Cruising out of New York and my son is in a wheelchair

[jennas_mum]

We usually drive everywhere we go due to my son being in a wheelchair. With flights being so cheap and parking being so expensive looking into flying in. Found that they do have taxis and a few businesses that specialize in handicap transportation but wanting to know if anyone has any experience in it? The flights are cheaper than the parking for 12 days. We are also wanting to go a few days early to see some of the sights. Figured we would need dropped off at the hotel and walk wherever we need to go. Then we would need transportation to the cruise port and then transportation to the hotel after. 

 

Thanks so much!

 

Donna

[princeton123211]

25 minutes ago, jennas_mum said:

Found that they do have taxis and a few businesses that specialize in handicap transportation but wanting to know if anyone has any experience in it?

I learned this a couple months ago with a colleague who is wheelchair dependent. Yes-- there are a certain number of wheelchair accessible NYC taxis. You can call a dispatch center to call them to you by dialing 311. Additionally both Uber and Lyft offer wheelchair accessible rides through their apps and we found these to be much quicker than calling for a taxi. 

 

29 minutes ago, jennas_mum said:

We are also wanting to go a few days early to see some of the sights. Figured we would need dropped off at the hotel and walk wherever we need to go.

If you want to be able to walk to a bunch of major sights and not be dependent on transportation during your stay I would suggest looking in Midtown Manhattan for a hotel. Personally I would tell you to avoid Times Square but different folks have different tolerances for it than I do. 

[Nitemare]

Airport cab dispatcher will find you an appropriate ride into the city.  NYC is very much wheelchair accessible.  Most hotels are, too, especially all the Brand Name ones. Make sure you book an accessible room and you will know the rest will work in terms of ramps and elevators.  Theaters are all accessible and have places for wheelchairs and companions to sit.

 

Many subway stations have elevators, too, but not all.

[GTJ]

You may also want to consider using Access-A-Ride for transportation while in New York City. The cost is $2.75 per person for each one-way trip. You will need certification as being both (1) disabled, and (2) unable to utilize conventional public transportation. You can get certification from the city or town where you presently reside, then use that certification for travel within New York City. Note that Access-A-Ride travel is available for any trip purpose, and will transport a person with a disability, a personal care attendant (no charge), and a guest . . . additional persons will need to use other transportation, such as subway, bus, or taxi. Visit the Access-A-Ride website for more details. http://new.mta.info/accessibility/access-a-ride That website reads, in relevant part:

 

Visitors' information

 

MTA New York City Transit welcomes the opportunity to provide AAR Paratransit service to eligible visitors to New York City. In advance of your visit to our city, please contact AAR’s Eligibility Unit [http://new.mta.info/accessibility/paratransit/welcome-to-access-a-ride-paratransit-service] and agents will guide you on how to submit a copy of your Paratransit ID card (front and back) or other equivalent Paratransit eligibility documentation issued by the city or town in which you reside.

 

If you don't have these documents, you must submit proof of residency outside New York City and proof of disability. A legible, dated letter noting your disability and signed by a doctor or rehabilitation professional is acceptable proof.

 

In addition, we need the following information:

1. Name, birth date, and home address as well as telephone, cell phone and business telephone number/s
2. Your address and telephone number in New York City (including cross streets)
3. Emergency contact (name and telephone numbers) in New York City
4. Whether you will travel with a Personal Care Attendant (PCA), a guest, or both
5. If you use a service animal
6. If you use a cane, walker, crutches, wheelchair, scooter or other equipment
7. If you need the driver to call out your name when the vehicle arrives, because of a visual impairment
8. If you need information in large print, Braille or recorded format

[jennas_mum]

Thanks so much everyone for the helpful information. Booked our flights with Southwest today. Between the sale they have going on, credits, and points we are paying half the price for flights for 3 people than we would only for parking.

 

[Brighton Line]

Uber and Lyft in their app look for WAV as the type of car, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle. 

 

Access A Ride maybe a problem with a large amount of luggage. My family has a member qualified for AAR with Personal Care Attendent (PCA). She pays $2.75 cash only per trip her PCA is free. 

When being picked up for the cruise the driver refused the two suitcases and sited the following which you can find on the website listed above:

 

Customers must fold shopping carts and board AAR vehicles with only two bags or parcels totaling 40 pounds or less. A very bulky item that fills a seat or is a safety hazard is not permitted on an AAR vehicle, even if the item weighs less than 40 pounds.

 

AAR does use an Uber-like service of contracted/dispatched cars in which you maybe able to place packages in the trunk. They also use dedicated bus-type vans with no package storage which maybe an issue for suitcases. 

[GTJ]

12 minutes ago, Brighton Line said:

Customers must fold shopping carts and board AAR vehicles with only two bags or parcels totaling 40 pounds or less. A very bulky item that fills a seat or is a safety hazard is not permitted on an AAR vehicle, even if the item weighs less than 40 pounds.

