Uber and Lyft must do more to support disabled passengers, especially those who are visually impaired, according to protesters who gathered outside the company’s headquarters on October 15.
Wired spoke with protesters who shared stories about passing drivers or refusing to let their guide dogs ride. They said ride-hailing companies should do more to educate drivers about accommodating visually impaired passengers and enforce a “zero tolerance” policy against discriminatory drivers.
“We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible platform for our passengers, including those who rely on service animals,” a Lyft spokesperson said. They said the company is “working directly with advocacy groups in the community” and pointed to a “service animal selection feature” scheduled to be released by 2025.
The company mentioned the feature earlier this month in a profile of new product manager Shreya Shankar, who said it would allow riders to “declare that they have a service animal” (you only have to do this once). The driver will be notified prior to pickup.
“Then there should not be any surprise, confusion or frustration due to the stranding,” Shankar said.
