Federal officials are suing ride-sharing giant Uber, accusing the company and its drivers of refusing to serve people with disabilities.
In a lawsuit filed Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice said that Uber knowingly “fails to prevent and remedy” disability discrimination throughout its service in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Uber and its drivers routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities, including individuals who travel with service animals or who use stowable wheelchairs,” the suit states. “Uber and its drivers also impose impermissible surcharges by charging cleaning fees related to service animals and cancellation fees to riders they have unlawfully denied service. And Uber’s drivers insult and demean people with disabilities or ask them inappropriate questions.”
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The Justice Department alleges that Uber refuses to reasonably modify its policies, practices and procedures to avoid disability discrimination. The company also does not adequately train its drivers or customer service representatives on their obligations to customers with disabilities and does not provide “meaningful relief” to those who have faced discrimination, the suit says.
Federal officials indicated that Uber introduced a feature after learning of the Justice Department’s investigation that allows riders to disclose that they will be traveling with a service animal, but that did not stop Uber from continuing to discriminate against these individuals.
“Uber denies service to hundreds, and potentially even thousands, of individuals with disabilities who travel with service animals, who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, or whose appearance or involuntary behavior because of their disabilities may offend, annoy, or inconvenience drivers,” the lawsuit indicates, adding that the company receives thousands of related complaints annually.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California outlines the experiences of more than 20 individuals with disabilities who Uber has allegedly discriminated against. Many now avoid Uber — even at the expense of missing out on activities — or take other steps to mitigate negative experiences with the company and its drivers, the suit says.
The Justice Department wants the court to order Uber to modify its policies, practices and procedures and provide ADA training to its employees, drivers and others. In addition, the agency is seeking civil penalties and compensation for those who have allegedly been harmed.
For its part, Uber says that drivers must agree to comply with its service animal policy and all applicable accessibility laws and that it regularly reminds drivers of these responsibilities.
“Riders who use guide dogs or other assistive devices deserve a safe, respectful, and welcoming experience on Uber — full stop. We have a clear zero-tolerance policy for confirmed service denials, and we fundamentally disagree with the DOJ’s allegations,” Uber said in a statement. “We continue to invest in technology, training, and dedicated reporting channels — such as a 24/7 service animal denial hotline — to ensure riders can quickly alert us so we can investigate and address issues. We remain deeply committed to expanding access and continuously improving the experience for riders with disabilities.”
