[ad_1]
SAN FRANCISCO — The Department of Justice sued Uber on Wednesday, accusing the company of discriminating against disabled passengers.
The lawsuit stems from a fare policy Uber introduced in 2016 to compensate drivers who waited more than two minutes for a passenger to arrive. The company previously didn’t pay drivers for their time until the journey began, which sometimes frustrated those who had to wait long for passengers.
But the Justice Department said Uber did not adjust its waiting time fees for people with disabilities and violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal law that prohibits discrimination from private transportation companies. A passenger may need time to break the wheelchair or walker into the car, or a blind passenger may need the extra time to walk to the car, the Justice Department said. According to the lawsuit, even though Uber knew someone needed additional time due to an injury, the company charged a standby fee two minutes later.
“Uber and other companies that provide transportation services must provide equal access for all people, including people with disabilities,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the civil rights division of the Justice Department, said in a statement.
Uber said on Wednesday it is in talks with the Department of Justice about waiting time policies designed only for drivers who keep drivers waiting, not passengers who need extra time to get into the vehicle. The company said it was reimbursing disabled riders who reported the company that they had been charged. Last week, it also updated its policy to automatically waive wait time fees for passengers who say they’re disabled.
Uber spokesman Matt Kallman said in a statement that the case was “surprising and disappointing”. “We fundamentally disagree that our policies violate the ADA, and we will continue to improve our products to support everyone’s ability to move easily between their communities,” he added.
The Justice Department had previously investigated Lyft for allowing its drivers to refuse to board passengers in wheelchairs or walkers. Lyft resolved the allegations Last year, it agreed to review its wheelchair policies, pay four passengers between $4,000 and $30,000 in compensation and a $40,000 fine.
The Justice Department previously reviewed Uber for data breaches in 2014 and 2016. Last year, agency blamed a former Uber executive By trying to hide the 2016 hack from federal investigators.
The new lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks a court order to stop Uber from discriminating against people with disabilities. It also requests the court to change Uber’s waiting time policy for people with disabilities, train its employees and drivers on the Americans with Disabilities Act, compensate customers affected by the waiting time policy, and pay fines.
[ad_2]
Source link