The Comptroller says the TLC's actions are "illegal." The TLC says the Comptroller's claims are "mysterious and clearly ill-informed." From my perch, it's unclear who is right. A judge will probably decide. But I do know I see a wheelchair-accessible cab drive by once a month. If that. I don't know if all 13,000 taxis need to be in compliance, but 2% is just plain sad. New York City can do better.

City Comptroller John Liu vowed today to reject the Taxi and Limousine's contract to build the next fleet of yellow taxis, unless all cabs are wheelchair-accessible. Currently, just 231 of the City's 13,000 taxis can accommodate disabled riders. Liu said the contract to build the Nissan NV200 is "not just a slap in the face, it’s illegal."

The City disagrees. A spokeswoman for the New York City Law Department said Liu doesn't have the legal grounds to refuse the contract. The TLC says Nissan is working on producing a wheelchair-accessible version of the cab. It adds 2,000 yellow cabs that will hit the streets in the coming years will be wheelchair-accessible as well. What do you say?

Should every New York City taxi be accessible for wheelchairs? Do you support Comptroller Liu's effort to block the contract? How does the TLC and MTA do in accommodating disabled New Yorkers?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

Bloomberg only cares about how much taxes are coming out of people's pockets. Tourist arent hurt as much; Tourist are def better off because they don't have to pay state and federal taxes.

NYC is the number 1 city in the world, why is this even an issue? We're just trying to cheers to an over run/over played Bloomberg era and everyone that knows a thing or two is tired of it. We all lose in the end with the types of decisions that have been made by this politician and co.

Dio from the BX

Although John Liu might be overreaching, I think it's good that he is prodding the TLC and the city to do more for enhancing the mobility of the wheelchair bound community.

Felix
Bay Ridge

Hi John,

LET ME KNOW IF I CAN JOIN THIS SECRET SOCIETY BECAUSE. I still would like to know why we have some people with numbered accounts in private cars and others that are in access-a-ride vans and there won't be any wheelchair-accessible cabs for the handicap. WHY ISN'T THIS LUXURY OFFERED TO EVERYONE WITH HANDICAPS. REMEMBER I AM A PAYING CUSTOMER.

YOU ALL WANTED YOUR THIRD TERM AND YOU FOUND A WAY WITH THE DICTATORS MONEY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND WE ALL KNEW THAT WE WOULD SUFFER FOR IT AND THESE PEOPLE IN POWER NOW CAN'T LEAVE ANY TO SOON FOR ME.

THIS IS ALL ABOUT A LEGACY WHICH IS JUST A WORD. HOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL HOMELESS, WITHOUT JOBS AND NO FOOD. THIS DICTATOR SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT CONCERN US ALL BECAUSE THEY ARE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US.

Thank you John,
I don't know you do it.

maxxiee
mp

Hi John,

Yes, not only taxis, but all services that are designed to accommodate the public; The present lack of accessible taxis represent a blatant form of discrimination to a vulnerable population of our city and no one is disabled by choice. . .

Joyce
Springfield Gardens

There was a time when there was no wheelchair accessible buses, now it is rare to find a city bus that cannot accommodate a wheel chair.

Now there are only a few cabs that are wheelchair-accessible. In the future I am confident that all cabs will be wheelchair accessible. Change will come.

Damond

NO not every cab has to be handicap accessible i wonder how much money under the table liu is getting, How many subway and busses are wheelchair accessible?

tom
richmondtown

John,

I think all this catering to the wheelchair bound and otherwise disabled is ridiculous. Just how many are there versus the number of handicap parking spots, versus sidewalk ramps, versus public toilets, versus Access-A-Ride, etc.

Why do the so-called handicapped deserve special and, in some cases (parking) exclusive treatment, at other people’s expense?

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY TAXIS RIGHT NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE NEW TAXIS ADDED AS THE OLD FLEET IS RETIRED. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.

JOE, BAY TERRACE

People with disabilities deserve wheel accessible cabs. However it is not practical. It takes time to open and close the accessible part. The prices of cabs would go up. And if they decided to make 50% of cabs accessible who would determine who would have to have them accessible. It is not an easy problem to solve.

Linda
Manhattan

With the median age of the population increasing and an increasing number of veterans returning from wars with mobility impairments, an increasing number of disabled passengers will be seeking cabs able to accommodate their disabilities. Having more accessible cabs for the future is a no-brainer.

BIG ANDY
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn

Something has to be done. But looking at cost efficiency, I do not know about forcing the medallion owners to pony up 78 million dollars to make all of the new cabs accessible is ludicrous. 78 million comes from the estimated cost of 6,000 for an upgrade for 13,000 new cabs. Maybe Bloomberg can donate that money, or some other wealth philanthropist. But forcing the working class man to is a little harsh.

Eric

Why can't customer just use livery cabs and only concern themselves with yellow cabs?

