Court Requires All New York City Yellow Taxis to be Wheelchair Accessible

A federal judge granted a motion to enforce a 2014 settlement agreement requiring that at least 50 percent of New York City's yellow medallion taxicabs be wheelchair accessible. U.S. District Judge George Daniels of the Southern District of New York ruled that 100 percent of all new yellow taxis must be wheelchair accessible until New York City and the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) fulfill their promise under the 2014 settlement agreement.

In 2014, Sheppard Mullin and Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) on behalf of a coalition of people with disabilities, including the Taxis for All Campaign, United Spinal Association, 504 Democratic Club and Disabled In Action, reached a historic settlement agreement in which the city and TLC promised to make at least 50 percent of its taxis accessible for wheelchair-users. At the time, more than 98 percent of the fleet was inaccessible.

While that agreement and subsequent increase in the number of accessible yellow taxis has given thousands of people who use wheelchairs the ability to hail a yellow taxi, in February 2024, Sheppard Mullin and DRA were forced to file a motion to compel the TLC to comply with the settlement agreement. On Friday, Judge Daniels ordered the TLC to comply, noting in his order that "Plaintiffs have been denied what they bargained for."

Sheppard Mullin pro bono partner Dan Brown, who was part of the litigation team that entered into the settlement agreement in 2014 said, "It is now time for the city and TLC to show a real commitment to accessibility by keeping the 100 percent rule in place in perpetuity."

In addition to Brown, the Sheppard Mullin pro bono team included Damani Sims, who argued the motion, Shin Hahn, Paul Garrity, Chris Bosch and Gianfranco Spinelli.

Read the enforcement order here.

The case is The Taxis for All Campaign, et al. v New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, et al. 11 Civ. 0237 (U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York)