Last month, I mentioned that the city was closing in on an important milestone: a taxi fleet in which 50% of all active vehicles are wheelchair accessible. As Disability Pride Month kicks off, I’m happy to report that we have indeed crossed that long-awaited threshold! We now have more than 5,100 yellow WAVs out there, or about 51% of the active fleet.
We celebrated the moment on June 5 at our Woodside facility, where I was proud to be joined by Deputy Mayor of Operations Jeff Roth, advocates, partners, and TLC staff to commemorate the historic moment. We invited dozens of members of the disability community, and one of the speakers, Milagros Franco of the Brooklyn Center for the Independence of the Disabled, gave a rousing speech to those in attendance. It was inspiring to hear directly from her and others whose lives have been drastically improved by our fleet’s evolution. Afterward, Milagros led the way in attaching a ceremonial medallion onto a yellow taxi that had just passed its hack-up inspection, symbolizing our fleet’s transition.
These taxis mean trips to the doctor’s office, the grocery store, visiting loved ones for holidays, or simply getting to work without a hassle. Accessible taxis and for-hire vehicles have a lasting, real-world impact.
I’m also happy to report that in March we saw the most taxi trips since the pandemic, with over 4.1 million. Yellow cabs that have languished in storage are gradually coming out to meet the demand, and by law every new taxi hack-up must be a WAV. We all know the costs related to purchasing accessible taxis can be prohibitive, and last month I also touched on how the Accessible Taxi Loan Assistance Service Pilot Program (ATLAS) can provide financial assistance to 100 medallion owners who have no more than 1 medallion. That program is now operational, and medallion owners can begin the application process online at on.nyc.gov/3Ztnyly. We are grateful to the Disability Opportunity Fund (DOF), the Empire State Development (ESD), the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA), and Hillside Toyota for making this pilot program possible, and hope that it can be a trial balloon that continues to expand.
One final note: TLC is hiring! We are looking for candidates to fill vital Safety and Emissions Officer and Enforcement Officer roles (visit jobs.nyc or email jobs@tlc.nyc.gov to apply). These jobs are core to our safety mission, as many licensees know. Our Enforcement officers crack down on unlicensed and illegal for-hire operators and help keep money in the pockets of hardworking, rule-abiding TLC drivers, while our S&E inspectors keep vehicles and passengers safe. We’ve had licensees apply for these jobs in the past, and with their intimate industry knowledge they’ve had a lot of success. I encourage anyone interested to apply.
See you out there,
David Do
Commissioner, NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission
