Taxis For All Campaign v. Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC)
In January 2011, DRA and Sheppard Mullin filed a class action lawsuit against New York City and the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) on behalf of a coalition of people with disabilities, including Taxis For All Campaign, United Spinal Association, 504 Democratic Club, and Disabled In Action of Metropolitan New York, challenging the TLC’s dismal lack of wheelchair-accessible taxis in New York City. When the case was initiated, 231 of the City’s 13,437 yellow taxis – just 1.8% – could accommodate wheelchairs.
Taxis are a critical transportation system in New York City. Locals and visitors alike rely on them for business, leisure, and emergency transport, and for individuals with mobility disabilities, lack of accessible taxis is a barrier to participation in every aspect of city life. The Plaintiffs in this case did not seek damages, only demanding access to this vital transportation network.
In December 2013, Plaintiffs and the City reached a historic settlement agreement to make New York City’s taxi fleet the most accessible in the country and one of the most accessible in the world. The settlement agreement required the TLC to make its yellow medallion taxi fleet 50% wheelchair accessible by the end of 2020. The settlement agreement was approved by the Court in September 2014.
In the years since, an increase in the number of accessible yellow taxis has improved wheelchair users’ ability to hail a yellow taxi just like everyone else can. Nevertheless, despite an extension of time to fulfill its obligation, the TLC not only failed to reach the 50% accessibility threshold, but tried to escape its obligation altogether. In February 2024, DRA filed a motion to enforce the settlement agreement and ensure that the TLC complies with its court-ordered commitments. In March 2024, the TLC moved to free itself from its court-ordered obligations, prompting DRA and its partners to file a response challenging this motion in federal court.
In August 2024, a federal judge denied the City’s motion to free itself from its court-ordered obligation and granted DRA’s motion to enforce the obligation to make at least half of its taxi fleet accessible. To do so, the Court ordered that 100% of all new vehicles affiliated with an unrestricted medallion be an accessible vehicle until the 50% requirement is met. In his decision, Judge George B. Daniels found that the City’s failure to meet its settlement obligations injured riders with disabilities and ruled that, despite the City’s claims that it was impossible to make half of its taxi fleet accessible, it could do so by requiring that all new taxis be made accessible.
Case Files
Press Releases
- September 3, 2024: Court Rules New York City Must Make All New Taxis Wheelchair-Accessible Until 50% of All Taxis Are Accessible
- March 20, 2024: Disability Groups Respond After City Doubles Down on its Refusal to Meet Its Obligation to Provide Wheelchair-Accessible Taxis
- February 22, 2024: Disability Groups File Motion to Prevent New York City From Shirking Its Obligation to Provide Wheelchair-Accessible Taxis
- September 16, 2014: Judge Approves Historic Settlement: NYC Taxicab Accessibility to Dramatically Increase
- April 30, 2014: Historic Rule Passed; NYC Taxicab Accessibility to Dramatically Increase
- December 6, 2013: NYC and Disability Advocates Announce Landmark Settlement to Dramatically Increase NYC Taxicab Accessibility
- August 28, 2013: New Yorkers With Disabilities File Major Challenge To Bloomberg’s Taxi Of Tomorrow Initiative And Inaccessible Taxi Fleet
- April 8, 2013: Federal Judge Rules New Yorkers with Disabilities can Challenge Taxi of Tomorrow in Lawsuit Seeking Accessible Taxis
- September 25, 2012: Court of Appeals Decision in Noel v. TLC
Media Coverage
- June 5, 2025: amNY
More Mobility – NYC Taxis Reach Historic Milestone as 50% of Fleet Now Wheelchair Accessible - June 5, 2025: Spectrum News NY1
Over Half the City’s Yellow Cabs Now Wheelchair Accessible After Long Legal Battle - June 5, 2025: The City
TLC Finally Hits 50% Accessibility Target After Years of Delays - June 5, 2025: New York Daily News
NYC Meets 50% Milestone for Accessible Yellow Cabs - September 10, 2024: Legal Reader
Court Rules NYC Must Make All New Taxis Wheelchair-Accessible Until 50% of All Taxis Are Accessible - September 5, 2024: Black Enterprise
Judge Mandates All New York City Taxi Cabs Become Wheelchair Accessible - September 5, 2024: Rolling Out
New York City Taxi Cabs to Become Wheelchair Accessible - September 4, 2024: Law.com
For Sheppard Mullin Pro Bono Team, Three Big Disability Rights Wins in One Day - September 4, 2024: Crain’s New York
At a Glance – Disability Ruling - September 4, 2024: New York Daily News
Opinion – Doing Right by Wheelchair Users – The MTA and TLC Must Treat Everyone Equally - September 3, 2024: Streetsblog NYC
Tuesday’s Headlines - September 2, 2024: amNY
Judge Rules All New NYC Taxis Must Be Wheelchair-Accessible Until City Meets Settlement Requirement - August 31, 2024: Gothamist
Judge Mandates That All New NYC Taxis Be Accessible to Wheelchairs - August 30, 2024: New York Daily News
Judge Orders NYC to Make All New Taxis Wheelchair-Accessible - May 24, 2024: The Progressive
It’s Not Always As Easy As Hailing a Cab - May 10, 2024: New York Daily News
Taxis for All – NYC Must Fulfill Its Pledge to Make 50% of Yellow Taxis Wheelchair Accessible - May 7, 2024: The City NYC
City Ordered to Fix Broken Pledge to Make Half of Taxis Wheelchair-Accessible - May 7, 2024: amNY
Federal Judge Blasts City for Attempt to Wriggle Out of Accessible Taxi Settlement - May 7, 2024: Spectrum News NY1
TLC Wants Out of Agreement to Make 50% of Cabs Wheelchair Accessible - March 12, 2024: Prism Reports
NYC Denies Disabled People More Accessible Transportation - March 5, 2024: Legal Reader
Disability Groups File Motion to Prevent New York City from Shirking Its Obligation to Provide Wheelchair-Accessible Taxis - February 27, 2024: WFHB Bloomington
Disabulletin – State Testing, Medicaid Reform, Menopause, Nursing Homes, and Disability Law - February 25, 2024: amNewYork
Disability Advocates Say NYC Failing to Meet Settlement Agreement on Accessible Taxis - February 23, 2024: Spectrum News NY1
Court Settlement on Accessible Taxis in Jeopardy - February 22, 2024: Disabled World
Disability Groups Fight NYC’s Move to Dodge Wheelchair Taxi Duty - February 22, 2024: New York Times
New York Is Failing to Meet Wheelchair-Access Goal for Cabs, Suit Says - February 21, 2024: New York Daily News
TLC Breaks Promise to Make NYC Yellow Taxis Wheelchair Accessible, Say Advocates - September 21, 2023: The City
TLC Misses Deadline to Make Half of All Taxis Wheelchair Accessible, Again - September 8, 2022: The City
TLC Supercharges Money Pot to Put More Accessible Cabs on Road - March 15, 2022: The City
TLC Blows by Deadline in Struggle to Get 50% of City Taxis Wheelchair Accessible