Department of Justice sues Uber for allegedly discriminating against people with disabilities

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing Uber for allegedly discriminating against passengers with disabilities. According to the Trump administration, the ride-hailing company consistently refuses to board passengers in wheelchairs, who are blind or who have service dogs. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and demands $125 million in damages.

According to a statement released by the DOJ, many Uber drivers claim to have no physical room for a wheelchair or directly insult passengers with disabilities. The release states that the company violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The law prohibits transportation entities that provide services to the public from discriminating against people with disabilities.

The lawsuit seeks "an injunction to compel Uber to stop discriminating against people with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA, and to train its staff and drivers about the ADA." It also demands that the company pay compensation to those affected by the "discrimination" and a civil penalty to "vindicate the public interest in eliminating disability discrimination."

"For too long, blind riders have suffered repeated ride denials by Uber because they are traveling with a service dog,"  Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, Harmeet K. Dhillon, said. 

"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," he added.

Uber's response

The company issued a statement in response, disagreeing strongly with the DOJ's accusations, saying, "Passengers who use guide dogs or other assistive devices deserve a safe, respectful and welcoming experience on Uber, period."

"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," the company added.