New York City, NY
New Access-A-Ride Eligibility Screening Center Opened in Lower Manhattan
New Yorkers with disabilities who live in Manhattan no longer have to travel as far as the South Shore of Staten Island for Access-A-Ride eligibility screenings. The MTA on Wednesday opened the first assessment center in the borough since January 2022, when a center on West 13th Street stopped performing evaluations for new and existing paratransit users.
The New Center
Located at 3 Stone Street, around the corner from the transit agency’s Lower Manhattan headquarters, the new center offers screenings for people whose disabilities may restrict or prevent them from taking trains and buses. "It is very welcome," said Tina Hansen, 64, who last month trekked from her Lower East Side home to Tottenville on Staten Island for an in-person assessment. "I wish they had done it sooner, but here we are."
Improved Performance
The opening of the Manhattan center comes as Access-A-Ride is on pace to top pre-pandemic ridership totals by the end of the year. According to MTA numbers, there were 800,000 paratransit trips last month, a 30% increase from September 2023. Agency data also shows that the paratransit performance metrics have improved remarkably since 2021, when THE CITY reported that Access-A-Ride reliability sank to its lowest level in years during the pandemic, as driver no-shows, customer complaints, and call center wait times trended in the wrong directions.
Criticism from Disability-Rights Advocates
However, the MTA continues to face criticism from disability-rights advocates over what some have called an "antiquated" and "ridiculous" in-person screening process. It includes walking along a corridor and boarding a mock bus, where riders are assessed on if or how they handle rails and steps and letting on fareboxes. Less-obvious disabilities can be overlooked, advocates say, shutting some candidates out of the service.
Conclusion
The new assessment center is a positive step in providing more accessible services for New Yorkers with disabilities. However, the MTA must continue to address the concerns of disability-rights advocates by considering alternative assessment methods, such as remote evaluations or accepting documents from a licensed physician that demonstrate the need for paratransit services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of the new assessment center?
A: The new center offers screenings for people whose disabilities may restrict or prevent them from taking trains and buses.
Q: How many assessments will be conducted at the new center each month?
A: The center is expected to conduct 500 to 600 assessments each month.
Q: What is the MTA’s stance on in-person screening?
A: The MTA is committed to in-person screenings, arguing that they are the best way to understand a rider’s functional ability to use the transit system.
Q: Are there alternative assessment methods available?
A: No, the MTA only offers in-person assessments.
