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May 22, 2006
Disability Advocates, Former Manhattan BP and NYC Elected Officials to Speak Out Against Mayor's Taxi Plan
May 22nd, 2006
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Michael A. Harris
Disabled Riders Coalition
Telephone: 914-490-0518
E-mail: mediacontact@disabledriders.org
Web: www.disabledriders.org
(CITY HALL - NEW YORK , NY) MAY 24th, 2006 - Members of the Disabled Riders Coalition and the Taxis For All Campaign will be joined by prominent New York City elected officials in speaking out in support of INTRO 2006-339. The bill would require that half of the 308 medallions to be auctioned off by the Taxi and Limousine Commission next month to be restricted to accessible vehicles.
Currently only 27 out of nearly 13,000 yellow cabs are accessible to persons with disabilities. The bill, if signed into law would increase the number of accessible cabs to 181 by the end of the summer.
Both New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and TLC Chairman Matthew Daus last week indicated their opposition to the bill, preferring instead to have 254 alternative fuel vehicles and only 54 accessible vehicles. Advocates say that is simply unacceptable.
City Council Transportation Chairman John Liu, Environmental Protection Committee Chairman James Gennaro, Disability Services Committee Chairman G. Oliver Koppell and former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields will be among those joining the advocates. Council Speaker Christine Quinn has said that she will tentatively participate as well.
The advocates are also expected to announce the passage of INTRO 339 by the Council's Transportation Committee, which will vote on the bill immediately prior to Wednesday's news conference. A vote by the full Council could come as early as Wednesday afternoon.
WHO: NYC ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE DISABLED RIDERS COALITION AND THE TAXIS FOR ALL CAMPAIGN
WHAT: SPEAKING OUT ON INTRO 2006-339 AND AGAINST THE BLOOMBERG ADMINISTRATIONS TAXI PLAN
WHEN: MAY 24th, 2006 @ 12 NOON
WHERE: STEPS OF CITY HALL, NEW YORK , NY
The Disabled Riders Coalition is a non-partisan coalition of individuals and disability rights organizations dedicated to promoting greater accessible public transportation throughout the New York Metropolitan area. We are the only disability rights organization in the tri-state area focused solely on the issue of public transportation.
For more information please visit www.disabledriders.org