NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A new class action lawsuit alleges New York City's public transportation system is denying fare discounts to more than 160,000 people with disabilities.
Plaintiffs represented by the Mobilization for Justice, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and Jenner & Block filed suit Feb. 15 in New York County Supreme Court against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the New York City Transit Authority.
The complaint says the defendants' existing discounts for seniors and people with disabilities ignore those who must use the access-A-Ride system instead of subways or buses.
The AAR is part of the same system, the suit says, but half-fares and unlimited weekly and monthly passes are not available.
"Defendants' refusal to provide the Fare Discount Program to eligible individuals with disabilities who use AAR violates New York City's Human Rights Law," the lawsuit says.
The AAR provides transportation for individuals who must stray from the fixed routes of buses and trains in order to reach work, medical appointments and other activities, the suit says.