Transportation Team, Led by Matt Daus, Secures Victory for Brooklyn Seniors and the Disabled
On Friday, July 1, 2011, in a press conference held in Brooklyn, NY, Windels Marx counsel, Matthew W. Daus was joined by New York State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn), New York City Council Member Vincent Gentile, Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis, expert witness Professor Jonathan Peters and Plaintiffs Jean Ryan and Jen Halpert to announce the withdrawal of a lawsuit filed against the Metropolitan Transit Authority ("MTA") in New York State Supreme Court, and the restoration of weekday express bus service (x27/x28 and x37/x38 lines) together with the expansion of the Access-ARide Taxi Voucher Program to livery cabs in Brooklyn and other boroughs.
Mr. Daus said, "This is an unprecedented victory, and we are extremely pleased the MTA has restored and improved service on behalf of disabled and senior riders who were impacted by these services cuts." The suit was a case of first impression under the State and City Human Rights Laws, where it was alleged that more severe service cuts were made in areas where a very high percentage of seniors and disabled reside, effectively stranding them while other communities with less seniors and disabled had less cuts.
Senator Marty Golden stated, "The services cuts of 2010 implemented by the Metropolitan Transit Authority were not equal throughout the city and severely impacted the seniors, the disabled and all people of this part of Brooklyn. The commutes for so many were intolerable and extensive and the MTA left us no other options. Poor bus service, complimented by train stations not fitted with elevators so to allow for access by seniors and the disabled, made getting traveling in our City almost impossible."
Golden continued, "I thank the Metropolitan Transit Authority for listening and the plaintiffs for their advocacy on behalf of the many need better transportation services. I thank Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP, fortheir fine representation and their efforts, which have made a difference, on behalf of many New Yorkers."
Mr. Daus, who previously served as New York City Taxi & Limousine Commissioner, and who currently Chairs Windels Marx's Transportation Group, represents both Senator Golden and the Corporate Transportation Group, and the firm has provided extensive pro bono legal services in their efforts to resolve this dispute. The Windels Marx legal team also included: Christopher Mehno, Kaylie Lotzof, Taila Martin, Antonio Casas, Gregory Kerr, Rosa Bezares, Carolyn Rinaldi and Jim Tracy.
During the press conference, MTA representatives installed new express bus schedules and service restoration signs.
About Windels Marx
With offices in New York, NY, Madison, NJ, New Brunswick, NJ, Princeton, NJ, and Stamford, CT, Windels Marx is a full service law firm formed by the merger of two high quality, well known firms, Windels, Marx, Davies & Ives, with roots dating from the mid 1800's, and Lane & Mittendorf, LLP, itself one half century old. The Firm represents a diverse group of domestic and international clients in a broad-based general legal practice centering on corporate, litigation, real estate, employment, and other major business practice areas. Windels Marx's Transportation Practice Group is dedicated to serving ground transportation and related businesses, counselling companies of all sizes on a broad range of transportation matters, including regulatory compliance, strategic planning, administrative law, and public policy throughout the United States and internationally.
