Transportation

Back to the Accessible NYC 2025 Report

The MTA Network

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), through its various agencies, operates New York City’s subways, buses, Access-A-Ride, the Metro-North Railroad, the Long Island Rail Road, and nine bridge and tunnel crossings. The MTA is governed by a 23-member Board. Voting members are nominated by the Governor, including four recommended by New York City’s Mayor. New York State law now requires that the Board include at least one voting member who is a "transit-dependent individual" with a permanent disability.

In 2021, the MTA appointed its first Chief Accessibility Officer who is responsible for overseeing accessibility work at all the MTA’s agencies. The appointment has advanced the MTA’s commitment to increasing access and ensuring that the system meets the needs of all riders, including those with disabilities.

Subways

Progress on Accessible Stations

An accessible subway system benefits all New Yorkers. It increases transportation options, which among other things increases employment opportunities and community interaction, helping the city remain a vibrant place to live and work. As New York City’s population grows and as more New Yorkers seek to age in place, the need for an accessible subway system is also growing. A fully accessible subway system welcomes not just riders with disabilities, but older adults, those traveling with bicycles or luggage, caregivers with strollers, and anyone who may need some extra assistance getting around.

In 2022, the MTA made a historic commitment to accessibility, with a mandate to have 95% of subway stations accessible by 2055 and many milestones to ensure the MTA reaches that goal. In the next three decades, the MTA has committed to retrofitting nearly 350 stations— equivalent to the total number of stations in systems across the world like London, Paris, or Seoul. The MTA met the first milestone of the agreement at the end of 2024, and continues to award stations on pace to meet this target.

With the enacted Fiscal Year 2026 State Budget, both houses of the state legislature and the Governor have reaffirmed their commitment to the future success of the MTA. The budget includes full funding for the MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan, which will allow the MTA to stay on track to meet the accessibility goals laid out in the 2022 commitment. The 2025-2029 Capital Plan includes funding for at least 60 accessibility projects, including Smith-9 Sts F,G and Norwood-205 St D, as well as a host of other improvements to keep the system in a state of good repair. Improvements beyond station projects include new subway, bus, and rail cars, upgraded audio/visual public information systems, and modern fare gates. The $68.4 billion plan is a crucial investment in the future of New York. For more information about the plan, visit future.mta.info/capitalplan.

In 2016, 105 subway stations were fully accessible by a ramp or an elevator. Through the end of 2025, 155 of the city’s 493 subway and Staten Island Railway stations, serving more than half of all subway trips, have vertical access via ramp or elevator. This marks more than a 45% increase in just nine years. Of the 155 ADA accessible stations, 61 are in Manhattan, 42 in Brooklyn, 26 in Queens, 20 in the Bronx, and 6 in Staten Island. For an up-to-date list of accessible stations visit mta.info/accessibility.

Since the last AccesibleNYC report in 2021, the 100 Key Station program first mandated by state and federal law in 1994 has been completed with the opening of 68 St-Hunter College 6 in 2024.

The MTA continues to increase the pace of the design and construction of additional ADA station projects, completing ADA projects four times faster than before. A majority of the stations from the 2020-2024 Capital Plan are either completed or in construction with 38 currently in construction, including Steinway St MR and Classon Av G. Visit mta.info/project/station-accessibility-upgrades for a full list of stations completed and in progress.

Elevator Reliability

Both the 2020-2024 and 2025-2029 Capital Plans include funding for full replacement and modernization projects for dozens of elevators that are nearing the end of their useful life. These elevator replacement projects help keep elevators reliable and provide a smoother ride. MTA elevators run 24/7, which means there is no designated time to take them out of service for repairs or preventative maintenance.

The MTA has worked persistently over the last few years to ensure subway elevators meet a high standard of availability with a specific focus on machines that are privately owned and not maintained by the MTA. Through November 30, elevators (both NYC Transit-owned and privately-owned) had a 97.6% availability rate. This means that on average elevators were only unavailable 2.4% of the time, including any planned maintenance. For the latest numbers, visit the MTA’s open data platform at data.ny.gov.

