Taxi access for people with disabilities

A note from James Weisman, general counsel of the United Spinal Association.

Taxi access for people with disabilities has become a cutting edge advocacy issue.

Dispatch apps, sometimes called TNC's (Transportation Network Companies) need to provide services to people with disabilities and must be held accountable when they do not. Using AbleRoad to rate car services and dispatch apps can help us to accomplish this.

AbleRoad is a website and mobile app that allows wheelchair users to rate and share car services and dispatch apps.

We have three goals:

1. To assist others with disabilities who need to travel.
2. To hold taxi companies, and car services accountable.
3. Most importantly, to have a measurable evaluation of the largely unregulated dispatch app companies, which include, among other companies, Uber and Lyft.

Here's how:
Go to AbleRoad.com and type in the name of the car service or dispatch app and your location. Since AbleRoad uses the Yelp platform, if it is listed on Yelp, it will appear on AbleRoad and you can write a review and tell fellow travelers with disabilities about the quality of the service and/or accessibility of the vehicle.

If a car service is not listed on Yelp, you can add the business to Yelp using www.yelp.com/writeareview/newbiz and then add a review. It will appear on AbleRoad.

To download the AbleRoad app on an iPhone go to the App Store and search for AbleRoad; to download on Android go to play.google.com and search for AbleRoad.

Let's work together to make it happen. Thank you for participating.