OP ED: Take a Ride on Access-A-Ride as Shared Rides Return

By Quemuel Arroyo and Frank Annicaro

At the MTA, we are committed to making transit more inclusive and rider friendly. New Yorkers deserve a transportation network that is reliable, accessible, and safe for all, especially those whose voices too often go unheard – people with disabilities and seniors. That’s where our dedicated Access-A-Ride (AAR) service comes in

For years, AAR has been an integral part of our mass transit system, helping New Yorkers with limited mobility get to where they need to go. But when the pandemic struck last year, service was upended. Safety concerns for drivers and passengers alike forced an end to shared rides and a reduction in service.

 Thankfully, the city is gradually getting back to a semblance of normalcy as vaccination rates increase and New Yorkers slowly head back to work and school for in-person learning. To coincide with this revival, we’re happy to report that shared rides have resumed for trips less than 7 miles across the Access-A-Ride network to balance the current daily trip demand with vehicle supply. Dedicated, non-shared rides will be offered to customers who are COVID-positive or symptomatic.

 This decision was made in conjunction with the latest public health guidance and follows similar action taken by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, as well as paratransit agencies across the country including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

We will continue to prioritize safety every step of the way, following the best practices and advice of public health experts. Masks continue to be required for all customers, personal care attendants, guests, and drivers regardless of vaccination status and for all riders throughout the system. Nothing is more important than the health of our riders especially considering the substantial vulnerability of our paratransit customers.

 Accordingly, shared rides will remain a small part of our overall service for the time-being. We know the vast majority of our service rides – 85 percent – continue to be non-shared rides since they were restored, and on a daily basis, we work carefully to adjust our dispatching system to make rides as direct and efficient as possible. 

We’re proud that since the relaunch, performance for shared rides has gone up with broker no-show rates improving by 60 percent, complaints per 1,000 scheduled trips decreasing 37 percent, and average call wait times improving 57 percent.

Still, we know we can do even better for our paratransit customers to meet the challenges of this critical moment. A more accessible transit system benefits all of us: it means more independence for people with disabilities and seniors, and expansion of transit equity for all. New Yorkers who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, aging seniors, and other mobility-impaired riders are well served by an Access-A-Ride system that is responsive to customer demand and ever-changing mobility patterns.

This fall, we expect more good results with the implementation of our new broker contracts, which will expand the pool of drivers and vehicles in our fleet. As always, we will continue to improve Access-A-Ride service because transit accessibility is not a luxury, but a necessity. We appreciate customers and disability, senior, and transit advocates identifying issues about shared rides, and we welcome their feedback to continually improve services and keep customers safe.

Our transit network is the lifeblood of our city, and we need a paratransit system that truly serves all New Yorkers with disabilities and mobility issues – especially our most vulnerable. We strongly encourage all eligible New Yorkers to take a ride on Access-A-Ride and take advantage of this important part of our transit network.

 Quemuel Arroyo is the Chief Accessibility Officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Frank Annicaro is the Acting President at the MTA Bus Company and Senior Vice President at New York City Transit’s Department of Buses