David Riley

@rilzd

Two advocacy groups for people with disabilities called Thursday on Mayor Lovely Warren to reconsider her support for allowing ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft to expand to Rochester.

Disability advocates protested Uber's expansion earlier this week at the state Capitol, arguing that upstate mayors should not support ride-sharing companies until they agree to require their drivers' vehicles to be wheelchair-accessible.

The Rochester-based Center for Disability Rights and the United Spinal Association kept up the pressure on Thursday, with their CEOs co-signing a letter that called on Warren specifically to reconsider her position and join their cause.

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A city spokesman said Thursday that Warren's support for ride-sharing is about providing more transportation options to everyone, including people with disabilities. State leaders should carefully consider accessibility requirements as they review legislation that would allow ride-sharing services to expand, spokesman James Smith said.

“We’d be very open to seeing the state provide for greater accessibility," he said.

Thursday's letter said the disability advocates were disappointed by Warren's decision to endorse the expansion of Uber last year, but encouraged by remarks from her office this week about making the service more accessible.

"Given your interest in promoting accessibility, we urge you to reconsider your support for Uber’s push to expand into Rochester," the letter said. "We also urge you to tell Uber that you will not support its expansion until the company requires all of its vehicles to be wheelchair-accessible."

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Center for Disability Rights CEO Bruce Darling and United Spinal Association President and CEO James Weisman signed the letter and wrote that they would like to meet with Warren.

She is part of a coalition of mayors who came out last year in support of ride-sharing across the state, including the leaders of Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo and Binghamton.

Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, D-Irondequoit, also is a cosponsor of legislation that would allow services like Uber and its competitor, Lyft, to expand beyond New York City.

Morelle's office said Thursday that he would look to require Uber and Lyft to comply with the same regulatory standards as taxis and limousines as part of any expansion. That would include any requirements on accessibility, as well as insurance and employee screening, Morelle spokesman Sean Hart said.

The city does not appear to have accessibility requirements on the books for taxis.

Advocates say that none of Uber's 30,000 vehicles in New York City are wheelchair accessible.

Uber said earlier this week that it has included features in its mobile application that would benefit seeing- or hearing-impaired users, and that it continues to explore ways to better serve people with disabilities.

DRILEY@Gannett.com