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Disability rights advocacy groups slammed Uber with a class action alleging the ride service routinely discriminates against those with mobility disabilities.
The Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled, Taxies for All, and Disabled in Action, along with several individuals with disabilities allege in their class action lawsuit that 99.9 percent of Uber’s ride sharing services in New York are unusable by those with mobility disabilities.
“Uber has demonstrated a total disregard for the needs of people with disabilities in the provision of its transportation services and the anti-discrimination laws of New York City,” allege the plaintiffs in the Uber class action lawsuit.
The plaintiffs also claim individuals with disabilities are subject to increased wait times to use the service or are sometimes completely denied services from Uber. Although Uber says that it offers accessible vehicles, allege the plaintiffs, this is merely “window-dressing.”
“Having grown rapidly since it began operating in New York in 2011, Uber provides hundreds of thousands of rides a day in New York City, but for riders who need wheelchair-accessible vehicles, it provides vastly inferior service, or in many cases, no service at all,” the Uber lawsuit states.
“Uber claims it’s a revolutionary company, but it’s engaged in old fashioned discrimination against people with disabilities from its first day in New York City,” a representative for one of the disability advocacy groups involved in the class action lawsuit said in a statement. “Our lawsuit against Uber’s discrimination makes it clear: It’s 2017, not the 1950s, when it comes to equal access to transportation.”
According to the class action lawsuit, Uber shirks precedent established in 2013 in New York requiring all taxi cab services to have at least half of their fleets as accessible vehicles.
“Taxi and livery services like Uber are as much a part of New York City’s transportation network as buses and subways, which makes Uber’s discriminatory and illegal practices even more angering for potential customers like me,” said one of the plaintiffs in a statement.
“Uber’s technology has expanded access to reliable transportation options for all riders, including those with disabilities, and has enabled people with disabilities to earn income in new ways,” Uber shot back in a statement. “While there is certainly more work to be done, we will continue advocating for a solution that offers affordable, reliable transportation to those who need a wheel-chair accessible vehicle.”
According to Uber, the company offers 200 accessible vehicles in New York City under its UberX WAV program.
The plaintiffs allege that Uber’s current efforts are not enough and Uber’s lack of accessible vehicles violates New York City Human Rights Law.
The plaintiffs seek to represent a Class of New York City residents and visitors with mobility disabilities who have been discriminated against by Uber.
“Uber, which has a valuation of over $50 billion, has no excuse, other than its deliberate corporate decision to neglect people with disabilities who use wheelchairs, including many elderly people, for maintaining such an overwhelmingly inaccessible fleet,” allege the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs are represented by Sidney Wolinsky, Michelle Caiola, Rebecca Serbin, and Maia Goodell of Disability Rights Advocates.
The Uber Accessibility Class Action Lawsuit is Brooklyn Center for Independence for the Disabled, et al. v. Uber Technologies Inc., Case No. 156434/2017, in the Supreme Court for the State of New York, County of New York.
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30 thoughts onUber Class Action Says 99.9% of Vehicles Inaccessible to Disabled Passengers
I feel like some of the people here have not bothered to read the public posting about the stated purpose of the lawsuit. It says the man who is bringing it is doing so because he rarely finds a disabled assisted vehicle available.
And as to some other people who think that it’s acceptable to charge more for service or ‘burden’ how about we charge more for transporting the ignorant around town too? How about a stupidity surcharge?? I can see a few people who’d qualify..btw they already do charge more money in the uber market where I live, so that should make some of you happy, clearly.
Yes its dad not to think about the disabled Americans we matter! Thank you.
It’s not that no one thinks about the disabled about 80% uber drivers are disabled their selves and have to supplement their income driving uber in pain most of the time so we do care
Uber should offer to settle the lawsuit by adding a feature that allows riders to opt for handicapped friendly vehicles for a slightly higher fee.
It wouldn’t work! By charging people w/ disabilities, would in itself put them in direct violation of the ADA (Americans w/Disabilities Act)! These companies make more than enough money to make the appropriate accommodations to make their services accessible to anyone with a disability. Just about everyone with a disability collects benefits through the Social Security Disability program which leaves them living on a fixed income and an extremely tight budget. If these companies were to charge people with disabilities higher prices as you suggested, they would no doubt be guilty of descrimination and would be subject to massive litigation!
Most uber driver are in the same boat disabled N receiving SSI, or SSA or pension so we do card but some of us can’t help with lifting wheelchairs in our cars or pulling or lifting as myself I can’t lift anything over 10lbs I’m severely allergic to dogs,cats, bees etc but had to sign a aggrement to pick up people w service dogs whether it kills me. I feel discriminated Against for that reason
The problem I have with this is that uber doesn’t select vehicles or drivers. The driver’s and vehicles come to THEM their company does not operate in a manner In which they provide services where they function based upon the companies on vehicles they rely on their employees availabilities and their own selection of their personal vehicle. In order to fix this it’s up to the driver’s with wheel chair accessibility to apply for a uber driving position.
yes I also agree with the same thing here in california
ITS FRIVOLOUS!
It’s easy to think that way if it doesn’t affect you! There’s a reason the ADA was enacted, I suggest you read it because you thinking something like this is frivolous speaks volumes as to your views on the rights of equality of disabled Americans! Do you have any idea how many Americans are disabled simply because they were brave enough to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect you & your family’s right to freedom? You’re basically saying that these people don’t even have the right to fight for equality! Out of all the lawsuits filed today that are actually frivolous, this isn’t one of them! Just shows how out of touch you are! What will it take for you to empathize or at the very least understand the problems people w/ disabilities face on a daily basis? Do you need to be confined to a wheelchair yourself? Or how about spending one day in their shoes, like a social experiment, you may learn something! Let me know if you need a wheelchair, I’ll loan ya mine…then you can come tell me just how frivolous this truly is…until then, you haven’t got a clue!
Then why not take the bus or subway? Or a taxi? Or the handicap vans that bring people to their appointments? The thing is uBer does have wheel chair accessible vehicles and has for some time now. Why is that not enough? Uber utilizes people’s personal cars. Who would want to drive for uber if they had to install wheel chair lifts in their personal cars? I would understand if there were no other means of transportation available but it does look frivelous to sue when there are other options.
Yes I call pace for my brother people that are disabled are eligae you just have to apply for it that’s all it’s not hard I did it for my brother he an go anywhere just call the day before for pick up disabled people have lots of transportation means you just have to apply for peritransit Uber wasn’t meant for that these are people’s personal cars they pay car notes for and most uber drivers are disabled to and have their wheelchairs in their trunk
I understand where you voming from my brother is confined to a wheelchair but you don’t have to be in a wheelchair to e disabled either
Same in CA.
I understand that we disabled can be an inconvenience, especially but I’m a widow in a wheelchair and I have not left the house since October 2016 it is now July 25 2017. There has to be some remedy for us. Thank God for internet and home delivery or I’d be dead. Even if we have to pay a bit more, we deserve some life.
Amen bless your heart have you tried getting a personal assistant from a home health care agency ?? They can be very helpful to you