The average public bus or taxi simply isn’t ready to transport people with wheelchairs or other mobility equipment. It’s time we upgraded urban transit to meet the demands of our diverse population. Though there are a variety of non-emergency medical and non-medical transportation ridesharing services available to people with special needs, sometimes people just want the privacy and comfort of hailing an individual cab. As such, there is a growing market for mobility taxis—taxis outfitted with equipment for the disabled. Mobility taxis offer customizable floor plans, multiple entry points and lifts for ease of accessibility, and advanced security features for storage of personal mobility equipment.

Many taxicab companies are being mandated to increase wheelchair accessibility amongst their vehicles. The Taxi and Limousine Commission in New York, for instance, is targeting 5% of dispatched trips being wheelchair-accessible vehicles in 2018, with an eventual increase to 25% over the next few years. With pressure from disability rights advocates to become more ADA-compliant,  ride-hailing companies are actively working with disability groups to expand transportation options for its disabled customers, such as through Uber’s “UberWAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle)” or Lyft’s “Access Mode.” What we’re seeing is a strong upward trend in the demand for mobility taxis as we continue to shape the future of transportation.

Those with short-term injuries or long-term conditions will be happy to know that they will have more options to safely travel to their favorite places, whether it’s to visit friends and family or to shop at their convenience. Comfortable transportation guarantees peace of mind. Whether you’re a taxicab company or newer ride-hailing company looking to diversify your fleet, Sunset Vans is proud to offer several vehicles which are fully ADA-compliant and can be engineered to your specifications.