RELATED: How Transit Agencies Alleviating Paratransit Demand
WMATA taps taxi companies for subsidized Md. paratransit services
The decision was a win for disability rights activists who pressed WMATA officials to avoid companies such as Uber, because they lack vehicles with wheelchair-ramps and have been sued for alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
September 8, 2017
Larry Levine/WMATA
1 min to read
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) rejected bids from ride-hailing companies for a new program to outsource paratransit services in Maryland, choosing instead to go with a pair of Prince George’s County taxicab fleets equipped with wheelchair-accessible vehicles WAMU 88.5 reports.
The decision was a win for disability rights activists who pressed WMATA officials to avoid companies such as Uber, because they lack vehicles with wheelchair-ramps and have been sued for alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The “Abilities Ride” program is scheduled to begin on Sept. 18, giving customers the ability to call, book online, or use an app to summon a taxi – on demand and at a discounted rate — as many as four times a day. For the full story, click here.
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