HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3439        FILED ON: 2/18/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3304

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bruce J. Ayers

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to provide improved access to taxicabs for persons with disabilities.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3439        FILED ON: 2/18/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3304

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act to provide improved access to taxicabs for persons with disabilities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

The term “accessible taxicab” shall refer to a taxicab that complies with federal regulations promulgated pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act applicable to vans under 22 feet in length, by the federal Department of Transportation, in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, parts 37 and 38, and by the federal Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, in Code of Federal Regulations, title 36, sections 1192.23 et seq., and the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 571, that is hacked-up, as that term is defined in section 3-01(a) of this chapter, to an accessible  medallion or any other medallion on or after June 25, 2013.

A vehicle that complies with this section, except that the rear bumper has been cut or otherwise modified to allow the installation of a rearentry ramp for wheelchair access, shall nonetheless be approved for hack-up as an accessible taxicab if:

(1) The rear bumper is reinforced and the rear bumper modification is approved by the OEM;

(2) The vehicle modifications meet or exceed any applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards crash testing requirements;

(3) If the rear door lock mechanism of the vehicle is modified, the modification must meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and the lock mechanism must be affixed to the vehicle chassis, not the ramp assembly, unless a secondary

lock is provided that is affixed to the vehicle chassis.

That "accessible taxicab" shall mean any vehicle that (1) is equipped with a lift, ramp, or any other device, arrangement or alteration, so it is capable of transporting persons with physical disa bilities, including those who use wheelchairs, scooters and similar devices while they remain seated in their wheelchairs, scooters or similar devices; (2) complies with the specifications set forth in regulations promulgated under the Americans with disabilities act and codified at 49 c.f.r. sections 38.23, 38.25 and 38.31, as amended, whether or not those regulations would apply under federal law; (3) is equipped with an assistive listening system for persons with hearing impairment that is connected with any intercom, video or audio system, when such a system is installed; (4) assures that the technology utilized by taxicabs is compliant with the standards promulgated by the commissioner of transportation; provided that a local authority with oversight over taxicabs, limousines and livery vehicles may conduct pilot programs testing new systems;

The secretary of transportation shall promulgate any rules, regulations and standards necessary to give effect of the provisions of this act, including, but not limited to rules, regulations and standards concerning the standardization of assistive listening technology avail able in taxicabs and the content of signs available in taxicabs to visu ally impaired persons. -