Written by John Morris, WheelchairTravel.org, updated February, 2024
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Wheelchair Taxis in Boston
ADA compliant wheelchair accessible taxi vans with rear entry wheelchair ramps are available within the Boston metropolitan area and are charged at the same meter rates as a normal taxi. Rideshare services Uber and Lyft also offer wheelchair accessible vans in Boston through their UberWAV and Lyft Access platforms.
Traditional Wheelchair Taxis
Boston has a fleet of 100 licensed wheelchair taxis which can accommodate both manual and powered wheelchairs. The accessible taxi vans have a lowered floor and are equipped for rear (lift gate) entry. Wheelchair taxis can be ordered on demand and typically arrive within 20 to 40 minutes in Boston. Wheelchair taxis may not be available during the overnight hours, and I have had difficulty securing an accessible cab prior to 8 a.m.
The following companies offer adapted wheelchair taxis and are authorized to make pick-ups within the City of Boston:
Boston Cab Association
www.bostoncab.us
+1 (617) 536-5010
Independent Taxis Operators Association
www.itoataxi.com
+1 (617) 268-1313
The following meter rates apply are approved by the City of Boston and apply to both standard taxi cabs and wheelchair taxis provided by the traditional cab companies:
- Flag Drop + First 1/7 mile — $2.60
- Each additional 1/7 mile — $0.40
- Idling/Wait time — $28 per hour
The following additional toll charges apply to taxi rides between the airport and Center City.
- TO Logan Airport FROM Boston — $2.65 for trips that pass through the Callahan or Ted Williams Tunnel; $2.25 for trips that cross the Tobin Bridge.
- TO Boston FROM Logan Airport — $4.90 for trips that pass through the Callahan or Ted Williams Tunnel; $4.50 for trips that cross the Tobin Bridge.
There are no additional charges for extra passengers or bags, and taxi drivers are required to provide a receipt by the Boston Police Department.
Requesting a wheelchair taxi ride an hour or more in advance of your trip will increase the likelihood of an on-time pick-up. For late-night or early-morning trips, requests should be made much earlier (12-24 hours).
UberWAV in Boston
Boston is one of a small number of cities where Uber offers a wheelchair accessible service to people with disabilities. I am a frequent Uber rider in Boston, where wait times generally range from 5 to 20 minutes. Occasionally, wait times may be longer given that there are a limited number of UberWAV vehicles on the road at any given time. I have found that UberWAV is frequently unavailable between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. in Boston, so keep that in mind when making plans.
The lower costs associated with Uber make the platform attractive to residents and tourists alike. UberWAV vehicles in Boston are Dodge Grand Caravans with a rear-entry wheelchair ramp. I have found the UberWAV drivers to be knowledgeable in securing my wheelchair with tie-downs in the vehicle, and each driver has treated me with respect.
If you are interested in testing out UberWAV for yourself, download the iOS or Android App to your phone. By using my promo code JOHNM82489UE during sign-up, you’ll receive your first ride free (up to a certain amount). I will receive a $5 credit for referring you. You don’t have to use my code, but I will appreciate it if you do!
Wheelchair Accessible Lyft in Boston
Just like Uber, Lyft also offers accessible rides in Boston using Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles with a rear-entry wheelchair ramp.
I use Lyft much less frequently than Uber, largely due to the fact that their accessible vans are often unavailable, especially at night. If, when searching for a ride, the Lyft app shows “in 7 minutes” under the wheelchair vehicle option, you probably will not get a ride. 7 minutes seems to be Lyft’s default when no wheelchair vans are on the road.
If you would like to give Lyft Access a try while visiting Boston, download the iOS or Android App to your phone. Use my promo code JOHN96055 during sign-up and you’ll receive a discount on your first ride (amount varies by location). I will receive a $10 credit for referring you. You don’t have to use my code, but I will appreciate it if you do!
