Turning taxis green and accessible

City lawmakers hope to turn more of the city’s taxis green and accessible for handicapped people. In a unanimous vote on Wednesday, May 24, the City Council approved legislation to designate the sale of taxi medallions to alternative-fuel and wheelchair-accessible cabs in the mid-June auction.
The law, if approved by the mayor, would set aside 254 of the 308 slated for sale to alternative-fuel vehicles and 54 to handicapped-accessible cabs. In addition, the bill would force the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to set aside an additional 150 medallions for handicapped-accessible taxi by the end of the year.
Although handicapped advocates supported the bill, many are frustrated that the original figures – 154 medallions for both kinds of taxi – were not approved.
“On the one hand we are glad to see more accessible vehicles on the street, but on the other we are disappointed that we probably won’t see these vehicles on the road until early next year,” said Michael Harris, campaign coordinator for the Disabled Riders Coalition.
Still, Queens lawmakers declared the bill a step in the right direction of increasing the number of green and accessible taxis within the city’s 1300-car fleet.
“Cutting down on taxicab pollution and increasing access for people who rely on wheelchairs is not only the right thing to do, but ultimately cost effective,” Councilman John Liu, chair of the Transportation Committee, said.
Out of the 1,300-car fleet, the TLC put 27 hybrid and 27 handicapped-accessible taxis on the road in November 2005 – most of which are coming close to their 100,000-mile mark.
“So far, the hybrids appear to be performing well, though it is still early in their tenure as taxicabs,” said TLC Commissioner Matthew Daus in an earlier statement. “On the other hand, the accessible vehicles have exhibited problems in the field, which is prompting the Commission’s consideration of new vehicle specifications.”
In addition, handicapped-rights groups have also questioned the existing vehicle specifications for accessible vehicles. Terence J. Moakley, from the United Spinal Association, testified recently that the TLC’s restrictive guidelines allowed only one vehicle to be approved as accessible and prevented other qualified cars from making the grade.