The United States Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. for discriminating against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices such as stowable wheelchairs.
Uber is the largest provider of ride-hailing services in the United States and in few other countries.
The lawsuit seeks $125 million for individuals who were subjected to discrimination and had previously submitted complaints to Uber or the Department.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to force Uber to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and to train its staff and drivers on the ADA.
In addition to the monetary damages to compensate aggrieved individuals subjected to Uber’s discrimination, the lawsuit also demands that the transport company pay a civil penalty.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Friday alleged that Uber violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability by private transportation companies like Uber.
The ADA also requires Uber to allow service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in vehicles and to provide rides to, and assist, riders with stowable wheelchairs and mobility devices.
However, the Justice Department’s civil complaint alleged that despite the ADA, Uber and its drivers routinely refused to serve individuals with disabilities; imposed impermissible surcharges by charging cleaning fees for service animal shedding and cancellation fees to riders whom Uber had unlawfully denied service; and refusing to reasonably modify Uber’s policies, practices, or procedures, where necessary, to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.
It was also alleged that the ride – hailing transport firm denied individuals with mobility disabilities the option to sit in the front seat when needed, a development believed to have made individuals with disabilities to experience significant delays, missed appointments, and being left stranded in inclement weather.
“For too long, blind riders have suffered repeated ride denials by Uber because they are traveling with a service dog,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“This lawsuit seeks to end this persistent discrimination and allow riders with disabilities to use Uber. We will enforce the ADA’s guarantee that people with disabilities have equal opportunity and full participation in all aspects of American society, including transportation.”
“Rideshare companies like Uber are prohibited from denying riders with disabilities the same access to transportation that riders without disabilities enjoy,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian of the Northern District of California. “This complaint underscores the United States’ commitment to enforcing the ADA’s promise of equal access.”
