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newyork/am-tlc0512,0,3790676.story

BY RAY SANCHEZ
NEWSDAY STAFF WRITER

May 12, 2006

The Taxi and Limousine Commission Thursday adopted more stringent rules for wheelchair-accessible taxis despite strong objections from advocates for the disabled.

Peter Schenkman, the TLC's assistant commissioner for safety and emissions, said the rule changes were prompted by "serious structural" failures with the city's current fleet of wheelchair-accessible taxis -- 27 Ford Freestar minivans.

Problems included brake line damage and cracked chassis.

The minivans are the city's only wheelchair-accessible cabs in a fleet of 12,787.

The rule changes unanimously adopted during the TLC's monthly meeting Thursday would require, among other things, that any modifications to wheelchair-accessible cabs be supported and approved by the vehicle manufacturer. The modified Ford minivans now in use never had factory warranties.

Advocates for the disabled said the new rules would stifle competition and make it harder for people in wheelchairs to find cabs they can use.

"Hailing a cab during rush hour is difficult for most New Yorkers, but for those who use wheelchairs, it is nearly impossible," said Michael Harris of the Disabled Riders Coalition.

"After more than a year of looking, I recently saw my first accessible cab in New York City," said Jean Ryan, who uses a wheelchair and represents the advocacy group Disabled in Action. "Even with the proposed new accessible cabs, our chances of finding an available accessible cab will be minuscule."

This week, several city council members proposed legislation that would assign half of 308 taxi medallions to be auctioned next month to wheelchair-accessible cabs. Currently, 54 of those medallions are designated for wheelchair-accessible cabs.

"Right now we're moving forward until further notice," TLC chairman Matthew Daus said of the auction.

Schenkman said nearly all the modified Ford minivans experienced serious structural problems within six months of being put on the road. There were 64 safety violations, including 16 serious enough for the vehicles to be taken off the road.

"The bottom line is, if we have to make a choice between fewer, safer vehicles and more unsafe vehicles, I'm with the safe vehicles," Daus said shortly before the commission approved the rule changes. "Safety is our priority."

Joe Rappaport of the Taxis for All Campaign disagreed.

"The bottom line is the TLC has done almost nothing to put more accessible vehicles on the street," he said. "The proof is 27 vehicles out of 12,787. What does that say about the TLC's commitment to accessible vehicles?"