The Justice Department is being sued for the second time in four years over complaints about its ride-hailing service’s treatment of customers with disabilities.
According to the suit, a copy of which was posted online by TechCrunch , it alleges that the company “routinely refuses to serve people with disabilities, including those traveling with animals or who use wheelchairs that are immobile.”
The lawsuit also accuses Uber of imposing cleaning surcharges related to service animals and allegations of canceling rides for disabled riders who are denied service.
“And Uber drivers insult and humiliate people with disabilities or ask them inappropriate questions,” the suit says.
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In a statement provided to CNET, Uber said: “Riders who use dogs or other assistive devices are subject to a policy of denied service, and we fundamentally disagree with the DOJ’s allegations.”
The company pointed to the US service animal policy, which all drivers must agree to, and says that when this policy is violated, “decisive action will be taken, including permanent account deactivation.”
“We continue to invest in technology, training and specialized reporting channels – such as a 24-hour service animal denial hotline – to ensure riders can quickly alert us so we can investigate and address issues,” the statement said. “We remain deeply committed to expanding access and continually improving the experience for riders with disabilities.”
The company also pointed to a page it provides where passengers can file a complaint.
In 2021, the DOJ sued Uber for charging wait-time fees to disabled people who needed more time to get to rides. That suit was settled in 2022 in the District Court .
While a company like Uber may have a lot of money to settle a case like this, the DOJ’s goal may be to raise awareness about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“On-the-ground enforcement of the ADA by DOJ and private parties is critically important both with regards to the specific cases at issue but also more broadly as a message that disability discrimination is prohibited by federal law and will not be tolerated,” said Shira Wakschlag, general counsel at the United States Association of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, a nonprofit organization that advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Enforcing the ADA in cases like these is critical to ensuring that the law’s promise of creating a more accessible and inclusive world for people with disabilities is realized,” she said.
In addition to the web pages and app options Uber offers to report instances of poor customer service or discrimination, Wakschlag said customers can also report discrimination directly to the DOJ through its website or by working with organizations like ARC, which can use complaints.
“The media can also play an important role in getting these stories out of the courtroom in a way that the general public understands what has been discussed and how it affects people in the real world,” she says.
Separately, Uber is also facing a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission from earlier this year, when the agency accused the company of deceptive pricing practices related to its Uber One subscription service.
