Overview

• As of June 5, 2025, 5,140 of about 10,000 active yellow taxis—50.7 percent—are equipped for wheelchair users
• Under the 2013 settlement, TLC faces a 2028 deadline to retrofit roughly 3,000 stored medallion cabs to meet the half-fleet requirement
• High conversion costs approaching $99,000 per vehicle have prompted the restructuring of the Taxi Improvement Fund and a $5 million pilot support program
• Progress was hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of ride-hailing apps that devalued taxi medallions and reduced active cabs
• Disability advocates praised reaching the active-fleet benchmark but flagged concerns over secure wheelchair tie-downs and urged a push toward full-fleet accessibility