Uber Rolls Out Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- On Uber's app, there's now an option to request a WAV -- a wheelchair-accessible vehicle:
"There are a lot of paratransit vehicles that sit idle for a lot of the day after doing contract jobs," says Uber Philadelphia general manager Jon Feldman. "These drivers are sitting around waiting for work typically booked by a phone call reservation, a day or more in advance."
Now, they can be booked online and arrive in minutes.
"Riders have the option for a vehicle that can take one or two riders who are in a wheelchair, and up to four riders in total," Feldman says.
The cost is the same as their traditional service, which starts at a base fare of $7 with a minimum trip of $12. There are caravans equipped with ramps, Mercedes Sprinters, and -- for a base fare of $14 and a $25 minimum cost -- big Ford minibuses.
"They're all PUC [Pennsylvania Utility Commission] paratransit licensed drivers and vehicles," he says.
Uber won't reveal how many are in service. There's a separate effort by the Philadelphia Parking Authority to put 50 wheelchair-accessible taxis on the streets by the end of the year; there are eight now.