Fair fares is unfair for disabled New Yorkers, lawyers say
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A group of Access-A-Ride vehicles in Far Rockaway. Photo via the MTA.
By Jonathan Sperling
A group of lawyers say the city’s new half-priced transit fare initiative is unfair for New Yorkers with disabilities.
Attorneys from the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest have criticized the city for excluding Access-A-Ride from the Fair Fares program, which halves the price of subway and bus rides for low-income New Yorkers.
Open enrollment in the Fair Fares program will begin on Jan. 27, 2020. New Yorkers who are living at or below the federal poverty level and who don’t already receive discounted transportation from the MTA or the city will be able to apply for reduced-fare MetroCards via an online platform.
But the program will leave out Access-A-Ride users, according to NYLPI. The attorneys say the program keeps some people with disabilities from receiving discounted transit fare because they rely on Access-A-Ride’s wheelchair-accessible vehicles to take them to points across New York City.
“While we applaud the goals of the Fair Fares program to reduce transit costs to certain low-income New Yorkers, the program currently excludes otherwise qualified Access-A-Ride riders,” Christopher Schuyler, a senior staff attorney with the Disability Justice program at NYLPI, told the Eagle.
For many people with disabilities, affordable transit is essential for enjoying social activities, receiving healthcare and traveling to work, Schuyler added.
“Unemployment is disproportionately high among people with disabilities. Many are below the federal poverty level, according to U.S. Census Data — particularly people with disabilities who belong to certain racial minority groups,” Schuyler said. “Those people would especially benefit from being included in the Fair Fares program.”
Beginning in January, New York City residents who can participate in the program will receive a 50 percent discount on subway and bus fares, including pay-per-ride, weekly and monthly unlimited ride MetroCards. However, the majority of New York City subway stations are not accessible to people with mobility-related disabilities, and Access-A-Ride offers paratransit service to all areas serviced by the city’s bus and subway system.
Jane Meyer, a spokesperson for de Blasio’s office, told the Eagle that the city was collaborating with the MTA in order to expand Fair Fares to Access-A-Ride users.
“Public transportation is important to the daily lives of New Yorkers, and we are working with the MTA to identify options for Access-A-Ride users who would qualify for Fair Fares,” Meyer said in an email.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that people with disabilities who are unable to use accessible mass transit must be provided with paratransit, according to the MTA’s website.
“For many people with disabilities who are unable to use the subway system, Access-A-Ride is the only system available,” Schuyler added.
