Dive Brief:
- The Department of Justice on Monday sued Lyft, alleging the ride-hailing company discriminates against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices.
- The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks $53 million for individuals who have submitted discrimination complaints to Lyft or the department.
- The lawsuit also seeks a court order forcing Lyft to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, modify its policies to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and train its staff and drivers on the ADA’s requirements.
Dive Insight:
The complaint names 13 individuals that the department alleges were denied service but adds that “Lyft denies service to hundreds, and likely thousands,” of people with disabilities.
An individual in Nevada who uses a wheelchair or walker following a car accident alleged that multiple Lyft drivers denied service because of the wheelchair. A deaf and blind individual in Washington who uses a guide dog and Lyft’s opt-in feature to alert drivers to the disabilities, “continues to experience frequent service denials,” according to the complaint.
“Individuals with disabilities should be able to rely on rideshare services free of discrimination,” former Acting Assistant Attorney General Jesus Osete of the department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement. “We intend to uphold the ADA’s promise that people with disabilities are entitled to equal access in every part of public life, including essential transportation services.”
The department filed a similar suit against Uber last year, which is still in the courts, according to The Associated Press. Uber settled a different lawsuit in 2022, and Lyft settled one in 2020, AP reported.
Lyft has not responded to Smart Cities Dive’s request for a statement.
