NYC To Test Changes To Access-A-Ride

NEW YORK (CBS 2 / WCBS 880) -- The City was experimenting with a new plan to save money while offering the disabled easier access to transportation.

WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reports

Scheduling regular Access-A-Ride service can be inconvenient for customers mobile enough to ride in a car. A new pilot program will allow 500 Access-A-Ride users to take cabs.

At an average of $15 a ride, it's one-third the cost of regular City-subsidized service.

"If we can help 75-percent of Access-A-Ride customers get faster and more efficient service and save the tax payers some money, why not try it?" Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

If this taxi pilot program is a success, the City is expected to expand it. It could save City Hall as much as $2.5 million.

In:
• Rich Lamb