TLC Rule 80-20(a)(3): Refusing Luggage or Mobility Aids

In short: Rule 80-20(a)(3) says a driver "must not refuse to transport a Passenger's luggage, wheelchair, crutches, other mobility aid or other property." It is a service refusal with mandatory penalties — $350 / $500 for a first violation, up to revocation for a third within 36 months. The usual "it might damage my car" justification does not apply to wheelchairs, crutches, service animals or other mobility aids. They must always be accepted.

What the rule says

From §80-20(a) in the TLC Chapter 80 rule book:

"(3) Luggage and Mobility Aids. A Driver must not refuse to transport a Passenger's luggage, wheelchair, crutches, other mobility aid or other property." §80-20(a)(3) Mandatory penalties as set forth in §80-02(e) — Appearance NOT REQUIRED

The §80-02(e) table lists it as "Refusal of service – Refusing to transport wheelchairs, crutches or other mobility aids for Passengers with a disability."

Who it applies to

All TLC drivers — yellow taxi, green cab and FHV. Rule 80-20(a) protects every passenger, but this paragraph matters most to passengers with a disability, because a refused wheelchair or walker can mean the passenger cannot travel at all.

Drivers of wheelchair-accessible vehicles have extra duties under rule 80-20(a)(6): after accepting an e-hail or accessible dispatch, they must not refuse the passenger; they must help the passenger in from the sidewalk and out to the curb; they must secure the passenger and the mobility device as taught in an approved TLC training course; they must load and secure packages on request; and they must help with payment on request, such as reaching the card reader or counting cash aloud.

Common situations

• A folding wheelchair or walker, and the trunk is full of the driver's own things.
• A large suitcase or several bags at the airport.
• A passenger with a guide dog, and a driver with allergies or a fear of dogs. The rules make no exception for this: service animals must be accepted.
• A bicycle, a large box, or a piece of furniture — ordinary property, where the damage justification may apply if the belief is reasonable.

The one exception — and its limit

Rule 80-20(b)(3) lists as a justified refusal: "The Passenger is carrying or is in possession of any article, package, case or container which the Driver reasonably believes will cause damage to the Vehicle." Then comes the caution in capital letters: "This does NOT include wheelchairs, crutches, a service animal or other mobility aid used by a Passenger with a disability. Mobility aids must be accepted."

So for ordinary luggage, there is room for a reasonable belief that an item will damage the vehicle. For mobility aids, there is none.

All your duties to passengers with luggage or a disability

Rule 80-20(a)(3) is one of many rules on this subject. Together they describe what TLC expects on every trip:

TLC defines a Service Animal as "an animal that performs a task or specific set of tasks to assist a person with a disability" (chapter 51). Rule 80-20(b)(7) lets you refuse an animal that is not in a suitable container — but again, that "does not apply to service animals accompanying people with disabilities."

Penalties

The mandatory ladder is shared with all refusal and overcharge codes in §80-02(e):

• First violation: $350 if you plead guilty before a hearing; $500 if found guilty after a hearing.
• Second (any listed violation) within 24 months: $700; or $1,000 and possible suspension up to 30 days.
• Third within 36 months: $750 and revocation; or $1,000 and revocation.

After a revocation under this table, you cannot get any TLC license for one year (rule 80-02(e)(3)). See the general refusal page for how the 24- and 36-month windows are counted.

How often it is charged

This exact code is rare as a first charge: the OATH data shows between one and six summonses a year from 2017 to 2025. Refusals involving a wheelchair or luggage may also be written as a general refusal under 80-20(a)(1), so this count alone does not show how often such refusals happen.

What to do now

1. Read the summons description. Was it about luggage, or a mobility aid? The available arguments are very different.
2. Write down what the item was and why you acted as you did, as soon as possible.
3. Collect trip and location records for the time on the summons.
4. Check your 24/36-month history before pleading guilty.
5. Complete training you are required to have. New and renewing drivers must complete the Passenger Assistance and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Training (rule 80-04). See our WAV training guide.

Points to discuss with your lawyer

• Was the item a mobility aid, or ordinary property?
• If ordinary property, was your belief that it would damage the car reasonable, and can you show why?
• Was the passenger in fact refused, or did a misunderstanding end the trip?
• Does the complaint identify your vehicle and the time correctly?

More: service animals and accessibility and WAV drivers.