PPA Aims To Bring More Wheelchair-Accessible Cabs To The City
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--The Philadelphia Parking Authority and advocates for people in wheelchairs are now checking out equipment that would be required when more wheelchair-accessible cabs roll out on city streets.
Right now only seven wheelchair-accessible cabs exist among the 1,600 taxicabs in the city, but the Parking Authority's Jim Ney says by this summer, if all goes according to plans, the PPA will issue 45-wheelchair-accessible taxi medallions.
"Everyone agrees it's the right thing to do, and it's long overdue."
Vendors are demonstrating new features in meter system technology to enable vision and hearing impaired folks to navigate how to ride including information and payment monitors in the passenger compartments.
All City Taxi fleet Manager Khalid Alvi, who also heads the Philadelphia Cab Association, says the VeriFone system is nicely user-friendly.
"It's a safe and secure system, especially when a customer uses a credit card."
All City operates 700 cabs in Philadelphia, including three that are wheelchair accessible.