Assemblyman Nelson L. Castro Helps Pass Legislation to Increase Taxi Service to the Outer Boroughs and Upper Manhattan

Legislation will improve access to taxis for people with disabilities

 

Assemblyman Nelson L. Castro (D-Bronx) announced the Assembly passed legislation he helped pass that will allow New York City to issue 18,000 hail accessible inter-borough licenses (HAIL) allowing livery cars to pick up street hails (A.8691-A). Twenty percent of the licenses will be for accessible vehicles to provide more transportation options to people with disabilities. An agreement on this legislation has been reached with the governor and the Senate.

“About 70 percent of constituents in my district are self employed, many of which are taxi drivers,” Assemblyman Castro said. “This legislation will afford New Yorkers in under served areas greater access to taxicab service in and around the city. This will also lead to more revenue for the city of New York, helping protect vital programs for seniors and hardworking families.”

Under the legislation, New York City will be able to issue the new licenses over the next three years. The city will also be authorized to issue up to 450 new base permits, generating up to $1.3 million in revenue.

In addition, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) will issue 2,000 new taxicab licenses for vehicles that are accessible to people with disabilities. The TLC will also be required to provide grants of up to $15,000 to retrofit HAIL vehicles to accommodate people with disabilities and establish a program to support the introduction of handicapped-accessible vehicles into the HAIL vehicle fleet.

  “The issuance of new HAIL licenses to service the under served areas of the five 

boroughs  and Upper Manhattan, and new medallions, will  substantially improve the

ability of New Yorkers, especially those with  disabilities, to get where they need to 

go quickly and easily, ” Assemblyman  Castro said. “It is imperative that we continue 

to support these kinds of  initiatives to make traveling within New York City more 

accessible, efficient and affordable.” 

  In 2010, Assemblyman Castro introduced legislation (A10190) to allow 

affiliated vehicles in the city of New York to obtain a special street hail license to 

accept hails from passengers in the street in areas outside the Manhattan central

 business district.