Slugger 34

Good Evening John:

As a person who uses a guide dog, and sometimes has to use a taxi, I know the sting of discrimination, they go right by you and not stop or put on their off duty sign. So if Every taxi in the city is equipt for persons using a wheelchair, they at least will be on equal footing with the rest of the world. If only 20 percent are accessible, they can choose where they want to work and therefore that 20 percent is not helping those who need them because they will go somewhere else.

I find it upalling that people with disabilities in this day and time still have to fight for the same rights that everyone right now who is standing, seeing, hearing, etc could find themselves in a disabling condition and have to fight for the rights they once took for granted or trying to deny those of us who happen to have a disability.

THE REASON FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING TODAY IS TOMORROW. AMEN.

Zerline

If the city were only calling for 20% of African-Americans or 20% of women where 20% of Hispanics to be able to take taxis it would be a moral outrage so great that would be on the front page of every single newspaper. To discriminate against people with wheelchairs is a violation of people civil rights.

Ahvi

Wow, It is hard to believe that there are 14% of vote that agree having 2% of cabs wheel chair compatibility. Cab fleets should be 100% compatible for wheel chair access. What is wrong with you heartless people. We are all human no matter what!

John
Lower East Side

I believe that at least 50% of cabs should be wheelchair accessible, my biggest complaint is the the city chose a foreign car company instead of negotiating with an american car company.. i thought we needed jobs in the united states.. what gives?!

Erik from Brooklyn!! :)

New York City is doing its part to help disabled New Yorkers get around. There are buses where all other passengers politely wait, Access-a-Ride vehicles -- $65 from the MTA each way --, and now the coming 220 new taxis that you can call for a pick-up.

How does John Liu propose to pay for his demand?

Bobby G
East Village

We are in total agreement with Liu. All new taxis in NYC should be accessible, Equal civil rights will only be achieved when all people have equal access to transportation. If anything less than 100% of cabs are accessible, it means that people in wheelchairs will have to wait longer for a cab than anyone else, or perhaps not get one at all.-. That is unequal treatment.

Before becoming a wheelchair user, I used to take taxis all the time. Now, if I want a cab I have to wait an inordinate amount of time and may never even see one. As a native New Yorker I miss this service.I not only want to use the service for myself, but when I am out with friends I want to share the ride with them.

It's time for the City to do the right thing.

Dean and Joan in Manhattan

John, good evening

I'm not saying I completely agree with the Comptroller however I just had shoulder surgery and the doctor injected me with a nerve block and that made it impossible to use my right arm for just 12 hours.

I can't imagine how someone that has a disability must feel 24x7 they must make some arraignments for OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Norman from the Bronx

I am no fan of John Liu, and think his action on the contract for this new "taxi for the future" is purely politically motivated. However, I'm glad this new cab is getting some more scrutiny. How could Bloomberg & Yassky pick a cab design whose windows DON'T OPEN??? What were they thinking? Apparently they've never experienced the suffocating feeling in the back of a cab when the a/c isn't working as well as it should. And let's be real, after a year or two on the streets, the a/c of your typical taxi is already on its last legs.

Bruce
UES

New York City taxicabs should be made in the USA and a fair number of them should be wheelchair accessible.

Frances
East Village

I think it's just political grandstanding by Liu. Couldn't disagree with him more. The expense does not outweigh the legal factors and the logic. Enough already with the politics, just get the cabs on the street with a percentage of them (10 - 20%) having wheelchair access.

Dan
Harlem

This is a civil rights and a public policy issue. What could be more discriminatory than designing an iconic New York City taxi and then saying, "Sorry, no people with disabilities allowed?" People with disabilities need to be able to use taxis for the same reasons everyone else does--to get out of the rain, to get somewhere quickly, or to travel to a destination that's hard to reach. When they have to use Access-A-Ride instead, it costs taxpayers $66 a trip for lousy service. Wouldn't it be better to spend half or a quarter of that amount--and let people have a more convenient, more reliable way to travel?

--Sally, New York, NY

My husband suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and needs to use a cane along with an electronic prosthesis to assist him with walking. It is very difficult to get a cab in the city to begin with and the fact that they do not have enough cabs for people living with disabilities that deter a their walking is just disgusting. It is bad enough that the MTA's Access-A-Ride service which my husband uses, is less than satisfactory with their services. They are late a great deal of the time and have messed up my husband's pick-ups because of the dispatchers who most of the time do not care about the person who needs to get to their appointment on time. Not to mention they are probably the nastiest people to speak to and have no sense of how to speak to a client in need.

Yes, I think ALL taxi cabs should be wheel chair accessible. My husband is a paying customer and deserves to have that option along with many others who suffer from disabilities that affect their walking.

This is America after all and we do have something called the American Disabilities Act that many corporations in this city fail to follow which is beyond me!

Ami