cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/37354567
This is an obvious shakedown because they haven’t given trump a golden trophy yet.
Justice Department Sues Uber for Denying Rides to Passengers with Service Dogs, Wheelchairs
Submitted 7 months ago by Pro@programming.dev to technology@lemmy.world
Comments
ayyy@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
daq@lemmy.sdf.org 7 months ago
Is this for people that are able to transfer themselves? Because Uber WAV works just fine. Used it several times without any issues other than extended wait times due to small number of appropriate cars.
Also, I’m willing to bet real money this issue is caused by assholes claiming their chihuahuas are service animals and not by Uber drivers rejecting to drive blind people or people in wheelchairs.
njordomir@lemmy.world 7 months ago
To me this sounds like a fundamental problem with their business model. Private vehicles used for public transportation by people who aren’t well-trained commercial drivers.
I have always thought it was sketchy that we let random people in the US be commercial drivers for Uber without forcing them to get a new type of license or earn some kind of state certificate because most people are absolutely shit drivers and beyond that, there are rules for dealing with people (in this case disability stuff) that you should know if you drive the public.
Would you get in a car with that dude “Chad” who hangs out behind the bowling ally, or that chick “Tammy” who learned to drive from her highschool boyfriend who was a year or two older than her and basically got a rubber-stamped license because the US doesn’t actually take driver safety seriously?
Psythik@lemmy.world 7 months ago
See this is why I prefer robotaxis. At least I know I’ll get a consistent experience every time. They all drive exactly the same way and always arrive exactly at my set pickup spot. They never cancel rides because they don’t get too lazy lazy to find the pickup spot I set. And the best part: No tipping.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world 6 months ago
It’s why I prefer trains. That and once you experience good public transit it’s really nice.
kerntucky@infosec.pub 6 months ago
I can assure you that they’re they’re a hell of a lot better at driving at humans.
I know it’s off-topic but I found that typo funny given the context of the conversation. Driving at humans.
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
Lemmy has a AI-Hate boner, so everytime someone talks about automation, their brains have an automatic response compelling them to downvote, not realizing that the correct reaction is not “oh no, robots are replaving us”, rather, it’s “Okay, now tax the rich and give evryone UBI”.
Jobs should be automated whenever possible, provided that it can meet safety requirements, but the profits from automation should belong to the people. In fact, people should outright (collectively) own that auto-taxi service.
spacesatan@leminal.space 7 months ago
There is a subset of people on lemmy who embody the npc :| >:| meme specifically for anything tangentially related to elon musk. Elon likes the idea of self driving cars so it’s better if 10 people are killed by human drivers than 1 person is killed by a self driving car.
electric@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Wow, I’ve only been using Lyft for a good while now and I just assumed Uber took disabled riders as serious as they do.
I’m not disabled or have a service animal, but Lyft makes it very visible on the app that if you are one/have one, the drivers MUST be accommodating. They make it easy to report as well if they are not.
At least one company seems to care (I hope).
Fredselfish@lemmy.world 7 months ago
How that work if you have a car that won’t fit a wheelchair? Or do they make sure to only send drivers who have appropriate vehicles?
electric@lemmy.world 7 months ago
From my assumptions, the drivers see ahead of time if you use a wheelchair because the app asks you to mark yourself as a wheelchair user.
Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
As a family who uses a non-stowable wheelchair this is why we use taxis instead, on the few occasions we can’t use our own minivan. I’m not sure how Uber could comply, but how about offering a bonus to drivers when they accept these rides? Rider could enter a code confirming the dog or wheelchair or whatever, driver gets extra 10%
electric@lemmy.world 7 months ago
If a wheelchair is non-stowable (I assume it means not able to fold?), then why is a taxi different? Or are you referring to the large taxi cabs?
Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
In our city the taxi companies are required to have a certain percentage of accessible cabs to meet the ADA. It’s led to them having even more, as they realized how good they are for carrying luggage as well. I’m talking minivans with ramps, lowered floors, and tiedowns, so the person can ride in their wheelchair. Some don’t kneel, so the ramp is steep from the ground, but they’re fine at curbs. We’re fortunate enough to have a nice one of our own, but for a trip to the airport, or in case of a breakdown, or going somewhere with terrible parking they’re good.
PriorityMotif@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Accommodation requests have to be reasonable. If the wheelchair won’t physically fit in the car then you can’t force the driver to drive an accessible vehicle at all times. That would be unreadonable. Though they can’t deny rides to people if the wheelchair could fit in the trunk or whatever.