Zoning for Accessibility

In close partnership with MOPD and the Department of City Planning (DCP), the MTA successfully advanced Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA). Zoning for Accessibility incentivizes more developers to invest in subway accessibility directly or provide easements to enable elevator installation at more stations. Since the passage of ZFA at the end of 2021, the MTA has obtained 11 easements and opened the first ZFA bonus project improvement at Queensboro Plaza N,W,7. At Queensboro Plaza, a private developer, Grubb Properties, financed and constructed a new accessible entrance on the northside of the station, which includes a 10-foot-wide staircase and a new, large elevator that accommodates many customers with strollers, carrying bikes, or using mobility devices. This investment supplements the MTA’s own continued capital investments in station accessibility, and helps achieve systemwide accessibility on a quicker timeline.

New Technology Tools

Subway accessibility is about much more than elevators and ramps. In 2019, the MTA ran the “Accessible Station Lab” project at the Jay St – MetroTech station in Brooklyn. At this station, the MTA tested 15 new accessibility tools including several wayfinding apps. Since then, the MTA has expanded the most successful tools including the NaviLens smartphone app, which provides real-time audio/visual wayfinding information in dozens of languages. In partnership with the NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), the MTA recently concluded a pilot of NaviLens to better understand the app’s ability to provide intermodal journeys for all users. NaviLens can now be used in 48 subway stations and along three bus corridors in Manhattan and The Bronx. NaviLens can also be found on all subway cars on the 6 line and all Bx12 SBS buses.

After a successful proof of concept with the Transit Tech Lab (TTL) in early 2025, the MTA is piloting the Convo Access tool. Convo connects customers who use American Sign Language (ASL) with a live interpreter on their smartphone to interpret conversations with an MTA employee. The MTA launched an expanded pilot in February 2025.

The service is free for customers and available at select Customer Service Centers, Mobile Sales Vans, and certain LIRR and Metro-North stations. These locations have green QR codes on display for riders to scan to use Convo. Through October 2025, over 400 calls were successfully made across the system. For more information on where Convo is located, please visit mta.info/accessibility/innovations/convo. The MTA continues to leverage new technology to better serve riders with disabilities.

New, Accessible Modern Fare Gates

Ensuring that all customers can safely and independently enter the subway continues to be a focus of the MTA. As part of the 2025-2029 Capital Plan, the MTA will invest over $1 billion into new, modern fare gates at 150 of the highest ridership stations. These gates will be replacing turnstiles and AutoGates, increasing capacity, ensuring fare compliance, and enhancing accessibility. Currently, the MTA is evaluating three different vendors and their gates, with a public test that launched in December 2025 at six MTA stations as of publication. The MTA is on pace to have new gates at 20 stations in early 2026 and by the end of the 2025-2029 Capital Plan, 150 stations will have new gates installed.

OMNY

Since the last report in 2021, the MTA significantly expanded access to the tap and go convenience of OMNY. The MTA mailed more than 1 million Reduced Fare customers OMNY Cards since the end of 2024. Customers have been quick to adopt OMNY for trips on the subway and bus, with two-thirds of Reduced Fare trips using OMNY in April 2025. OMNY allows customers to automatically load value on their card online, replicating the functionality of the EasyPay program. OMNY also gives Reduced Fare customers a new option to refill their cards without entering the subway system, with thousands of retail locations across the city able to refill Reduced Fare cards including Walgreens, Duane Reade, 7-11, and more. Additionally, OMNY continues to roll out for Fair Fares and Paratransit customers—discussed more in the Access-A-Ride section. With MetroCard sales ceasing at the end of 2025, the MTA continues to educate customers to ensure all riders are ready to use the tap and go benefits of OMNY.

Customer Communication

Customer access to information, digital or physical, is critical to the mission of the MTA. Whenever there are planned service changes, short or long term, MTA creates and distributes online and print resources to navigate the subway system, compliant with WCAG 2.2 standards. The MTA works every day to provide additional information regarding elevator outages and alternate route information in real-time on the MTA website and mobile app, via email and text alerts, and on in-station screens. Customers can verify an elevator’s status or sign up for Real Time E&E Service E-Alerts on the MTA website. In 2024, the MTA revamped its mobile application, the MTA App, which provides easy access real-time elevator information. All subway elevators also have “Alternative Accessible Travel Information” signs, that can help customers navigate around any unexpected outages.

