Uber, Lyft Sued - Plaintiffs Claim They Violate ADA Rules

Uber and Lyft, tow popular ride sharing services, have been sued. Three wheelchair-bound citizens in Texas have sued the two services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), claiming the two services deny service to disabled people. The three plaintiffs are asking that both services have their operations shut down until they provide wheelchair access.

Specifically, the complaint involves both companies' enabling drivers to deny service, where the complaint notes "Uber and Lyft provide no training or guidance to the vehicles-for-hire that use their service concerning lawfully meeting the needs of disabled consumers". The suit goes on to note that all complainants use wheelchairs as a mens of getting around, and need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle for transportation.

According to them, denial of service violates the ADA. Uber has yet to respond to various requests for comment, but Lyft had the following to say in a response to GigaOM:

Lyft aims to accommodate anyone in the community who needs a ride, and many disabled individuals, who were previously underserved by existing transportation options, now actively use and rely on Lyft as a reliable, safe and affordable way to get around

Oddly enough, Uber and Lyft — who have come under fire from the cab industry in the past — may end up relying on a similar case brought against the cab industry. In 2012, a New York judge dismissed a similar case, claiming cabs were violating ADA rules by not making their various vehicles more wheelchair-accessible. It's not clear how many Uber or Lyft vehicles currently offer wheelchair access.

Source: Courthouse News

Via: GigaOM