Mass Transit in New York
January 25, 2010
With a great deal of apprehension, I ventured into New York on my motorized wheelchair. My last excursion to New York had occurred in September 2005 which was the last day of my job. I felt such relief that I wouldn’t have to commute anymore. I needn’t put up with all the impatient people whizzing by me, the fear of falling and the exhaustion that comes with the overcharged atmosphere that is New York.
Yet here I was back on NJ Transit waiting for the worst to happen. But the trip was surprisingly pleasant and uneventful. The day was beautiful, and the conductors were pleasant. They got the bridge plate out so I could get on the train and even remembered me so I could get off the train. The elevators were working and Penn Station even had a new extension on its 7th Avenue side for people with disabilities. It had escalators and an elevator to take you where you needed to be – either street level or the main level of Penn Station. New York was getting downright civilized!
Now for the next phase of my journey – trying to navigate the New York mass transit system. I knew the city has the largest fleet of accessible buses in the world and decided to test it out. At www.nycgo.com,, which offers a detailed online Accessibility Guide, I found out that the M4 bus would take me to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I had decided against the subway since I would have to change trains. Although I was up for the adventure, the bus went straight to the museum, which greatly appealed to me. And, while there are 82 ADA-accessible subway and commuter rail stations, not every subway station is accessible, and some are only accessible in one direction.
Literally across the street from Penn Station is the bus stop for the M4 bus. After waiting no more than 5 minutes, the bus arrived. Not only was it on time but the bus was a kneeling bus so people who had difficulty walking could get on the bus easily and the platform flipped over and provided a ramp for my wheelchair. In the front was an area for a wheelchair lock down which the driver knew how to use. He was even nice about it. All this for the bargain price of $2.25 and for those of you concerned about the environment, the bus was an electric vehicle. A guilt free ride!
The bus traveled along Madison Avenue, which goes uptown. I had discovered the museum bus – it passed the Whitney, stopped a block away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim and the Jewish Museum. As if this wasn’t enough, the bus went to the Cloisters.
Returning was even easier, the bus traveled along 5th Avenue and stopped at each museum. The curb cuts were better than I expected – a little bumpy but certainly manageable. All in all, my experience exceeded my expectations. Perhaps I will have to dust off my “I ♥ New York” button after all.
Last year 46 million tourists visited the Big Apple and the city prides itself on its accessibility. “All medallion taxicab drivers are required to assist persons with disabilities, and are trained to do so. More than 130 medallion taxicabs are wheelchair accessible and may be hailed on the street. In August 2008, the City launched a pilot program under which a person in need of an accessible taxi can call 311 or 212-639-9675 or the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC; 718-666-4067 voice) to be connected to a dispatcher.”
Note: For those of you who’d prefer to drive themselves, you can rent an accessible van with lifts, ramps, hand controls, etc. from Vega Transportation, 888-507-0500 or Wheelers, Inc. at 800-507-0500.
