A number of taxi companies provide ADA accessible wheelchair taxis in Nashville, Tennessee. The vehicles are in high demand and should be reserved in advance. Without an advance reservation, you may be unable to get a wheelchair taxi pick-up.
The following companies offer adapted wheelchair taxis and are authorized to make pick-ups within the City of Nashville:
Checker Cab
+1 (615) 256-7000
Music City Taxi
www.MusicCityCab.com
+1 (615) 865-4100
Volunteer Taxi Cab
+1 (615) 423-3118
Yellow Cab Nashville
www.YellowCab-Nashville.com
+1 (615) 256-0101
The following meter rates apply are approved by the City of Nashville and apply to both standard taxi cabs and wheelchair taxis provided by the traditional cab companies:
- Flag Drop — $3.00
- Each additional mile — $2.00
- Each minute of wait time requested by passenger — $0.30
- Each additional passenger — $1.00
- Airport departure surcharge — $4.00 added to flag drop
The following flat rate charges apply to taxi rides between the Airport, Downtown Nashville and Opryland.
- Flat Rate — $25.00
- Each additional passenger — $1.00
Please note that most taxi drivers will not inform you of the existence of a flat rate, and will instead charge the metered rate which is almost always more expensive. You are entitled to the flat rate, however.
Requesting a wheelchair taxi ride 12 to 24 hours in advance of your trip will increase the likelihood of an on-time pick-up. For late-night or early-morning trips, taxis are unlikely to be available on demand.
Nashville receives a 2/5 rating in my accessibility metric because I was often unable to secure a taxi, even after waiting hours for one to arrive. I was left stranded one night at the Grand Ole Opry because the only wheelchair taxi driver who was working refused to pick me up, unless I paid him much more than the flat rate which is set by city ordinance (he wanted $200+).
Other wheelchair users have been left stranded without a ride as well, including at the Nashville Airport, as was the case with this woman in a story reported by News Channel 5:
In my case, no taxi ever came and I was instead left with no other option than to get a room at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, while my able-bodied companion took an Uber to our hotel in Downtown Nashville.
Be aware that you should not expect to get a wheelchair taxi in Nashville without a reservation, especially if you need a ride at night, including as early as 5 or 6 PM.