The MTA continues to build on its commitment to an accessible subway system through new and modernized elevators, as well as continuing to expand new technologies and tools to make the system as accessible as possible.

Buses

The MTA’s fleet of 5,800 buses has been fully wheelchair accessible for decades by front-door ramp (local and Select Bus routes) or lift (for coach-style buses on express routes). Given the history of accessibility on the bus system, buses continue to serve a higher proportion of older adults and New Yorkers with disabilities than the subway.

While the bus fleet is entirely wheelchair accessible, MTA has been continuing to improve the customer experience while riding. Since 2021, all new MTA local and SBS buses have been equipped with new Digital Information Screens and automated audio announcements. Together these communication tools help ensure customers with hearing or vision disabilities, and all customers, have easy access to real-time service information.

The buses also feature a new, more flexible seating configuration designed with accessibility in mind. The buses feature three additional flexible seats – beyond the priority seating area – that customers can flip up to stow and sit within arm’s reach of a folded walker, mobility device, or luggage cart while moving these devices out of the aisle and maximizing the available space for all customers. The new buses also feature wider doors and ramps to make it easier to enter and exit the bus.

For parents and caregivers, traveling with a child in a stroller on the bus has traditionally meant folding the stroller prior to boarding, which can slow down bus service for all customers. In 2022 the MTA launched the Bus Open Stroller Program, which creates a dedicated space on the bus for someone to board with an open stroller, eliminating the headache of folding a stroller on those buses. This dedicated space is separate from the priority seating for people with disabilities. The pilot launched in 2022, with approximately 175 buses across seven routes retrofitted with this space. In 2023, with the support of the disability community, the MTA expanded the pilot to 57 routes, retrofitting over 1,050 buses across the system. The MTA has received overwhelmingly positive feedback on the program, with over 80% of customers supporting this change based on data from MTA customer feedback tools. The MTA continues to review the future of the program, and further expansion. To learn more about the program, please visit mta.info/stroller.

Access-A-Ride

Access-A-Ride (AAR) is the largest paratransit service in the country, with over 40,000 trips scheduled on peak days and 10 million trips completed in 2025. The shared-ride service operates 24/7 throughout the five boroughs of NYC, and within ¾ mile of NYC Transit fixed route services into Westchester and Nassau Counties. AAR service has rebounded strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic, with ridership exceeding pre-Covid levels by 40% in 2025.

AAR has approximately 195,000 eligible registrants as of December 2025. Approximately 15% of customers use wheelchairs, and approximately 75% are over the age of 65. Throughout years of program growth and a global pandemic, the AAR program has continued to provide ADA compliant service to all eligible customers, invest in new vehicles and technologies to improve customer experience and operational efficiency, and test ways to provide more self-service and flexible options for customers to manage their trips.

Areas of improvement and growth over the past several years have included the following:

