A livery vehicle driver/owner may join the Accessible Dispatch System. To become a participating livery vehicle, you should write a letter to the Commission asking to join the system at: NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission, Attn: Wheelchair Accessible Dispatch System, 40 Rector Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10006. In the letter, you must show proof that your vehicle is ready to be a wheelchair accessible vehicle in the dispatch system. Once you join the system, you must participate in it as long as the vehicle is in service or until the program ends, whichever is earlier. 

An accessible livery vehicle must be a vehicle approved by the Commission for use as an accessible vehicle. For a list of approved wheelchair accessible vehicles and the requirements for accessible vehicles, please see the TLC website and the Accessible Dispatch Program Rules.

As an accessible vehicle driver, you need to take two Commission-approved training courses. One training is in how to use the technology for dispatching. TLC will pay for the technology training. The other training is in how to service passengers with disabilities and help passengers that use wheelchairs in and out of the vehicle. It is the accessible livery vehicle owner’s responsibility to pay for this training. At the end of the training, you must get a certificate of completion from the training course. You must show this to the accessible vehicle owner before driving the vehicle, and you should keep a copy with you in the vehicle.

As a driver in the dispatch system, you must accept dispatches while on duty. If you refuse more than two dispatches during a shift, you will have broken the rules of the dispatch program and are subject to fines and other penalties. You must help a wheelchair passenger to and from the sidewalk curb. You must also secure the passenger and his/her belongings in the vehicle. Once you have accepted the dispatch and arrived at the location, you must wait ten minutes for the passenger after the pick-up time the dispatcher gave you. After ten minutes, you may leave.

You can turn on the taximeter at either the pick-up time the dispatcher gave you if you are at the location, or when you arrive at the pick-up point, whichever is later. Any waiting time from when the taximeter is turned on until the trip begins will be part of the fare. You may only charge for loading. The meter must be turned off when you arrive at the passenger's drop off location. Time for unloading may not be charged.

Please see the Accessible Dispatch Program Rules for details.