This would be an interesting issue if ever litigated. Passengers using buses and subways are not similarly limited. Thus, rules imposed only on persons utilizing Access-A-Ride do constitute discrimination. Might this be a violation of the ADA implementation regulations? It would seem so.

[Brighton Line]

1 hour ago, GTJ said:

This would be an interesting issue if ever litigated. Passengers using buses and subways are not similarly limited. Thus, rules imposed only on persons utilizing Access-A-Ride do constitute discrimination. Might this be a violation of the ADA implementation regulations? It would seem so.

Well for the subway or bus, you get 30 inches per § 1050.9 Restricted areas and activities. Good thing my suitcase is 28".

 

(g) No person may carry on or bring to any facility or conveyance any wheeled cart greater than thirty inches in either length or width, including but not limited to shopping or grocery store carts or baskets, but excluding any stroller which is, at the time it is on or in the facility or conveyance, being utilized for children; or any item that: (1) is so long as to extend outside the window or door of a subway car, bus or other conveyance; (2) constitutes a hazard to the operation of the Authority, interferes with passenger traffic, or impedes service; or (3) constitutes a danger or hazard to other persons.

[GTJ]

3 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

Well for the subway or bus, you get 30 inches per § 1050.9 Restricted areas and activities. Good thing my suitcase is 28".

There's at least two problems with the regulation. First, the 30 inches strictly applies only to "wheeled carts." The 30 inches does not apply to bicycles, surfboards, grocery bags, or anything else other than a cart, and so unless a law enforcement officer wants to take the position that your suitcase is a "cart," the 30 inches does not apply. There are a few other things that the rule does prohibit, but, absent some extraordinary circumstances, there are no restrictions on suitcases. Second, it is not only what is written but how rules are enforced. If the rules are not enforced against ambulatory persons traveling on ordinary buses and trains, but are strictly enforced against people with disabilities traveling on complementary paratransit, then there may be discrimination on that basis. As noted, I think it would be an interesting case to litigate . . . there really ought to be the same rules, both as written and as enforced.

[Brighton Line]

15 hours ago, GTJ said:

There's at least two problems with the regulation. First, the 30 inches strictly applies only to "wheeled carts." The 30 inches does not apply to bicycles, surfboards, grocery bags, or anything else other than a cart, and so unless a law enforcement officer wants to take the position that your suitcase is a "cart," the 30 inches does not apply.

 

How about a sofa?

https://nypost.com/2018/07/31/yes-thats-definitely-a-leather-sofa-on-the-subway/

 

But isn't there a rule that you can't impede other passengers that would cover all of that, just not enforced like fare jumping is ignored these days?

[jennas_mum]

I can say I did not think about luggage being a problem. With my son it is really hard to travel light. Between diapers, food, his G-Tube supplies. Guess if it comes down to it I can have him ride with my husband and I take a seperate uber/lyft. 

 

Thanks for all you great info!!

[GTJ]

2 hours ago, Brighton Line said:

 

How about a sofa?

https://nypost.com/2018/07/31/yes-thats-definitely-a-leather-sofa-on-the-subway/

 

[I]sn't there a rule that you can't impede other passengers that would cover all of that, just not enforced like fare jumping is ignored these days?

For many things New York City relies on sensibilities rather than strict adherence to adopted rules. For example, when crossing the street at a signalized intersection, the rule is that one does not cross against a red (or raised hand) signal but only cross on a green (or walk) signal. Few people follow that rule, even directly in front of police officers, and instead use the signals as mere guidance in determining safety and when to exercise greater caution. Subway and bus baggage rules are in the same category. I doubt that, in the entire history of the subway system, that any police officer has actually measured the width of a cart to ascertain if it was within the 30-inch rule. (Bringing a sofa on the subway, however, might not meet the sensibilities standard.) So if a different standard were to be employed against people with disabilities, it would seem to be discriminatory in practice.

[jennas_mum]

Another question since you have all been so helpful! We plan on staying around the 911 museum as that is the main thing we want to see. Is there any must sees close to there what we can walk to? My DH can't walk long distance but okay with shorter distances. 

 

Thanks, 

 

Donna

[Rubyfisch]

1 hour ago, jennas_mum said:

Another question since you have all been so helpful! We plan on staying around the 911 museum as that is the main thing we want to see. Is there any must sees close to there what we can walk to? My DH can't walk long distance but okay with shorter distances. 

 

Thanks, 

 

Donna

It's right near Wall Street, so you can see the Charging Bull statue.

 

One of my absolute favorite things to do in NYC as a tourist is to ride the Staten Island Ferry. The website says it is ADA compliant, and there is a number you can call for additional information. It's the best free ride in NYC.