• Increased Reliability
  2025 was a record year for paratransit service reliability. No shows have been reduced and are consistently less than 1 in 1000 trips. On-time performance (OTP) consistently exceeds 95% of trips picked up within 30 minutes of the scheduled pickup time, despite higher ridership. The MTA now measures paratransit OTP to a more stringent 20-minute standard, with a goal of 94% of trips picked up within 20 minutes.
• Expansion of OMNY “Tap and Go” Fare Payment System to AAR
  The new OMNY “tap and go” fare payment system began rolling out to AAR customers in 2024. OMNY creates a simpler fare payment option for AAR customers who choose to use it, and OMNY accounts will help customers track their trips. The AAR OMNY card will serve customers as their ID to show drivers on their paratransit trips, and for tap and go on subways and buses, offering a seamless travel experience regardless of travel mode. AAR customers have continued to receive their cards throughout 2025, providing an alternative to cash payment, although cash will remain an option for any customer who prefers. AAR customers using OMNY have the fare deducted from their OMNY account, as AAR vehicles do not have OMNY readers to tap.
• Growth of My AAR App
  The MY AAR app continues to grow, making it easier for customers to schedule and manage their paratransit trips. As of December 2025, more than 20% of all trips were booked through the app; a significant milestone in improving convenience and access for riders.
• Improved and Expanded Broker Program
  One notable growth area in recent years has been the use of broker services, which allows customers to travel by taxi or for-hire vehicle. In 2019, AAR launched its enhanced broker service, through which tens of thousands of customers now travel by taxi or for-hire vehicle (FHV) each day when they book a trip with AAR. The expanded broker program allows AAR to use taxis and FHVs for door-to-door service, has increased capacity to serve customers who use wheelchairs, gives customers the ability to track trips on the MY AAR app. In 2025, approximately two-thirds of AAR trips were completed through the broker program. Even with the expansion of broker service, AAR continues to invest in the dedicated carrier fleet (the traditional blue and white or blue and gold van), to provide a clean, safe, and smooth ride for the thousands of customers who use this service each day.
• The AAR Fleet
  AAR uses approximately 1,150 dedicated vehicles to serve customers who need a lift for their trip. In 2023 and 2024 AAR replaced 360 vehicles that were reaching the end of their useful life. AAR is currently piloting the Ford E-Transit, the first electric vehicle to be put into customer service for paratransit.
• Improvements to the Application Process
  AAR continues to update policies and processes and invest in digital tools to improve the customer experience. Since the last report, AAR updated its eligibility policies to simplify the process and made more customers eligible for continual service, to reduce the need for re-assessments. In 2024, AAR launched a new digital inquiry form to make it easier for customers to start the eligibility application process and opened a new AAR assessment center at 3 Stone Street in lower Manhattan, ensuring that each borough has least one assessment center. The expansion helped AAR accommodate nearly 5,000 monthly customers and applicants who require in-person assessments.
• Coordination with City Agencies
  AAR continues to work closely with the NYC DOT to manage service issues on the streets and currently has 130 dedicated Access-A-Ride pick-up and drop-off stops throughout the city. AAR staff regularly visits every stop and works with NYC DOT to address stop placement and signage issues as they arise. The MTA is also partnering with NYC DOT and DOF on the implementation of ACE, the MTA’s automated bus lane enforcement program, which also benefits paratransit vehicles and customers using bus lanes for their trips.
• E-Hail On-Demand Pilot Program
  In 2017, AAR began working with taxi and FHV companies to provide “on-demand” service to 1200 customers as part of a same-day service pilot program. In 2023, the MTA expanded the E-Hail On-Demand pilot to additional customers, introducing a revised program structure and additional vendor partners. Based on nine months of results from the second pilot phase, the MTA increased both the number and length of trips that the MTA subsidizes for each customer in the program in 2024. The MTA continues to analyze trip patterns and review customer feedback on the on-demand pilot program.
• Fair Fares for AAR
  In 2020, the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) expanded its Fair Fares NYC transit discount program to AAR, enabling low-income individuals under age 65 to ride AAR for half the regular fare. AAR customers can apply directly online for the discount at www.nyc. gov/accessfairfares.

Access-A-Ride has improved significantly since the pandemic, as reflected by the growing ridership numbers and more positive customer feedback. MOPD continues to work with the MTA to further improve Access-A-Ride service for customers across the city.

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is well on its way to full station accessibility, with 114 accessible stations out of 126 total stations. Most recently, LIRR completed accessibility projects at Valley Stream, Copiague, Amityville, Lindenhurst and Massapequa Park and opened two entirely new stations, at Elmont-UBS Arena and a historic new terminal in Manhattan at Grand Central Madison.

In January 2023, the MTA opened Grand Central Madison, connecting LIRR customers directly to the East Side of Manhattan for the first time. The station provides an additional option for customers and allowed LIRR to boost train service by 40%. The new, accessible terminal provides new transit connections and step-free paths of travel from the LIRR to the subway and Metro-North. Additionally, each connection between levels at Grand Central Madison features multiple elevator options, providing customers with reliable accessibility access even if one machine is taken out of service.

Customer assistance is a key element of LIRR’s approach to accessibility. LIRR employees are trained on accessibility and disability best practices as part of their Train Crew biannual training. The LIRR Care Program provides additional assistance for customers with mobility disabilities who may need help to board and exit trains. Customers can call a dedicated phone number ahead of their trip or visit ticket offices at major stations to request assistance. In 2025, LIRR Care provided 5,800 customers with assistance.

