New York City Launches Pilot Program to Use Taxi Cabs for Access-A-Ride Customers

Strategic Insights -

The Mayor's Office of New York announced a pilot program to use yellow taxi cabs to pick up and drop off MTA Access-A-Ride customers, with the rides paid for with pre-paid debit cards. The program aims to reduce the MTA's per trip cost for Access-A-Ride trips by nearly 70 percent and improve service for Access-A-Ride users. Access-A-Ride is the MTA's program to provide transportation for people with disabilities, with 24-hour, door-to-door service. The program currently uses fully accessible vans for most users, with an average cost to the MTA of $49 per trip.

Key Takeaways:

  • The pilot program will target approximately 400 Access-A-Ride customers who do not require the use of a lift-equipped vehicle and will have an average cost to the MTA of $15 per trip, a reduction of nearly 70 percent from the current $49 cost.
  • Access-A-Ride users will continue to pay $2.25 per trip under the existing program and will pay for the taxi rides using pre-loaded debit cards.
  • The program is a result of Mayor Bloomberg's 2009 campaign proposal and will be part of the Age-Friendly NYC plan, developed in coordination with the New York City Council, the Department for the Aging, and the New York Academy for Medicine.
  • The pilot program is expected to last for 90 days, after which it may be extended for an additional 90 days or be expanded to include more customers.
  • The taxi cabs will be equipped with GPS technology to provide tripsheet data for the MTA to analyze the results of the pilot program.
  • The program aims to improve service for Access-A-Ride users while reducing costs for the MTA, and the City is searching for more ideas like this one to cut costs amidst difficult fiscal challenges.

Statistics:

  • $49: average cost to the MTA for each Access-A-Ride trip using fully accessible vans.
  • $15: average cost to the MTA for each Access-A-Ride trip using taxi cabs under the pilot program, a reduction of nearly 70 percent.
  • 400: number of Access-A-Ride customers targeted for the pilot program.
  • 150,000: total number of Access-A-Ride customers.
  • $2.25: payment amount per trip for Access-A-Ride users.
  • 90 days: duration of the pilot program.

Sources:

  • Mayor's Office of New York (no specific date mentioned)
  • Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, quoted in the press release
  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
  • City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn
  • MTA Chairman and CEO Jay H. Walder
  • Deputy Mayor for Operations Stephen Goldsmith
  • Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman David S. Yassky
  • Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities Commissioner Matthew P. Sapolin
  • Council Member James Vacca
  • Councilwoman Jessica Lappin
  • Department for the Aging Commissioner Lilliam Barrios-Paoli
  • JPMorgan Chase