New Accessible Taxi Tax Credit Will Help Get Accessible Cabs on the Road
January 3, 2012
Statement from Assembly Member Micah Kellner regarding Governor Cuomo signing the accessible taxi tax credit into law.
Victory for Wheelchair Users in Federal Lawsuit Against NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission
January 3, 2012
Statement from Assembly Member Micah Kellner on Judge Geroge B. Daniels’ decision in the case Noel V. TLC
Taxi Agreement Is Something We Can All Hail
January 3, 2012
Statement from Assembly Member Micah Kellner on the new taxi and livery agreement.
Kellner to Cuomo: Veto ‘Livery Street Hail Bill’
December 19, 2011
Today, I sent Governor Cuomo a letter outlining my opposition to the controversial ‘Livery Street Hail Bill’ and requesting that he veto it.
The bill, which passed the Legislature in June, would add 30,000 new livery vehicles that would be able to pick up street hails in the outer boroughs of New York City. Mayor Bloomberg has contends that the goal of this legislation is to expand access, but the bill fails to require any of the new vehicles to be accessible to wheelchair users and other people with disabilities. If we are going to radically change our city’s transportation system, we must embrace a plan that provides access to all people, including those with disabilities.
I commend Governor Cuomo for drawing a line in the sand and refusing to sign the bill until it provides meaningful access to people with disabilities. When the Legislature returns in January, I will work very closely with him to develop a plan that expands service to all New Yorkers, whether they are on two feet or four wheels.
You can read my letter below:
Testimony before the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission
October 20, 2011
Good morning, Chairman Yassky and Members of the Commission. I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
My name is Micah Kellner. I am the Member of the New York State Assembly representing the 65th District, which includes the Upper East Side, Yorkville and Roosevelt Island. But today I am here as an avid connoisseur of a quality taxi ride and more importantly as an advocate for people with disabilities.
As you are aware less than 2% of the yellow taxi fleet is wheelchair accessible. I have spent a lot of time trying to push, prod, cajole, entice and even legislate the other 98% of the industry into using wheelchair accessible vehicles. What I hear in response is the constant refrain that, ‘the current accessible vehicles that are available just can’t hack it (No pun intended) as a 24/7 New York City yellow cab.’ This morning, the Taxi and Limousine Commission has the opportunity to change this by adopting a new rule that amends the specification of a wheelchair accessible taxi.
With this rules change, the TLC will open the door for a new—American manufactured—vehicle called the MV-1 made by Vehicle Production Group (VPG). The MV-1 is based on the principle of universal design and exceeds the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This gives all people, whether they have a disability or not, the opportunity to catch a ride. It has a retractable 1,200-pound capacity wheelchair ramp, a spacious 36-inch wide entryway, more than 190 cubic feet of interior space. And the MV-1 is ADA compliant right off the assembly line.
What really puts this vehicle over the top is the fact that riders in wheelchairs will no longer be forced to sit in the trunk of a cab like second class citizens. The MV-1 gives them the unique experience of being able to ride shotgun and get the same view of the Big Apple as their able-bodied friends. Plus, it is safe and durable. VPG built this vehicle to specifically handle the tough streets of New York City; and I’m told it has a really strong suspension. The MV-1 meets all the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards, as well as the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Many taxi owners are already willing to incorporate these vehicles into their fleets and they have been given plenty of reasons to do so. Governor Cuomo has indicated that he will sign my taxi tax credit, which gives owners a $10,000 tax rebate as an incentive to purchase wheelchair accessible vehicles like the MV-1.
I believe the MV-1’s has proven itself worthy of becoming a New York City taxicab. The adoption of this rules change will give this new accessible vehicle the opportunity to become the industry standard, thus giving a whole community of riders, currently left on the curb, an opportunity to hail a taxicab.
Thank you.
Justice Dept. to TLC: Make Taxis Accessible
October 14, 2011
I am thrilled that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has heeded my call that every taxi needs to be wheelchair accessible. As a person with a disability, I find it unfortunate that in the most progressive city in the world, the civil rights of people with disabilities are not being enforced.
On March 29th, I initiated a DOJ investigation which centered on whether or not the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has been willfully disregarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The City responded by stating that taxi officials were developing a program that meets ADA guidelines through a system that dispatches accessible taxis for people with disabilities, but this program is for too reminiscent of the City’s pilot dispatch program which I proved to be ineffective in my 2009 report, Stranded. Clearly, the DOJ agrees with me.
