Wheelchair accessible taxi service in New York City

Getting an accessible vehicle in New York should be ordinary. Too often it means calling three places, being told "we'll see what we can do", and finding out at the kerb that the ramp does not fit your chair.

We run wheelchair accessible taxi service in NYC properly: ramp-equipped vehicles, four-point tie-downs, drivers trained to use them, and specifications published on this page so you can check compatibility before you book rather than after.

What a WAV actually is

A wheelchair accessible vehicle is a converted minivan or purpose-built taxi with a rear or side ramp and a lowered floor. You board seated in your own chair, the chair is secured to the vehicle floor, and you travel in it.

The securing system matters and is worth understanding:

• Four-point tie-down. Four straps clip to structural points on the chair frame and tension into floor anchors. This holds the chair, not you.
• Occupant restraint. A separate lap and shoulder belt holds you, anchored to the vehicle rather than the chair.

Both are used, always. A chair strapped down without an occupant belt is not secured properly, and any driver who skips the second one is doing it wrong.

Specifications — check these before you book

Those numbers cover most manual and powered chairs. They do not cover everything — some oversized power chairs and tilt-in-space models exceed the length or weight limit. Tell us the make, model and dimensions when you book. If a vehicle will not take your chair safely, we will tell you before the day rather than sending a driver who cannot help.

Accessible taxis in New York generally

Some context, because it explains why booking ahead matters.

Roughly a quarter of the yellow medallion fleet is wheelchair accessible, following a settlement that required the TLC to increase accessible provision. That is real progress and it is also not the same as availability. You cannot tell from the pavement which passing cab is accessible, and hailing one by chance is unreliable in Manhattan and close to hopeless elsewhere.

The city runs Accessible Dispatch, a central service for booking accessible yellow cabs, which is a genuinely useful resource and worth knowing about. Green boro taxis include accessible vehicles too.

What none of those give you is a guaranteed vehicle at a set time in Tottenville on a Sunday morning. That is what a pre-booking does.

Trips we run most

Medical appointments. Dialysis, oncology, physiotherapy, outpatient surgery. Often recurring, often at fixed times. Ask about a standing booking — same time, same days, no rebooking each week, and where possible the same driver.

Hospital discharge. Frequently short-notice and stressful. Call as soon as you have a rough time and we will work around it.

Airport transfers. Accessible vehicles run to JFK, LaGuardia and Newark. Allow more time than an able-bodied passenger would: airline assistance, boarding procedures and the ramp itself all add up. We will build that into the pickup time if you tell us the flight.

Everyday trips. Work, family, a restaurant, a show. Accessibility is transport, not only healthcare, and it is worth saying that out loud.

What the driver will and will not do

The driver operates the ramp, positions the vehicle for the easiest possible approach, and fits the tie-downs and occupant restraint.

They will ask before assisting, and they will follow your direction about your own chair. Nobody is going to grab your handles without being invited to. If you prefer to position yourself and only want the straps fitted, say so — that is completely normal and drivers expect it.

Drivers cannot provide personal care, transfer you between chair and seat, or take responsibility for medical equipment beyond securing it safely. If you need transfer assistance, travel with someone who can provide it.

Companions and service animals

Companions and personal assistants travel free. Depending on the vehicle there are three or four additional seats alongside the wheelchair position — tell us the headcount so we send something big enough.

Service animals are always welcome and never carry a charge. Mentioning it when you book just means the driver can plan the floor space.

Pricing

The same as any other trip. Metered accessible taxis charge identical TLC rates to any yellow cab, and our pre-booked accessible rates match our standard our pre-arranged car service rates for the same route.

Charging more for an accessible vehicle would be both prohibited and indefensible. Use the estimate your fare before you book to estimate any route.

Booking

Call (888) 652-7136 — for accessible bookings the phone is usually better than the form, because there are details worth confirming in a conversation.

Have ready: your chair type and rough dimensions, whether it is manual or powered, how many people are travelling, the pickup and destination addresses, and whether there are steps or a kerb at either end. That last one matters more than people expect.