This DC pilot aims to get more wheelchair-accessible taxis in circulation

Currently, there are about 280 wheelchair-accessible taxis in the District that make about 36,000 trips in total per month, but that’s not enough to meet the demand. A new pilot program by the District Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) aims to incentivize wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) drivers to make more trips, and increase the number of accessible taxis in circulation.

“In order to build a stronger, more connected DC, we need to ensure accessible and equitable transportation options for all of our residents and visitors,” said DC Mayor Muriel Bowser in a press release. “This innovative pilot program is one way we hope to increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in service to ensure everyone can explore all that our city has to offer.”

The pilot program, called Fast Pass, is a one-month pass that offers qualifying WAV drivers priority entry to the front of the popular taxi line at Union Station. The program was launched on October 28 and has racked up 1,096 rides, netting pass users an additional $2,100 in revenue, according to DFHV Director David Do.

“Our intent with the Union Station Fast Pass is to create an incentive for operators to increase the availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles, offer great service and provide additional income opportunities for taxi drivers,” said DFHV Director David Do. “Mayor Bowser is committed to ensuring accessible service is available for our residents and visitors; thus DFHV will be evaluating this program for its effectiveness to achieve the policy goals of the administration.”

Wheelchair and other mobility device users face discrimination from drivers, who sometimes decline to pick them up. This program could encourage drivers to provide better service to people with disabilities.

Alfred Winters has been a cab driver for nine years. He got his certification to drive a WAV a few years ago, and continues to recertify with Transport DC, a taxicab alternative to paratransit service for MetroAccess riders.

“It’s just one more thing you want to be able to add,” Winters said, regarding his certification. Since being a Transport DC participant, he has seen an uptick in the number of people he serves. “I have more clients and now I have more clients in wheelchairs that I can pick up, and take to the mall and the theater.”

As a grantee of Fast Pass, Winters said, “I think it’s a great incentive for WAV drivers that sometimes want to declines calls. Now they see they are rewarded and may want to pick them up.”

Kate Scott, Interim Executive Director of the Equal Rights Center (ERC), a civil rights organization that works to eradicate discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations, says people who use mobility devices face a lot of barriers in transportation.

“There are many transportation opportunities in the District, and none of them work particularly well for people with disabilities,” Scott said in a phone interview. “So in addition to the fact that Uber is part of the problem, there are issues with the reliability of Metro access.”

Right now, the ERC is focused on suing Uber for lack of accessibility to people who use mobility devices, but Scott says it’s also important to get more WAVs in circulation.

“I think this issue of getting the wheelchair accessible vehicles out on the road and incentivizing that, it’s really, really important for solving the problem,” Scott said. The ERC is really interested in hearing about people with disabilities’ experiences WAV-related services, Scott added.

DC’s Fast Pass pilot is based on similar programs in Chicago and San Francisco, which resulted in increased earnings for participating drivers and improved availability and service to passengers, Do said. DFHV is in consultation with members of the Accessibility Advisory Council, taxi companies, drivers, and Union Station management to make Fast Pass run effectively.

The program comes at a time when many other modes of transportation, such as ride hailing companies, don’t have adequate accommodations to safely, reliably, and efficiently transport people with disabilities. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 12.9% of US adults have some form of mobility disability, as do 12% of adults in DC.

Currently, the Fast Pass program is only open to current Transport DC participants. Qualifications will be determined by DFHV based on the agency’s data from the prior month. The program is expected to continue through April 30, 2020, at which time it will be evaluated.