The U.S. Justice Department is suing Uber for $125 million, claiming the ride-hailing company discriminated against passengers with disabilities — specifically those using service animals or mobility devices like wheelchairs.
Jon Meyers is the executive director of the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.
“I wish I could say that I was surprised that this lawsuit is taking place, but I'm not," Meyers said.
The lawsuit alleges Uber violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to provide equal service to people with disabilities. The suit claims drivers refused rides to disabled passengers and charged unfair cleaning fees for service animals.
Meyers says one of his own colleagues experienced similar issues with a rideshare company here in the Valley. He says Uber drivers need more training.
“They are not being provided the information they need to know how to respond when a driver or when a rider with a disability utilizes their service," Meyers said.
Meyers went on to say, "We do know that many drivers, when they reach the pickup point, once they realize that the rider uses a wheelchair that needs to be stowed in the car or uses a support animal, they may at that point tell the rider they can't accommodate them, or they may simply drive away."
The lawsuit, which was filed in the District Court for the Northern District of California, is seeking a court order to force Uber to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA and to train its staff and drivers on the law.
Uber says “every driver must acknowledge and agree to comply with the U.S. Service Animal Policy and all applicable accessibility laws before using the Uber Driver app.”
Uber's full statement
“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.
Every driver must acknowledge and agree to comply with our U.S. Service Animal Policy and all applicable accessibility laws before using the Uber Driver app, and we regularly remind drivers of these obligations. When we confirm a violation, we take decisive action, including permanent account deactivation.
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.”
