Chicago to increase number of wheelchair-accessible taxis

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Change is coming to Chicago's taxi fleet over the next four years.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel unveiled a plan Tuesday, to more than double the number of taxis accessible to people with disabilities by 2018.

There are currently 163 wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) in service - making up a small fraction of thousands of taxi cab license holders in the city.

"This important investment will help ensure that having a disability doesn't mean limited access to taxis and enjoying our great city," Emanuel said in a statement. "For many of us, taxis are a necessary means of getting from point A to point B, and more wheelchair-accessible vehicles are a step in the right direction."

Right now, taxi licensees with at least 20 medallions must ensure at least 5 percent of the company's fleet is equipped for passengers with wheelchairs. By the end of 2018, the rule would also impact companies with at least 10 medallions, ensuring at least 10 percent of that fleet would be made up of handicap-accessible vehicles.

That means a minimum of 204 WAVs will be added to the current 163 WAVs by 2018. Existing WAVs will also be replaced by new WAVs at the end of their life cycle. The change would be subsidized in part by the City's Accessibility Fund, which is supported by fees paid by taxi and rideshare companies.

Alderman Ariel Reboyras, Chairman on the City Council Committee on Human Relations, serves the 30th Ward.

"This will be a major quality of life improvement for many with disabilities,"Reboyras said. "For someone who is wheelchair-bound, it's not just as easy as going to the corner to hail a cab."

Emanuel announced his new initiative as City Council took up the same problem. Aldermen looked for ideas to make the city's taxi fleet more accessible at a hearing on Tuesday. Disability advocates and consumers will also be included in the discussion, the mayor's office said.

There is a service in Chicago called "Open Taxi" that will dispatch a wheelchair-accessible taxi for riders who need them. The service is available 24-7. To make a reservation, call 1-855-WAV-1010.

"Open Taxi" is run by the Open Doors Organization, which is a Chicago non-profit that aims to improve quality of life for people with disabilities.