The Justice Department has filed a $125 million lawsuit against Uber, alleging that the ride-sharing company discriminates against passengers with disabilities.
The ADA requires ride-sharing companies to allow service animals accompany people with disabilities on rides and provide rides and assistance to people with stowable wheelchairs and mobility devices, the Justice Department said.
In a statement in response to the lawsuit, Uber said every driver must acknowledge and agree to the service animal policy and “all applicable accessibility laws.”
The Justice Department previously sued Uber for charging disabled passengers a fee when they need extra time to reach a vehicle, even when they need more time because of their disability.
“This lawsuit seeks to end this persistent discrimination and allow riders with disabilities to use Uber.
The Justice Department has accused ride-sharing company Uber of discriminating against passengers with disabilities in a $125 million lawsuit.
Uber allegedly charged cleaning fees due to service animal shedding, charged cancellation fees to riders who are “unlawfully denied service,” and routinely refused to serve people with disabilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which forbids discrimination based on disability, according to the department. Uber declined to comment on the DOJ’s accusations in a statement.
The Justice Department stated that the ADA mandates that ride-sharing services provide rides and assistance to individuals with stowable wheelchairs and mobility devices, as well as permit service animals to ride with people with disabilities.
The largest ride-sharing service in the United States is Uber, according to the lawsuit that CBS News reviewed. A. stated that “a growing number of people with disabilities depend on Uber’s services to fulfill their transportation requirements—such as going to work, doctor’s appointments, religious services, and other significant locations.”. “.
According to the department, the business has not trained drivers in ADA compliance or made a reasonable change to its policies “to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.”. The department stated that “individuals with disabilities have experienced significant delays, missed appointments, and have been left stranded in inclement weather” as a result of the problems.
Uber responded to the lawsuit by stating that all drivers must accept and abide by “all applicable accessibility laws” as well as the service animal policy. “Determinative action,” including “permanent account deactivation,” is what Uber says will happen to drivers who break its rules. Uber stated that in order to “ensure riders can quickly alert us so we can investigate and address issues,” the company also makes investments in technology, training, and dedicated reporting channels, such as a service animal denial hotline that is open around-the-clock. “..”.
“Riders who use guide dogs or other assistive devices deserve a safe, respectful, and welcoming experience on Uber—full stop,” the company stated. “The DOJ’s accusations are essentially untrue, and we have a zero-tolerance policy for confirmed service denials. “.
In a prior lawsuit, the Justice Department accused Uber of charging disabled passengers a fee when they require additional time to get to a vehicle, even though their disability necessitates more time. Uber compensated over 65,000 users in 2022 as part of the settlement.
In the new lawsuit, more than a dozen disabled people have made claims, including blind passengers who claim they were frequently denied rides and wheelchair or mobility aid users who claim Uber drivers refused to help them or put away their devices.
“Hundreds, and possibly even thousands, of people with disabilities who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, travel with service animals, or whose appearance or involuntary behavior due to their disabilities may offend, annoy, or inconvenience drivers are denied service by Uber,” the lawsuit stated.
The lawsuit is requesting a court order to prevent Uber from discriminating against its disabled customers, compel the company to change its policies to conform to the ADA, and require that its employees and drivers receive ADA training. Along with a civil penalty, it also requires Uber to compensate impacted riders financially and “to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination.”. “.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. stated, “Due to the fact that they are traveling with a service dog, blind riders have been subjected to repeated ride denials by Uber for far too long.”. In the press release, Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “The goal of this lawsuit is to stop the ongoing discrimination against disabled Uber users. We will uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) guarantee of full participation and equal opportunity in all facets of American society, including transportation. “,”.
