A major ride-sharing service is facing new pressure to ensure equal access for people with disabilities.
Lyft reached a settlement this month with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights over allegations that drivers repeatedly denied rides to Tori Andres, a student who is blind, after they learned that she travels with a service dog.
The agreement, which has national implications, calls for Lyft to improve its policies, educate drivers and to update its app, according to the Minnesota agency.
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If drivers try to cancel a ride due to a service animal, they will immediately receive an in-app message reminding them that doing so is a violation of Lyft policy and the law, per the settlement. Further, the company agreed to follow up on every report that a ride is denied for this reason. The agreement also clarifies that drivers can be deactivated from Lyft for violating these policies.
In addition, Lyft agreed to pay $63,000 to Andres and the company will allow the Minnesota Department of Human Rights to monitor compliance with the settlement for three years.
“This case has been deeply personal to me,” Andres said. “My guide dog Alfred is my freedom, he is the reason that I am able to live my life as a college student and athlete completely independently. I will never stop fighting for my rights and the many service dog teams out there who deserve to go about their lives without worrying about access issues.”
Lyft noted that there was no finding of liability and indicated that it didn’t agree to any policy changes.
“Discrimination has no place in the Lyft community,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. “Lyft has maintained a strict service animal policy for nearly a decade, and independent drivers who violate that policy face consequences of permanent deactivation. The commitments reflected in this agreement are practices Lyft has already had in place to help ensure that riders who rely on service animals are treated with the respect they deserve. We remain committed to building a platform that is accessible, inclusive and welcoming for every rider.”
The agreement is specific to Lyft, but the Minnesota Department of Human Rights said that it has received complaints from people with disabilities about multiple ride-share services and all of them must comply with the law.
