(a) Accessible Vehicle Hack-up: Unrestricted and Alternative Fuel Minifleet Medallions.
(i) Beginning on the Accessible Conversion Start Date, any Unrestricted Medallion which is a Minifleet Medallion for which a new vehicle is placed into service must be Hacked-up with an Accessible Taxicab meeting the requirements of 35 RCNY § 67-05.2 until at least 50 percent of the Unrestricted Minifleet Medallions owned by such Minifleet are Hacked-up with an Accessible Taxicab that meets the requirements of 35 RCNY § 67-05.2.
(ii) Following the Accessible Conversion Start Date and beginning at such time that there is available a vehicle qualified for use with an Alternative Fuel Medallion that is also qualified as an Accessible Taxicab under 35 RCNY Chapter 67, any Alternative Fuel Minifleet Medallion for which a new vehicle is placed into service must be Hacked-up with a vehicle that is qualified for use with both an Alternative Fuel Medallion and an Accessible Medallion under 35 RCNY Chapter 67, until at least 50 percent of the Alternative Fuel Minifleet Medallions owned by such Minifleet are Hacked-up with such vehicles.
(b) Accessible Vehicles Hacked-up. An Accessible Vehicle, as indicated by vehicle identification number, which is Hacked-up with any Minifleet Medallion in order to comply with Accessible Taxicab Hack-up requirements for a Minifleet Medallion under subdivision (a) of this section can satisfy an Accessible Taxicab Hack-up requirement under subdivision (a) only at the time of first Hack-up.
(c) Accessible Vehicle Hack-up: Unrestricted and Alternative Fuel Independent Medallions.
(i) Beginning on the Accessible Conversion Start Date, 50 percent of all Unrestricted Medallions which are Independent Medallions for which a new vehicle is placed into service in each calendar year must be Hacked-up with an Accessible Taxicab meeting the requirements of 35 RCNY § 67-05.2.
(ii) Following the Accessible Conversion Start Date and beginning at such time that there is available a vehicle qualified for use with an Alternative Fuel Medallion that is also qualified as an Accessible Taxicab under 35 RCNY Chapter 67, 50 percent of all Alternative Fuel Independent Medallion for which a new vehicle is placed into service in each calendar year must be Hacked-up with a vehicle that is qualified for use with both an Alternative Fuel Medallion and an Accessible Medallion under 35 RCNY Chapter 67.
(iii) The TLC will select the Independent Medallions that will be subject to this requirement in a bi-annual lottery. This procedure will also be used for Alternative Fuel Medallions when a qualifying vehicle is available. The lottery will determine accessible vehicle Hack-up requirements for Independent Medallions (including Alternative Fuel Independent Medallions when applicable) until the next following scheduled vehicle replacement for those medallions.
(iv) The TLC will conduct the lottery on or before January 1 of each year for medallions which must place an Accessible Taxicab into service from July 1 to December 31 of that year. For medallions which must place an Accessible Taxicab into service from January 1 to June 30 of the next calendar year, the lottery will be held on or before July 1 of the preceding year.
(v) The TLC will post on its Web site which Independent Medallions must be Hacked-up with an Accessible Taxicab meeting the requirements of 35 RCNY § 67-05.2 as soon as practicable following the lottery.
(vi) Those Medallions that are not selected in the lottery held pursuant to paragraph (iv) of this subdivision to Hack-up an Accessible Taxicab in their next vehicle replacement will be required to place an Accessible Taxicab into service in their next following scheduled vehicle replacement.
(e) Transfer of Accessible Vehicle Conversion Requirement.
(i) In any calendar year, any Owner or vehicle owner required to Hack-up a Medallion with an Accessible Vehicle under this Rule will be permitted to transfer such requirement to any other Owner or vehicle owner who is not subject to that requirement and is required to Hack-up a vehicle during the same calendar year.
(ii) Any Owner or vehicle owner wishing to transfer the Accessible Vehicle conversion requirement as provided in paragraph (i) of this subdivision must provide notice to the Chairperson in the form specified by the Chairperson at least 60 days prior to the scheduled retirement date, as set forth in 35 RCNY § 67-18, as may be modified by 35 RCNY § 67-19, of the transferor's vehicle or of the transferee's vehicle, whichever is earlier.
(iii) Any Owner agreeing to accept the Accessible Vehicle conversion requirement pursuant to paragraph (i) of this subdivision must follow all requirements of this Rule as if such owner were required to Hack-up an Accessible Vehicle pursuant to subdivisions (a) or (c) of this Section.
(f) Conversion through Scheduled Retirement: A Taxicab Medallion required to be placed into service with an Accessible Vehicle under this Section must continuously be Hacked-up with an Accessible Vehicle for a minimum of four years.
(g) Any Owner of a Taxicab Medallion placed into service with an Accessible Taxicab pursuant to this section must comply with all requirements of 35 RCNY Chapter 53.
(h) The TLC will review the Taxicab Improvement Fund annually, by no later than the end of April, beginning in 2017, to assess the adequacy of the Fund, the uses of the Fund, and the surcharge funding the Fund receives, and will produce a report annually with the result of its assessment and recommendations and analysis. Such recommendations and analysis shall include but not be limited to the following: (i) whether the current surcharge should be lowered, raised or kept the same; (ii) a review of possible alternate sources of funding for the Fund other than the surcharge; and (iii) the costs incurred by Owners and Drivers that are required to purchase and operate Accessible Vehicles as opposed to those Owners and Drivers who are not so required. Such report shall be submitted to the Speaker of the NYC Council and posted on TLC's website upon completion of the report.
(i) [Reserved.]
(j) Taxi Improvement Fund Allocations. Owners of Medallions and Drivers of Medallions who have submitted all required forms and documentation as specified by the Chairperson will receive allocations from the Taxi Improvement Fund as follows:
(1) Owners of Medallions who have placed an Accessible Taxicab into service will receive:
(i) Hack-up Payment. A one-time subsidy payment of at least $14,000, determined by the Commission and posted on the Commission's website. Such payment will be the same for all eligible Medallion Owners. Such a payment will be allocated to a Medallion only if the Accessible Vehicle operating on such Medallion has not previously received such a payment. This determination will be based on the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the Accessible Vehicle.
(ii) Accessible Vehicle Operational Payments. A series of equal payments adding up to no less than a total of $16,000. The frequency and amount of such payments will be determined by the Commission and posted on the commission's website, but such payments will be made at least three (3) times per year. Such payments will be the same for all eligible Medallion Owners. Payments will be issued provided that the Accessible Taxicab:
A. Meets the vehicle inspection requirements of 35 RCNY § 58-29, and
B. With the exception of the first payment following initial Hack-up, has completed a minimum of 250 Passenger trips since the previous inspection.
C. Was logged onto the Accessible Taxi Dispatcher system through the Dispatch Equipment while in operation during the period since the previous inspection.
(2) Drivers of Accessible Taxicabs will receive periodically, a per-trip payment for each Passenger trip while driving an Accessible Taxicab. The per-trip payment amount will be determined based on a review of available funds and the availability of drivers. The per-trip payment amount will be posted on the TLC Web site.
(3) Allocation amounts provided for in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subdivision will be reviewed and adjusted as provided in Subdivision (h) of this section.
(Amended City Record 10/23/2015, eff. 11/22/2015; amended City Record 5/14/2018, eff. 6/13/2018; amended City Record 12/11/2018, eff. 1/10/2019; amended City Record 12/9/2020, eff. 1/8/2021)