WAMU 88.5 : News

D.C.'s Accessible Cab Drivers Matter As Much As Cabs Themselves

Play associated audio
Taxi driver Jim Lane secures his first passenger, Bobby Coward, in his new wheelchair-accessible cab.
David Schultz
Taxi driver Jim Lane secures his first passenger, Bobby Coward, in his new wheelchair-accessible cab.

Thanks to a million dollar federal grant, 20 new minivan taxis equipped with retractable wheelchair ramps will be on the streets of Washington.

And behind the wheels of these taxis will be people like driver Jim Lane.

"We do our job as normal, with the exception of moving chairs in and out," he says.

One of Lane's potential clients, Bobby Coward, says Lane is being modest. Coward's been confined to a wheelchair for two decades, and he says when it comes to transportation for people with disabilities, the vehicle is often less important than the person operating it.

"You know, how would the driver respond if the individual with disabilities is having a crisis, some type of medical outburst?" he says. "What do you do? You've got to respond quick."

In addition to learning how to move the wheelchairs in and out of the taxis, the drivers also receive sensitivity training for their new clientele.

NPR

From Classic Toys To New Twists, Kids Go Back To Blocks

NPR's Neda Ulaby investigates a trend in toys that sounds awfully familiar: Manufacturers are finding new ways to get kids interested in playing with blocks, both real and virtual.
NPR

And The Winner Of The World Food Prize Is ... The Man From Monsanto

The prize is sometimes called the "Nobel Prize for food and agriculture." And this year's winners include Monsanto executive Robert Fraley, a pioneer in genetically engineered crops. If there's a single person who personifies the company's controversial role in American agriculture, it's probably Fraley.
NPR

The Penultimate Edition Of The Political Junkie

Ken Rudin recaps the week in politics. Boston Globe political reporter Jim O'Sullivan previews the special election between Mass. Senate candidates Edward Markey and Gabriel Gomez on June 25. NPR senior Washington editor Ron Elving looks to the future of Congress.
NPR

FBI Director Says Agency Is Using Drones Over The U.S.

Robert Mueller told the Senate the FBI used drones rarely and for surveillance proposes. The DEA and the ATF had both revealed they possessed drones.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.