Metro-North Railroad

70 of 85 Metro-North Railroad (MNR) stations in the seven-county New York State service area are currently accessible for people with mobility disabilities. All New York State stations have tactile signage, and most stations have tactile warning strips at the platform edge. Recently, MNR completed accessibility improvements at the Scarsdale, Hartsdale, and Purdys stations, and currently there are elevator projects underway in the Bronx at Botanical Garden, Woodlawn, and Williams Bridge.

All Metro-North conductors receive accessibility-focused classroom and field training so they can best assist customers with disabilities. Through the MNR Care Program, Metro-North offers assistance to customers with mobility disabilities. Customers can call 511 up to an hour before their trip to arrange assistance to safely board the train at any station. At Grand Central and other major stations, Station Ambassadors can help customers with mobility devices navigate the platform and provide sighted guidance for customers who are blind or have low vision. In 2025, Metro-North employees assisted approximately 2000 customers in Grand Central Terminal and outlaying stations through the MNR Care program.

With the opening of Grand Central Madison and both railroads in the same complex for the first time, the MTA created a new joint railroad map to encourage customers to take trips across the New York region using both systems. As part of this process, the MTA developed a new accessibility icon to show railroad stations that might have step-free access, but lack all features of an accessible station like tactile warning strips or audio/visual signage. As part of this effort, an additional 20 railroad stations gained accessibility icons, providing customer information about trip options that might not have been considered before. The MTA also developed new webpages for each of the 250 railroad stations with more detailed information about the accessibility features available for customers to more easily plan their trips.

Central Business District Tolling

After years of outreach, analysis and litigation, on January 5, 2025, the nation’s first ever Congestion Relief Zone Toll went into effect in Manhattan’s Central Business District. Administered by the MTA’s Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) the program has proven extremely successful. By charging passenger vehicles to enter the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ), the program has succeeded in reducing gridlock in what had been one of the most congested districts in the nation, Manhattan below 60 St. Transit ridership has increased; streets are calmer; and drivers, bus riders and paratransit customers are all benefiting from faster trips.

As part of the Congestion Relief Zone Tolling Program, the MTA and project partners set up a few discrete exemption plans, including the Individual Disability Exemption Plan (IDEP) and the Organizational Disability Exemption Plan (ODEP). These allow individuals with disabilities or medical conditions who cannot use the bus or subway, as well as organizational vehicles serving this population, to avoid paying the toll when traveling into the Congestion Relief Zone. Individuals achieve eligibility in the IDEP program through an in-person physical and/or psychological assessment or by already being enrolled in Access-A-Ride.

Revenue generated by the Congestion Relief Zone toll is being reinvested into the transit system, where millions of daily transit riders will benefit from more accessible stations, modern signal systems, new trains, electric buses, and other critical improvements that keep the MTA system in good working condition and make taking mass transit more comfortable.

NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), created in 1971, is the agency responsible for licensing and regulating New York City’s yellow medallion taxis, green cabs, for-hire vehicles (community-based liveries, luxury limousines, and black cars, including those dispatched by apps like Lyft, Uber, and Via), commuter vans, and some paratransit vehicles. The Commission’s Board consists of nine members, including the Commissioner who is the agency head and is appointed by the mayor.

For-Hire Vehicles, Yellow and Green Taxis

Accessible Dispatch provides access to wheelchair accessible taxis on demand. Customers can contact the Accessible Dispatch call center to request a taxi to pick them up anywhere in the city at no extra cost. While many customers prefer to use the call center to request a trip, customers can also contact 311 (NY Relay: 711), book online at accessible dispatch.com, or use the Accessible Dispatch NYC smartphone app. Accessible Dispatch continues to be a dependable way to get a wheelchair accessible taxi. In 2024, there were over 66,000 completed trips or 5,500 per month. Although wait time for an accessible taxi has improved going down to 11 minutes, compared to 13 minutes in 2022, the number of Accessible Dispatch trips has steadily declined. This is in large part due to the increased options that are available across other TLC-licensed rideshare companies, such as Uber and Lyft.

 As of Summer 2025, customers can call the Accessible Dispatch number (646-599-9999) and choose from multiple providers to request a wheelchair accessible taxi. If customers prefer to use an app to get an accessible taxi, they can request one from a licensed e-hail company directly, such as Arro, Curb, or Myle. Moving towards a multi-provider model will expand the options available while retaining the option to call to book a trip, as many customers prefer to do today.

