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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Christopher Schuyler, Managing Attorney of the Disability Justice Program at New York Lawyers for Public Interest, on MTA Accessibility and Paratransit Services
6:27:06
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Christopher Schuyler, a managing attorney with a stutter, testified on behalf of New York Lawyers for Public Interest, urging the city to push the MTA for improved accessibility in subways and paratransit services. He emphasized the need for better elevator access, reduced platform gaps, and settlement of accessibility lawsuits to redirect funds toward improvements.
- Advocated for expanding the on-demand paratransit program and eliminating in-person assessment centers for paratransit eligibility
- Highlighted the city's significant funding contribution to the MTA (80% for paratransit) as leverage for demanding these improvements
- Requested that the MTA address service issues in the Access-A-Ride paratransit program
Christopher Schuyler
6:27:06
Good afternoon to Chair Bruce Powers.
6:27:11
My name is Christopher Schuyler.
6:27:14
I'm a managing attorney of the Disability Justice Program at New York Lawyers for Public Interest.
6:27:19
I'm a person who stutters.
6:27:23
Thank you for hearing my testimony today.
6:27:28
So I wanted to cover, with starting with MTA and in recognition of the enormous funding that the city contributes to the MTA, want to really urge that the city push the MTA on accessibility improvements to its system, just in the form of elevators, in making subway stations more accessible in terms of of the gaps between the platforms and the trains, and other accessibility improvements.
6:28:09
We also would request that the city, urge the MTA to to to settle its outstanding lawsuits, which use up enormous amounts of taxpayer money, which could be better used toward actually making accessibility improvements.
6:28:31
Additionally, in addition to subways, the MTA oversees the access route paratransit program.
6:28:38
And, as Chair Brooks Powers noted, earlier today, MTA is expecting 80% of its funding to come to come from the city.
6:28:49
And so we we we really urge, the city to to to push the MTA to to address service issues, to shut down assessment centers.
6:28:59
This would save the MTA this would save a lot of money and paratransit providers throughout the state do do do not force, people to actually show up in person at assessment centers.
6:29:10
They accept medical documentation.
6:29:13
And lastly, expand the on demand program
Mark Chen
6:29:17
Your time has expired.
Christopher Schuyler
6:29:18
A life changing program.
6:29:21
So so so thank you chair to chair Brooks Powers, and I will submit the rest of my my my testimony in written form.