Dear Mayor Bloomberg:
I understand that New York City is in the process of selecting a new design for the City’s 13,000 taxis under the “Taxi of Tomorrow" project.
I have also learned that the City is putting great emphasis on making its future taxi fleet wheelchair accessible by dramatically increasing the number of accessible vehicles from the limited 230 taxis that are accessible today.
As the Senate champion of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I commend you on this important effort. Through this process, New York can set the standard for accessibility for taxis across the nation. Indeed, New York could be the first city in the world to have a fully accessible taxi fleet.
I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to choose a Taxi of Tomorrow with a built-in wheelchair ramp system in every vehicle. Assuming that other features and elements of the competing models are roughly comparable, I urge you to select the taxi which would set the standard of accessibility and ADA compliance for the nation and the world.
By selecting a fully-accessible Taxi of Tomorrow, you could take great pride that New York’s decision would represent an historic step forward in advancing the cause of disability rights in the U.S. and around the world. If you or your staff have any questions or would like to discuss this issue, please contact Andrew Imparato, Senior Counsel and Disability Policy Director for the Senate HELP Committee.
Sincerely,
Tom Harkin
Chairman
cc:
The Honorable Matthew Sapolin Commissioner Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
The Honorable David Yassky Commissioner New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission
