to be accessible will only invite costly federal lawsuits while failing to meet the very real needs of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. Now is the time for New York City to provide taxicab service to all!