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 7 months ago
so what's the real reason they're suing uber? because it sure as fuck ain't because they care about accessibility.
hector@lemmy.today 7 months ago
Looks like uber did not pay dear leader his protection money.
Not joking.
halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 7 months ago
So this is obviously complicated, but I don’t see Uber being at any sort of fault here unless their policy is no animals, which it obviously isn’t because Uber Pet exists. Only possibly by not routing service animal rides through Uber Pet exclusively since those drivers are already expecting animals.
Do we really want to say that in order to participate in rideshare driving at all that you must allow animals in your private vehicle?
Uber drivers use their own vehicles, they are not Uber’s property or responsibility. If an owner doesn’t want animals in their vehicle, they cannot and should not be forced to. A lot of people don’t want animals in their vehicles, trained or not. They may be worried about damage from things like claws to the fabrics, etc. and don’t want to deal with that possibility, whereas the Uber Pet drivers are prepared for that.
And this doesn’t even get into the bastards that lie about their pets and “emotional support” animals being service animals causing problems for those that actually do need the assistance. There’s no penalty for lying about it, and no verification system to filter those out.
shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 7 months ago
I see both sides of this. As a blind person myself, I frequently interact with people who have service dogs and such. Hell, at one point in my life, I had a girlfriend who had a service dog because she was deafblind and I have seen her be denied rides in person.
Every driver who signs up for Uber in the Terms of Service has a thing about having to accept service animals, no matter whether it’s a pet ride or not. It’s just in the account Terms of Service when you create your driver account. If you read them, you will find it.
So if you absolutely unequivocally do not want service animals in your car, you cannot drive for either of these services.
I guess you could do like the restaurant deliveries or whatever, but to take passengers, you couldn’t do it.
devfuuu@lemmy.world [bot] 7 months ago
I’ve had my fair share of seeing uber drivers starting conflict when I accompany a blind person with their dog. They deserve it.
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 7 months ago
because uber needs to comply with the ada act just like any company.
halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Is Uber saying no? Or are drivers cancelling rides when they realize there’s an animal that wasn’t disclosed previously, and they aren’t part of Uber Pets?
Because there’s a distinct difference there.
Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org 7 months ago
but I don’t see Uber being at any sort of fault here unless their policy is no animals
If it is about a neccessary service dog, then it’s not up to them (or their policy) to decide. At least, it shouldn’t be.
halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 7 months ago
But it’s up to the driver whether to allow an animal in their personal vehicle.
black_flag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 months ago
Yeah, I don’t think that’s crazy for proper service animals, they’re very well trained.
halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 7 months ago
It’s not about training. People lie, and there is no way to verify service animals. Lying about pets and claiming they are service animals is already an issue for places like restaurants and hotels.
mitram@sopuli.xyz 7 months ago
I’m assuming you are describing the driver’s pov from the context of the USA.
Do the drivers really use their own cars? Where I’m from drivers usually rent the cars or have a profit sharing agreement with a fleet management company.
TheMinions@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 months ago
Yes,I use my own car for Uber.
Lemme know if you have any other questions!
black_flag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 months ago
Yeah, that was the big change uber brought. Traditional cabs were leased, and a lot of people do lease they’re cars for uber (though by the year instead of the day) but that’s nothing to do with uber and there’s no fleet.
halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 7 months ago
That does happen, usually that’s more how traditional cabs operate, and even then in many places they own the cab and contract to a company for fares.
The vast majority of rideshare drivers in the US use their own vehicle.
ivanafterall@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Not 100% relevant, but I recently opted into Uber Pet rides and they’re always the highlight of my day. I’ve already had a repeat rider, Chomp the lab. Just wanted to brag, I guess.
Holytimes@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
Give chomp a pat for me please he sounds like a certified good boi
ivanafterall@lemmy.world 7 months ago
The last dog I had was a ~30 minute ride. The owner fell asleep and the dog stood on the middle console and leaned against me for pets. Admittedly not the safest, but what was I to do.
fox2263@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Is this the sprinkling of good the fascists do in between all the destruction?
Or is it just a shakedown
captainlezbian@lemmy.world 6 months ago
I think it may just be the justice department doing its job beneath the radar. I’ve had to do ADA reports before, they’re very much a bureaucratic thing