Uber and Lyft must do more to support passengers with disabilities, especially those who are blind or visually impaired, according to protesters gathered outside the companies’ headquarters on October 15.
Wired spoke with protesters who shared stories of drivers passing them or refusing to let them take their guide dogs for walks. They said ride-hailing companies should do more to educate drivers about accommodating visually impaired passengers and should enforce a “zero tolerance” policy toward discriminatory drivers.
A Lyft spokesperson said: “We strive to provide an inclusive and accessible platform for passengers, including those who rely on service animals. They said the company “works directly with community advocacy organizations” and also highlighted an upcoming “service animal membership feature” expected to launch by 2025.
The company mentioned the feature earlier this month, in the profile of a new product manager, Shreya Shankar, who said it would allow riders to “declare that they have a service animal” (they will only need to do this once), so the driver will be informed before pick-up.
“This way, there should be no surprises or confusion or frustration if there is a blockage,” Shankar said.