[cujo]

I don't think I buy this as a viable alternative. The first problem that pops into my head is transportation for disabled people who are visiting the city or that commute in for whatever reason. Providing them access to the disabled-taxi-program is problematic.

[Mythanar]

How so? Order Uber/Lyft ride, send a CC receipt to NYC gov with a disability proof. Get money back.

Any complications I am missing?

[potatolicious]

This is literally how it works - except it's paid for directly by the city government, rather than an expense-reimbursement situation.

This is important since ParaTransit is pegged to the regular public transit fare ($2.75 a ride as of right now), and it'd be unreasonable to expect someone with low income to float a large expense ($20+) until they are reimbursed.

Nor would it be reasonable to expect the government to reimburse arbitrary amounts of money incurred for travel from parties unknown to the government.

The complication is that wait times for this service is awful, because the incentives do not encourage a sizable accessible vehicle fleet. The service advises users to be prepared for up to an hour's total wait + travel time to go less than 3 miles.

In contrast, in the same amount of time an able bodied person can take the subway 20+ miles.

It'd be unreasonable to expect a handicapped person to be able to travel as easily as an able-bodied person, but the disparity is pretty extreme.

[morsch]

You think visitors to a city will put up with the bureaucratic interaction you describe to recover 20 bucks? Might as well not have it.

[Markoff]

what about everyone with cold in stroller? they should ask for refund too or be jailed at home first 1-3 years?