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Paratransit

Paratransit

People who relied on cars advocated for a public paratransit option that was affordable and accessible. Medicaid became a source to pay for trips for medical purposes in the 1970s. Advocates pushed for paratransit for any reason. This set the stage for New York City’s Access-A-Ride program.

People disagreed about whether paratransit should drive people door-to-door or to transit hubs. Feeder service would allow passengers to travel part of the way on the subway or train, but didn’t work well in practice. Access-A-Ride has mostly operated as a door-to-door service, and the need has only grown since its inception. Advocates have long fought for more reliable service and on-demand or taxi service that could be planned the same day.

Activism Milestones

  • 1966: Medicaid required states to make non-emergency medical transportation options available.
  • 1975: Easyride was created by the Vera Institute to drive disabled people to appointments in lower Manhattan.
  • 1984: In response to lawsuits, New York lawmakers required the creation of a city-wide paratransit system by 1986.
  • 1989: After delays, planning and purchasing vans, the NYC Department of Transportation launched Access-A-Ride.
  • 1993: The MTA took over the management of Access-A-Ride.
  • 2017: An on-demand paratransit program is piloted, allowing riders to call for rides when they need them.
  • 2023: The MTA limited the number of trips and subsidy per trip for the on-demand program, which is not available to all passengers.

Transit hubs and feeder service

When people were figuring out how paratransit would work, some floated the idea of “transit hubs” or accessible subway stations to serve as main connection points to mini buses. Scheduling two paratransit trips to get to and from the hubs was impractical and unpredictable with the technology available at the time.

Left: c. 1983. Poster created by the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, part of the Carr Massi Collection. Top and bottom: c. 1994. Photos from MTA, “Accessible Travel on New York City Transit.”

Access-A-Ride Reform Group (AARRG!)

The Access-A-Ride Reform Group is a coalition of groups with members who use paratransit. They formed in 2017 to try to fix longstanding problems for paratransit riders. These include late pickups and drop-offs, rides that last too long, and communication problems. They have advocated against fare increases and for on-demand service for all users.

Top: 2019. Poster created by New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. Bottom: 2019 protest at MTA Headquarters.