US authorities attack Uber for not adapting its service to the disabled

The Department U.S Justice filed a lawsuit against the Uber platform in a federal court in California for not having adapted its service to people with disabilities, who sometimes pay more for the trip because it takes longer to get into the car.

Since 2016, Uber An economic penalty applies to the customer when the driver waits more than two minutes at the meeting point set in advance (5 minutes for Uber Black or SUV customers).

In the complaint document, the prosecution indicates that “Many passengers with reduced mobility need more than two minutes to get on or load their vehicle, for various reasons.”

The authorities mention wheelchairs or walkers, “That must be folded and placed in the car.”

According to the elements cited by the prosecution, Uber It reimburses clients with disabilities for the penalty they had to pay for the race, but the platform has also sometimes refused to take some such claims into account.

Drivers cannot change the parameters of the race and prevent customers with reduced mobility from being penalized.

For the Department of Justice, these practices are part of the violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which aims to fight discrimination against this group and which was approved by the US Congress in 1990.

In a reaction sent to AFP by a spokesperson, Uber indicated having made a change “last week” in this regard. “Now, the billing of more (for the waiting time) will be suppressed for any passenger who certifies that they have a disability ”, the group said.

Uber refutes that its solution and pricing violate the ADA law and says it will “Continue to improve their products to allow everyone to move easily home.”

Source: AFP

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