Since 2022, the For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) sector (Uber and Lyft) has steadily increased the number of vehicles on the road. The FHV sector has also completed trips allowing passengers, including those who are in need of a WAV, to call a vehicle with ease and with relative speed. Currently, there are over 7,500 FHV WAVs on the road that completed over 635,000 trips in 2024. This number has soared since 2022 in which 272,068 FHV WAV trips were completed. Not only does this percentage represent a 57% increase from calendar years 2022–2024, but it also represents a strong and healthy recovery from the pandemic.

 The TLC has enacted rules that govern wait times for those requesting a WAV in order to ensure that those requesting to get one wait under 10 minutes. The new wait time standard will be evaluated annually, at the end of each calendar year. TLC’s minimum wait time rules ensure that FHV WAV service is consistent and reliable for the many New Yorkers who depend on an accessible vehicle to get around.

The TLC created the Taxi Improvement Fund (TIF) to support medallion owners and drivers who are putting accessible vehicles on the road ensuring that all customers have equitable access to taxi transportation services. Between July 2022 and May 2025, owners and drivers of wheelchair accessible vehicles received approximately 80 million dollars in incentive payments

As of June 05, 2025, more than 50% of the TLC’s active yellow taxi fleet is wheelchair accessible. This milestone means over 5,100 yellow cabs can now accommodate passengers using wheelchairs, making it the most accessible taxi fleet in the nation.

TLC Driver Education and Passenger Engagement

New applicants continue to take the Passenger Assistance and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Training course to obtain a TLC Driver License. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 61,000 applicants completed the course. The topics covered include driver responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act, disability etiquette, using person-first language, and an in-vehicle wheelchair securement assessment.

TLC created an educational decal in 2023 to reinforce with drivers how to safely secure passengers who use wheelchairs. TLC applied the decals in the vehicles of the drivers, as part of outreach to licensees at the agency's vehicle inspection facility, the airport taxi holds lots, and at the Taxi Club House. Education staff members were often paired with TLC staff from other parts of the agency for outreach, including the agency's Office of Inclusion and Uniformed Services Bureau, and Accessible Dispatch staff.

In April 2024, the TLC launched an enhanced TLC Driver License Renewal Course with interactive new content on providing excellent customer service to passengers with disabilities, as well as new anti-discrimination curriculum. The content included new videos focusing on enhanced technology for serving passengers who are blind or have low vision or are D/deaf or hard of hearing, preventing service refusals, and tips for direct communication with passengers.

Since the enhanced renewal course launched, more than 20,000 TLC-licensed drivers have completed it and have had the opportunity to benefit from the new curriculum on best practices on serving people with disabilities.

In March 2025, TLC also created the Vision Zero and Accessibility Course in close coordination with the Vision Zero Task Force. The course is available for licensees with accessibility-related violations in March 2025. The curriculum includes an in-vehicle wheelchair securement assessment and Vision Zero-focused instruction on how to provide safe trips to passengers with disabilities: assisting passengers with entering and exiting the vehicle safely and securing the passenger before the start of the trip. Drivers who receive violations from complaints from the public can take this remedial course to improve their skills serving passengers with disabilities, as well as become a safer driver.

TLC Office of Inclusion

The TLC Office of Inclusion (OOI) was created pursuant to Local Law 219 of 2018 to ensure the riding public receives equal and courteous service from taxis and for-hire vehicles. The OOI’s mission is to reduce and ultimately eliminate service refusals and to ensure that no person is discriminated against by a TLC-licensed driver. The OOI recognizes that New York City’s greatest strength is its diversity of residents and visitors alike.

OOI provides training to TLC staff on disability etiquette and awareness to foster a better understanding of inclusive communication and considerations for persons with disabilities. This focus furthers TLC’s mission to create sensitivity and facilitate positive interactions and inclusivity in the workplace. TLC’s OOI also actively engages with a variety of disability advocacy groups in order to share information and listen to issues related to accessibility. Since it is important for drivers to participate in these efforts, OOI also conducts outreach to drivers to keep them updated on initiatives related to accessibility and the benefits of driving a WAV.

NYC Ferry

NYC Ferry is New York City’s passenger ferry system connecting all five of NYC’s boroughs via 6 different routes and 25 landings. Since its inception, NYC Ferry has served over 45 million riders, including an all-time high of 7.4 million riders in 2024.

