Posted on November 1, 2011 at 9:04 am
After months of testimony from disability advocates and personal testimony of transportation horror stories from individuals at the hearing held at the DOTearlier in the year, the Yellow Cab Company serving Greater Hartford is shocked and saddened by the DOT decision not to grant the requested taxi licensure. The additional permits would have allowed expanded on-demand taxi service to ALL residents in the region proposed by the company. Access to on-demand, safe, reliable transportation right now and the options for individuals with mobility challenges are extremely limited.
“There are currently a handful of wheelchair-accessible taxis operating in the state, including three operated by Metro Access. People who use wheelchairs can get rides from paratransit services, but they typically only go within ¾ mile of a bus route. Dial-a-ride services go to more locations, but they usually must be booked at least a day in advance and typically only travel within a town or region. There are other transportation-for-hire services, but they can cost hundreds of dollars to go between towns.”
