(a) An Accessible Vehicle may be approved for Hack-up if it meets all of the following conditions:
(1) It is a vehicle other than (i) a bus, (ii) a minibus, or (iii) a van, the chassis for which, as originally manufactured, is designed to seat eight or more persons.
(2) It is capable of transporting at least one passenger using a common wheelchair (as wheelchair is defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 37.3).
(3) It does not seat more than five passengers when presented for Hack-up.
(4) It complies with the requirements in subdivisions (b) and (c) of this section and all other requirements for Hack-up in 35 RCNY § 67-05.1 that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section.
(b) The chassis of the Accessible Vehicle, as originally manufactured, must have:
(1) A maximum horsepower of 290.
(2) The original equipment manufacturer's suspension and steering components.
(3) No bumper modifications.
(4) Exception regarding bumpers: A bumper modified to allow installation of a rear-entry ramp may be approved if it satisfies either of the following:
(i) Modification by secondary manufacturer.
a. The rear bumper is reinforced.
b. The modification is approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
c. The modification meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards crash testing requirements.
d. Any rear door lock modifications must meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and the lock must be attached to the chassis, not the ramp, unless a secondary lock is attached to the chassis.
(ii) Modification by other than secondary manufacturer.
a. The rear bumper is reinforced.
b. The modification is approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
c. The modification meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards crash testing requirements.
d. The modifier must retain an engineer with at least a bachelors degree in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering with at least 3 years' experience in automotive manufacturing to certify that each vehicle was modified using the design tested to meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards crash testing requirements.
e. A separate certification from such engineer for each vehicle must be presented when the vehicle is submitted for Hack-up.
f. Any rear door lock modifications must meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and the lock must be attached to the chassis, not the ramp, unless a secondary lock is attached to the chassis.
(c) The Accessible Taxicab as manufactured by the original equipment manufacturer ("OEM") or as modified by an OEM-approved second-stage manufacturer must meet the following specifications:
(1) The minimum ground clearance (measured from frame, loaded to gross vehicle weight rating) must be 5 inches.
(2) (i) The minimum passenger compartment length (measured from rear of driver's seat base to rear seat base) must be 56 inches.
(ii) Exception: For an Accessible Taxicab designed to carry a Passenger using a wheelchair in the front right position beside the Driver, the minimum passenger compartment length must be 38 inches.
(3) The rear compartment of any vehicle approved for use as an Accessible Taxicab Model must meet the following dimensions as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers:
(i) Effective legroom (L51) must be at least 34.6 inches.
(4) The front compartment of any vehicle approved for use as an Accessible Taxicab Model must meet the following dimensions:
(i) Effective legroom (L34) must be at least 40 inches.
(5) Total legroom (the sum of L34 and L51) must be at least 74.6 inches.
(6) The original floor of the Accessible Vehicle, if lowered, must be lowered from the base of the firewall to the area immediately in front of the rear axle.
(7) If a lowered floor assembly is used, it must be stainless steel (16 gauge minimum) and must meet or exceed the 1,000 hour salt spray rating.
(8) If a lowered floor assembly is used, a vapor-insulating barrier of 1/2 inch marine grade plywood must be applied over the lowered metal floor and thoroughly secured.
(9) The wheelchair ramp must not block any part of the door or glass while in the stowed position.
(10) The system provided to securely hold one or more wheelchairs in place must be the system known as Q straint QRT Standard or its equal.
(11) No anchor points may project more than 1/8 of an inch above the finished floor.
(12) If the Accessible Taxicab has a middle fold-up passenger seat, it must have a folding mechanism and base plate and must meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 207, Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, and section 571.207.
(13) Any modifications to the rear air conditioning must be approved by the OEM.
(14) Any and all electrical wiring, other than as provided by the OEM, must be PVC-or-better insulated and color-coded for positive identification.
(15) The back-up alarm must be an electrically operated device that produces an intermittent audible signal when the Accessible Vehicle's transmission is shifted into reverse.
(d) Accessible Official Taxicab Vehicle ("Accessible OTV") is the OTV modified in a manner that is consistent with the City's contract with Nissan North America.
(Amended City Record 5/14/2018, eff. 6/13/2018; amended City Record 12/9/2020, eff. 1/8/2021)