The system is overseen by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and privately operated. In order to advance equity and affordability, Mayor Eric Adams unveiled a new chapter for NYC Ferry through the NYC Ferry Forward plan, which aims to make NYC Ferry more equitable, accessible and fiscally sustainable.

A key pillar of this plan was introducing a new, progressive fare structure:

• NYC Ferry raised the cost of one-way tickets for leisure riders while keeping fares affordable for commuters through a ten-trip pack that offers one-way tickets for $2.90, the same price as a subway ride.
• NYC Ferry launched an expanded NYC Ferry Discount Program that offers reduced fare one-way tickets priced at $1.45 for seniors, people with disabilities, participants in Fair Fares NYC – a program supporting low-income New Yorkers – and, as of the 2024-2025 school year, all New York City high school students.

Riders can purchase NYC Ferry tickets in the NYC Ferry App or at ticket vending machines located at all landings.

Accessible Vessels and Landings

NYC Ferry’s fleet includes 150 and 350-passenger vessels. Each vessel features upper deck outdoor seating as well as a climate-controlled cabin with over 100 seats, wheelchair tie-downs, and an accessible bathroom.

Landings: All NYC Ferry landings are equipped with a digital information display, ticket vending machines, and schedule and map signage.

Other upgrades across NYC Ferry vessels and landings include:

• Updated passenger transfer ramps on landings that better serve riders using wheelchairs, canes, or other mobility devices.
• Designated priority seating onboard vessels for seniors and passengers with disabilities.

Improved Access to Service Information

A number of system-wide technological upgrades have been implemented to make NYC Ferry service information more accessible to passengers:

• Installed onboard Wi-Fi across the fleet to support connectivity and real-time information access.
• Launched land-side audio announcements to inform travelers who are blind or have low vision of ferry arrival times.
• Introduced onboard visual and audio stop announcements to assist passengers with who are D/deaf or hard of hearing or are blind or have low vision.
• Enabled real-time schedule updates via SMS and phone.

Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry, which is operated by the NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), provides a free, accessible travel option between the St. George Ferry Terminal in Staten Island and the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Lower Manhattan.

Both terminals have escalators and elevators and are ADA-compliant. Passengers who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices may board on the lower level. The lower-level waiting area is not climate controlled but has seating and is protected on three sides from wind and precipitation. Due to the restricted nature of the lower-level area, any individual who is granted access for lower-level boarding is subject to search by security personnel and/or the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

The NYC DOT Ferry Division works closely with the local community to ensure that accessibility is at the forefront of its service. As one example, the Division meets with the Staten Island Center for Independent Living to offer sensitivity training to ferry employees

Ferry schedules and other information are offered in Braille.

New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT)

A number of NYC DOT initiatives are described above. You can read about additional NYC DOT initiatives to promote safe and accessible sidewalks, plazas and streets in the Built Environment and Public Realm section of this report.

Bus Stop Accessibility Improvements

Accessible Bus Stops

The vast majority of the City’s 14,000+ bus stops are fully physically accessible and allow for wheelchair access to buses via a vehicle ramp. However, there remain over 1,500 stops that do not meet ADA requirements, either because there is not enough room for a wheelchair ramp to deploy and a wheelchair user to maneuver, or because an accessible path to the bus stop is lacking. NYC DOT is actively working to address those stops, and has met its annual goal of bringing at least 25 stops into compliance since 2022. This work includes enhancements that go beyond the minimum ADA requirements where possible by creating more bus stop space for all users. 

Bus Bulbs, Bus Boarders, and Bus Boarding Islands

There are certain locations where the existing sidewalk is not adequate to provide pedestrian circulation and a comfortable and spacious waiting area for bus riders. In these cases, NYC DOT may create a dedicated area for bus riders to wait for and get on and off the bus. This can take the form of building a concrete island with a travel lane in between the bus stop and the sidewalk (bus boarding island), or extending the sidewalk further out into the street, either as a permanent concrete extension (bus bulb) or by using a plastic modular product (bus boarder) for temporary applications. NYC DOT typically implements bus boarding islands and bus boarders as part of in-house bus priority projects, while bus bulbs typically require a capital project. 