In this most recent filing, the DOJ agrees with what I have been trying to legislate — within a short period of time every taxi needs to be wheelchair accessible. My legislation, A.4406, which has already passed the Assembly, best meets this requirement and I hope that both the City and State will embrace it.
You can read about this in today’s Wall Street Journal here.
Time for Accessible Taxis to Roll
October 3, 2011
The New York Daily News Editorial Board has endorsed something that I have long been fighting for: Accessible Taxis. You can read today’s editorial below.
Putting Taxi Accessibility in the Fast Lane
August 2, 2011
Much has been made by the Mayor about providing New Yorkers who live in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Northern Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island with access to street hail taxi service, but what about the thousands of New Yorkers who use wheelchairs and live in these areas? This issue has continued to elude the Mayor for years, but luckily I have found a solution.
I am proud to announce that after working in concert with the largest taxi and livery associations in New York, I have developed the Access-for-All Taxi and Livery Plan (A4ATL), a plan which will vastly increase wheelchair accessible taxi and livery service for New Yorkers in all five boroughs. This landmark agreement requires all newly auctioned yellow taxi medallions to be accessible and includes the establishment of a task force to improve taxi and livery accessibility for all New Yorker’s with disabilities. The A4ATL plan will increase the number of accessible taxis and liveries from roughly 300 to 3,000 over the next three years.
Specifically, my plan modifies the existing “livery street hail” plan by:
- Requiring all 1,500 of the new yellow taxi medallions be accessible, rather than just the 569 in the original plan
- Replacing the 30,000 non-accessible livery street hail permits with a far more feasible 6,000 livery street hail medallions, 1,200 of which will be wheelchair accessible.
Not only will this plan deliver better transportation opportunities to wheelchair-users, but it raises much-needed revenue for the City and saves the cash-strapped MTA scarce funds. This will create an incredible opportunity for the MTA’s Access-A-Ride to take advantage of these new cabs to save money while at the same time providing a superior service.
While I will continue to push for 100% accessibility, I’m encouraged that the taxi and livery industries recognize that they can do well by doing good and I commend them for it. With groups like the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, the Livery Round Table, the Federation of New York State Taxi Drivers, the Greater New York Taxi Association, the Committee for Taxi Safety, the League of Mutual Taxi Owners and the Taxicab Service Association all in favor of the plan, the entire industry has shown that they are ready to pull up to the curb and turn on the meter for wheelchair-users.
Whether a person is on two feet or four wheels, in Manhattan or the Bronx, everyone should be able to hail a taxi.
You can read my full press release below:
Department of Justice Opens Investigation of TLC
May 24, 2011
As many of you are aware, on March 29th I lodged a formal complaint with the United States Department of Justice that centered on whether or not the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has been willfully disregarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In the time since, the City has continued to leave riders with disabilities stranded. Most recently, the City chose the Nissan NV-200, a vehicle that is not accessible, as the’ Taxi of Tomorrow’.
The City responded to my complaint by stating that taxi officials were planning a program that meets ADA guidelines through a system that dispatches accessible taxis for people with disabilities. This program is reminiscent of the City’s pilot dispatch program which was proved to be ineffective in my report Stranded. On Monday, I sent a second letter to the Justice Department outlining how this program still fails to meet ADA requirements.
I am pleased to report that the Department of Justice has heard the call of the 60,000 wheelchair users in New York City. Yesterday, the United States Attorney’s office in Manhattan formally launched the investigation into whether the lack of wheelchair-accessible taxicabs in New York City amounts to a violation of parts of the ADA. While I’m glad the Justice Department is looking into the issue, I’m disappointed that once again we must turn to the courts because the City keeps lowering the bar and denying the civil rights of people with disabilities.
You can read the New York Times story about the investigation here.
You can see my second letter to the Department of Justice below:
Letter to US Attorney Bharara Regarding TLC Central Dispatch
Forcing the TLC to Follow the Law
March 30, 2011
Yesterday, I called on the United States Department of Justice to investigate whether the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission has been violating the wheelchair accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
As a person with a disability I find it unfortunate that in the most progressive city in the world, once again, we must turn to the Justice Department to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are enforced. The Taxi and Limousine Commission doesn’t get to pick and choose which laws they’re going to abide by.
You can read more about my complaint in today’s Wall Street Journal or watch it on NY1.
A copy of my letter to the Department of Justice is below:
3.29.11 Letter to the Department of Justice re: TLC
- Via @MicahKellner + @MMViverito NYPD, never sensitive to Trans NYers, but if these allegations true its beyond the pale http://t.co/UGWWI9Tn
10 hours ago from ÜberSocial for BlackBerry
