The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) is proposing to amend its rules to require that all taxicab vehicles hacked up must be Accessible Vehicles in order to comply with a federal court order requiring that 50% of the City’s taxicab fleet be attached to a Wheelchair Accessible Taxicab.
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) will hold an online public hearing using Zoom to solicit testimony and written comments on a proposed rule package on October 10, at 10:00am. There will be no in-person public hearing. The public hearing will be livestreamed on TLC’s website at www.nyc.gov/tlc.
The TLC is proposing rules to implement the Memorandum Decision and Order of the United States District Court, Southern District of New York dated August 29, 2024, in The Taxis for All Campaign, et al v. TLC, et al (11 Civ. 0237 (GBD). The order mandates that the TLC “immediately take all necessary steps to modify TLC’s current 50% rule to implement a 100% Rule” to ensure that 50% of all active medallions (those medallions currently affixed to Taxicab Vehicles and not in storage) are being operated with a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) by March 31, 2025, and 50% of all authorized medallions are attached to a WAV by the end of 2028. Specifically, the proposed rules would:
- Require that all taxi hack-ups be WAVs.
- Repeal outdated language establishing a lottery system for 50% conversion of taxicabs
- Permit “Re-hacks” for WAVs only
- Eliminate outdated language for Clean Air I and II vehicles, compressed natural gas and diesel-fueled vehicles.
In order to enable TLC to reach these court-mandated goals, TLC is also proposing to remove the ability of taxicab owners of aging non-WAV taxis to keep them on the road for additional years beyond their scheduled retirement.
Read the official notice at: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/tlc/downloads/pdf/100_percent_accessible_rule_draft.pdf.
To participate in the public hearing, e-mail tlcrules@tlc.nyc.gov or call (212) 676-1135 by 5:00pm on October 9. Anyone who wants to comment on the proposed rule at the public hearing must sign up to speak. After you have signed up, TLC will provide you with a Zoom URL to enter in on your computer or dial-in via phone number if you prefer to call in. You can submit comments to the TLC through the NYC Rules website at www.nyc.gov/nycrules or mail comments to the Taxi & Limousine Commission, Office of Legal Affairs, 33 Beaver Street, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10004. You can also fax comments to: (212) 676-1102. Written comments must be submitted by October 10. If you need assistance to participate in the hearing, you must tell the Office of Legal Affairs by Oct. 9, if you need a reasonable accommodation, like a sign language interpreter.
Source: NYC TLC