Bus Stops Under the El Program

Bus stops under elevated subway structures can be particularly problematic from an accessibility and safety perspective. At these locations, the elevated structure supports often prevent buses from accessing the sidewalk and force bus riders to wait for, board and alight the bus in the roadbed. To remedy this, the Bus Stops Under the El program constructs bus boarding islands or bus bulbs to create safe and accessible stops. These improvements are constructed with both in-house resources and, when necessary, through larger capital projects.

Parking

Parking Permits

The New York City Department of Transportation’s Parking Permits for People with Disabilities (NYC PPPD) Unit issues two types of parking permits for people with disabilities: the NYC PPPD (placard) and the NY State permit (hangtag).

The NYC permits allow eligible permit holders to park on NYC streets, contrary to many posted parking regulations.

The NY State permit allows the driver to park in publicly accessible spaces marked by the International Symbol of Access as long as the permit holder is traveling in the car. In New York City, these spaces are all off-street, such as in parking lots for shopping centers/malls, office/apartment buildings, and college campuses, and include all NYC DOT municipal parking garages.

Permit applications are currently being accepted by mail only.

For more information on the PPPD program visit: nyc.gov/pppdinfo .

Municipal Parking Garages

All NYC DOT municipal parking facilities provide accessible parking spaces, including van accessible parking spaces with access aisles.

NYC DOT manages 30 municipal parking fields and 8 municipal parking garages, providing a total of 298 accessible parking spaces.

NYC DOT also recently installed ADA accessible Electric Vehicle (EV) charging spaces at Delancey-Essex Municipal Garage, Court Square Municipal Garage, Borough Hall Municipal Garage, and White Plains Municipal Lot, providing 6 accessible EV charging spaces.

These accessible EV charging spaces are designated under a “use last” model, consistent with guidelines issued by the US Access Board in 2024.

For more information on NYC DOT’s parking garages and lots visit: nyc.gov/municipalparking .

Shared E-Scooter Program

E-scooters are electric-powered vehicles with handlebars, a seat or floorboard, and have a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour. Shared e-scooter systems have become popular in many American cities over the past few years, allowing millions to rent publicly accessible e-scooters for short trips. These systems operate similarly to dockless bike share. Riders find and un-lock shared e-scooters within a designated service area using a smartphone app. Many shared e-scooter systems use designated parking corals to organize vehicles, reduce sidewalk clutter, and ensure a clear pedestrian right-of-way.

NYC DOT launched its first e-scooter pilot in the East Bronx in August of 2021. The pilot, which was mandated by City Council legislation, ran for two years. The pilot was succeeded by a permanent program, which has continued service in the East Bronx and expanded to eastern Queens. One of NYC DOT’s main priorities for the program is to prevent parked e-scooters from blocking sidewalks, corner pedestrian ramps, building entrances, and bus stops, so that all sidewalk users, including people with disabilities, have a clear path of travel. The participating companies—Bird, Lime, and Veo—are also offering accessible e-scooter options. For more information on the Shared E-Scooter Program visit: https://nycdotscootershare.info/home.

Access to Independence Program

In 2025, the Mobility Management team at the NYC DOT revived a program called Access to Independence. The program helps people with disabilities and older adults learn about ways to get around the city more easily. It does this through dynamic events that share important information about accessible transportation. The program also brings together City agencies and transit providers to discuss how to make travel better for these groups.

Access to Independence includes both in-person and online events, as well as guides and resources. Between 2025 and 2026, NYC DOT aims to host six events as part of this program. These may include info sessions, site visits and tours, app tutorials, and more. To learn more, visit dotmobility.nyc.

Transportation for Older New Yorkers

In addition to existing public service transportation options, including MTA’s Access-A-Ride, NYC Aging partners with community-based organizations to provide transportation services for essential medical and social service appointments, for residents age 60 and older, who lack access to transportation or cannot use public transportation.

Group transportation is also available for trips to a recreational event, Broadway show or museum, or shopping at the supermarket. These trips must have a minimum of five older adults.

Many older adult centers also provide group transportation to and from their locations, shopping trips, and recreational and cultural outings for their members.

You can use NYC Aging’s Service Finder to contact a local transportation provider, or call Aging Connect at 212-AGING-NYC (212-244-6469) for more information.

 

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