BILL NUMBER: S8333
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law and the transportation law,
in relation to extending and expanding the scope of the on-demand E-hail
paratransit pilot
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would reasonably and responsibly build upon one the most
successful initiatives of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(MTA) in recent years-the "On-Demand E-Hail Paratransit Pilot Program."
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends the Public Authorities Law to require the MTA to
continue the On-Demand E-Hail Paratransit Pilot Program through March
31, 2022 with the following guidelines: (1) Fares for such services
shall be equal to the MTA base fare charge for subway and bus service;
(2) The hours of such service shall be the same as other bus, subway and
paratransit services; and (3) The length and frequency of such services
shall not be restricted.
Section 2. Makes the very same provisions as contained in Section 1
applicable to the relevant corresponding Section of Transportation Law.
Additionally, a formal report concerning the pilot is required, which
shall focus on ridership, usage patterns and costs.
Section 3. Establishes that such act shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The MTA "On-Demand E--Hail Paratransit Pilot Program" commenced in 2017
and has been a godsend for New Yorkers with disabilities and seniors who
use paratransit by offering them the ability to call a ride when they
need it, where they need it "on demand."
Riders have hailed the service as life-changing because they no longer
must depend on the archaic and unreliable Access-A-Ride (AAR), which
requires them to book their rides at least one day in advance. In 2019,
the MTA decided to expand the pilot to another 1,200 riders but they
also placed severe restrictions upon the program, including instituting
service caps of no more than 16 rides per month and capping the value
per ride at $15 per trip, which limits the geographical mobility of
users. While the MTA is justified in terms of evaluating the cost of
this program-and any other-the decision to ration and cap rides was
arrived at prematurely and may ultimately be tremendously counterproduc-
tive.
The fact is that On-Demand service has changed people's lives. In addi-
tion, no other MTA customer faces rationing of rides or limits on the
distance they can travel. As with any system, a full-fledged On-Demand
E-Hail. Paratransit Pilot Program will have high, mid and low volume
users, yet the On-Demand trips cost about less than half of what tradi-
tional paratransit trips do, while offering much better service. The
average cost to the MTA of an On-Demand ride is less than $41,'while
standard ARR rides cost more than $82. The current pilot only takes up
of AAR's annual budget, so growth not only makes sense but can save
money in the long-term. There is no question the program is cost-effec-
tive and good for the overall economy of New York City.
Furthermore, reliable On-Demand service greatly expands riders' access
to Sobs, education, and healthcare, and positively impacts our communi-
ties and our economy. Nearly seven in ten New Yorkers with a disability
are unemployed, with poor 'transportation cited by community members as
one of the main reasons they can't find jobs-On-Demand service is
extraordinarily helpful in reversing this trend.
In addition, the on-demand pilot program has also provided much-needed
revenue to yellow and green taxi drivers, many of whom are burdened with
debt and unfair price competition from for-hire-vehicle operators. Last-
ly, ensuring that all New Yorkers have timely and reliable access to
public transportation is a matter of equity-pure and simple.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S486/ A1252 2021-2022: S4037A
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To Be Determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S8333: 1205 public authorities law, 1205(3) public authorities law, 15-b transportation law