Sept. 15 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday announced it filed suit against Uber Technologies for denying rides to those who use service dogs or use mobility devices such as a wheelchair, a press release said.
Uber is the largest provider of ride-sharing services in the United States. The lawsuit seeks $125 million for people who have been subject to discrimination and previously submitted complaints to Uber or the DOJ, the release said.
“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, in a statement. “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.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order to force Uber to stop discriminating against people with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA, and to train its staff and drivers on the ADA. In addition to the monetary damages to compensate victims of Uber’s alleged discrimination, the lawsuit demands that Uber pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination, the release said.
In 2022, Uber was forced to pay millions for overcharging people with disabilities and said it would modify its wait time fee policy to prevent future discrimination.
The ride share company reached a settlement with the government after federal officials accused it of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In 2023, Uber began a pilot program to allow and prioritize a woman-to-woman match when they book or pre-book a ride.
It also allows a female driver the option to choose only another person of the same gender.
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