§ 1017.8. Wheelchair accessible vehicle taxicab specifications.
(a) Basic requirements. WAV taxicabs must be in compliance with the requirements applicable to taxicabs, except when deviations are authorized or required by the act, this part or an order of the Authority.
(b) Standard specifications for WAV taxicabs. In addition to the requirements of subsection (a), a WAV taxicab is a vehicle that has been inspected and approved by the Enforcement Department as meeting all of the following requirements:
(1) Mobility and accessibility.
(i) The lift/ramp width must be 30 inches minimum.
(ii) The design load of the lift/ramp must be at least 600 pounds.
(iii) Controls for the lift/ramp must be interlocked with the vehicle to ensure that the vehicle cannot be moved while the lift/ramp is in operation.
(iv) Controls for the lift/ramp must be of the momentary contact type requiring continuous manual pressure to operate.
(v) The lift/ramp must be equipped with an emergency deployment method in the event of power or mechanical failure.
(vi) The installation of a lift/ramp must include provisions to prevent the lift/ramp from falling or folding any faster than 12 inches/second in the event of any failure of the load-carrying component.
(vii) The lift/ramp platform must be equipped with handrails on two sides, a minimum of 8 inches long and 30 inches above the platform, and move in tandem with the lift/ramp.
(viii) The lift/ramp platform must have barriers at least 2 inches or higher to prevent mobility aid wheels from slipping off.
(ix) Lift/platform surfaces must be continuous and slip resistant, and accommodate four-wheel and three-wheel mobility aids.
(x) The transition from roadway or sidewalk and the transition from vehicle floor to the ramp may be vertical without edge treatment up to 1/4 inch.
(xi) Ramps must have the least slope practical and may not exceed 1:4 when deployed to ground level.
(xii) The lift/ramp attachment must be firmly attached to the vehicle so that it is not subject to displacement when loading or unloading a heavy mobility aid and the gap between the vehicle and ramp may not exceed 5/8 inch.
(2) Doors, steps and thresholds.
(i) For vehicles 22 feet in length or less, the overhead clearance between the top of the door opening. The raised life platform or highest point of the ramp must be a minimum of 56 inches.
(ii) Vehicle doorways in which a lift/ramp is installed must have an outside light, which, when the door is open, provides at least 1 foot-candle of illumination on the street surface for a distance of 3 feet perpendicular to the lift/ramp. The light must be shielded to protect the eyes of entering and exiting passengers.
(3) Interior compartment.
(i) Floor areas where people walk and securement locations must have slip-resistant surfaces.
(ii) A minimum clear floor area of 30 inches by 48 inches must be provided for each wheelchair position.
(iii) Regarding seating configuration, vehicles 22 feet in length or less must provide forward/rear seating only.
(iv) Ramp stowage must be accomplished in a manner as not to pose a hazard to passengers or impinge on a passenger’s mobility aid.
(v) Interior handrails and stanchions must permit sufficient turning and maneuvering space for mobility aids to reach securement location from lift/ramp.
(vi) Handrails and stanchions must be provided in the entrance to the vehicle in a configuration which allows people to grasp the assists from outside the vehicle while starting to board, and to continue using the assists throughout the boarding process.
(4) Secure systems.
(i) There must be four tie down straps for each wheelchair position.
(ii) For each mobility aid securement device, a passenger seat belt and shoulder harness must be provided for use by mobility aid users. These belts may not be used instead of a device which secures the mobility aid itself.
(iii) Securement systems must be stowed in a way as not to present a hazard to passengers when not in use.
(c) Current vehicles. Taxicabs authorized by the Authority on August 30, 2014, that are capable of providing taxicab service to a person in a wheelchair without the need for the person to exit the wheelchair are exempt from the requirements of subsection (b). The exemption provided in this subsection expires when the exempted vehicle is removed from taxicab service and does not run with the associated medallion or certificate of public convenience.
Authority The provisions of this § 1017.8 temporarily amended under 53 Pa.C.S. § 57B02.
Source The provisions of this § 1017.8 adopted August 29, 2014, effective August 30, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 5662; temporarily amended May 5, 2017, effective February 25, 2017, expire upon promulgation of final-form regulations or on November 5, 2018, whichever is later, as set forth in 53 Pa.C.S. § 57B02(b), 47 Pa.B. 2558. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (373999) to (374001).
Cross References This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 1011.2 (relating to definitions).
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