Wheelchair Accessibility of Boston Sidewalks
Settlers first made Boston their home in 1625, incorporating it as a town in 1630. The city’s nearly 400-year history is celebrated, with several homes dating to the 1600s, including the historic Paul Revere House which has been made wheelchair accessible. With its long history, Boston has seen many phases of development and expansion, with varied street and sidewalk designs that remind one of a patchwork quit.
The majority of crosswalks feature highly visible pathways, curb ramps and visual and audio indicators. In some of the most high-traffic areas of Boston, the city has banned right turns on red for vehicles and, in some cases, has instituted “exclusive phasing” for pedestrians. Exclusive phasing periods stop all vehicle traffic and permit pedestrians to cross in all directions or diagonally, making the roads safer for everyone but especially wheelchair users and other pedestrians with disabilities.
Throughout the city, curb ramps provide access to sidewalks, but only about half meet the standards outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. In 2021, a settlement was reached in the class action case of Muehe, et al. v. City of Boston, in which the city agreed to construct or upgrade at least 1,600 curb ramps per year until every corner at a pedestrian crossing has an ADA-compliant curb ramp.
New and updated curb ramps and crosswalks are appearing all across the city, with investments directed first to places with the most pedestrian traffic and where disabled people are most impacted. Residents are also empowered to report sidewalk issues via the ADA Curb Ramp Request Form, with the city aiming to remediate the issues reported within one year of submission.
With disability advocates across the country seeking redress for sidewalk inaccessibility, the consent decree issued in Boston and the steps the city is taking to address it are very encouraging — a model, perhaps, for the nation.
While the majority of Boston sidewalks are concrete, some neighborhoods, including the historic North End, are dominated by brick pathways. On some streets, stone is also common. Historic neighborhoods may pose additional accessibility barriers, including narrow sidewalks, some of which are not accessible to wheelchair users.
The most photographed trees in Boston, Acorn Street, is paved with rough cobblestones and flanked by steep brick sidewalks that are far too narrow for wheelchair users. The street is an inaccessible one, but the inability to access it from a wheelchair only limits users from reaching the row houses perched there. And, while it is important that there be Equal Access Everywhere, it is worth pointing out that these extremes are not indicative of the city as a whole.
Winter weather impacts the condition of sidewalks in the northeast and, even in Boston’s downtown core, the sometimes harsh winter conditions have made the surfaces of many sidewalks rough and uneven. Coupling freezing weather, rain and snow with aged concrete and brick surfaces leads to damage and degradation. While few streets are actually Impassable, wheelchair users are unlikely to find a smooth roll in many areas.
At the time winter weather does strike, especially during a declared snow emergency, the city’s public works department jumps into gear to clear snow and other debris. The city’s rules for clearing snow are described below:
Property owners must fully clear snow, sleet and ice from sidewalks and curb ramps abutting the property within three hours after the snowfall ends, or three hours after sunrise if the snow ends overnight. Curb and pedestrian ramps to the street should be cleared fully and continually over the duration of the storm to ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities. If the storm lasts for an extended period of time, property owners are asked to continually check and clear ramps abutting their property.
In my experience, the public works department has done a good job in taking care of streets and sidewalks on snow days, salting roads and clearing curb ramps, especially downtown and in areas close to tourist sites. Unfortunately, during snowstorms, wheelchair users must rely on businesses and residents to do their part in taking care of their own sidewalks. There is no such thing as completely barrier-free when it is snowing. Wheelchair users rolling around the city in the snow will encounter impassable snow drifts and unshovelled sidewalks, however there is typically another way — just make sure to pack some extra energy to take it on.
It is important to note that this is not intended to be an article which considers the accessibility of every sidewalk in Boston. This travel guide is written for tourists. Sidewalks are in a far better state of repair around popular wheelchair accessible attractions in Boston. Wheelchair users visiting Boston will find the city to be accessible and accommodating, where investments in accessibility features and pedestrian corridors like the Rose Kennedy Greenway have made it a joy to explore the city on foot or using a wheelchair.