Uber, taxicabs vying for New York MTA paratransit contracts

NEW YORK — Taxi companies and Uber are vying to convince New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) they can transport disabled, impaired, and elderly passengers better and cheaper than the current providers of Access-a-Ride, Crain’s reports.

Several months ago, the state agency quietly began a “proof of concept” study in which Access-a-Ride users request a ride and the MTA dispatches one through an e-hail app such as Uber, Arro or Curb, the latter two used by cabs. Uber, which only recently launched a wheelchair-accessible pilot program, is said to be interested in the 80% of the paratransit business that does not involve wheelchairs. For the full story, click here.