Seventy-five percent of subway stations in New York City are inaccessible to people with disabilities. The paratransit system for people with disabilities who cannot utilize traditional mass transit -- Access-A-Ride -- fails hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers daily with excessive lateness, vehicle no-shows, and hours-long commutes. For-hire vehicles, taxis, buses, and ferries are also limited in the access they provide to the disability community.

The impact is huge. New York is home to nearly 1 million persons with disabilities. Within the disability community, the unemployment rate is 41% - far below the city average.

In a fair and just society, it is imperative that persons with disabilities are fully included in all aspects of life. And, an important key to inclusion is a fully accessible transportation system.

Access to transportation creates equity and makes cities more inclusive. Increased mobility provides access to jobs, long-term economic opportunities, and a sense of personal freedom. Policy advancement and transportation investments are needed to enable people to get to work, the doctor’s office, and everywhere in between.

Join New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and our panel of key experts and stakeholders to explore what New York is doing to improve transit accessibility, and what steps still need to be taken to ensure equality and parity for New Yorkers with disabilities.

Opening Remarks:

McGregor Smyth, Executive Director, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

Speakers:

• Rachel Pardoe, Program Officer, New York Community Trust

• Colin Wright, Senior Advocacy Associate,TransitCenter

• Valerie Joseph, Organizer, Brooklyn Center for the Independence of the Disabled

Moderator:

Ruth Lowenkron, Disability Justice Program Director, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

 

Please contact Geneva Morris at [email protected] if you need any accomodations.