52 Pa. Code § 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.
Notes
The provisions of this § 1017.8 temporarily amended under 53 Pa.C.S. § 57B 02.
This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 1011.2 (relating to definitions).
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