[COAGDU] Fw: [GDF-TALK] Ride Share settlement info

Sat Feb 10 21:56:37 UTC 2018

Got this from the Gdf list.

Best,
Melissa R. Green And Pj
"Listen to God with a broken heart. He is not only the doctor who mends it, but also the father who wipes away the tears."

From: mailto:GDF-TALK at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2018 6:20 AM
To: GDF-Talk at yahoogroups.com 
Subject: [GDF-TALK] Ride Share settlement info

From the attorney heading up the legal settlement with Uber and Lyft: 

Dear Uber and Lyft Riders With Service Animals:

Thank you for your continued advocacy.  Your reports of discrimination due to a service animal enable our legal team to ensure Uber and Lyft fulfill their settlement commitments.  Filing complaints takes time and can be inconvenient when you are simply trying to reach your travel destination.  But your complaints to Uber and Lyft, to our legal team and to NFB’s testing program are making a difference.  Below are some tips for filing effective complaints that will help Uber, Lyft and our legal team better ensure that drivers are properly handled under the policy changes set forth in the settlement agreements. 

  1.. Help the Driver Know It is Not a Pet: Disclosing that you have a service animal is never a condition of getting a ride.  However, because of the large number of nondisabled riders with pets and pets dressed in fake service animal accessories, you may find it more practical to proactively alert the driver that you have a service animal.  Some drivers are canceling rides before they know whether or not a dog is a service animal.  Sending a text message a couple of minutes before your driver arrives may help clear up any uncertainty.

  2.. Tell Uber or Lyft That Your Driver Knew It Was a Service Animal: The settlement agreements require that drivers who knowingly refuse a service animal should be immediately terminated on a first offense.  If you believe that your driver’s behavior deserves immediate termination, then you should be sure that you include information in your complaint to Uber or Lyft that shows how the driver “knew” it was a service animal and not a pet.  Text messages or verbal conversations with drivers in which you tell the driver you have a service animal is strong evidence that the driver knew it was a service animal.  Here is a good example of a complaint that should result in immediate termination:

I used my account to request a ride on Monday, January 1 at about 10:15 AM.  At 3 minutes before my driver arrived, I texted her “I am the woman in the black business suit on the corner of Elm and Maple Street standing with my service animal.”  The driver then called me and verbally said that she “cannot take a dog in her car.”  I verbally told her “it is a service animal that the ride sharing company requires you to transport.”  The driver then audibly sighed, hung up and canceled the ride within 20 seconds.  I am including video footage of the driver parked down the street for over five minutes after the ride was canceled.  My friend, Bob, also observed the vehicle slowly pass us up on an empty street and can be contacted at 555-1212. 

Here is an example of a less-effective complaint based on the same incident:

I was waiting for my driver on Elm Street.  I have a dog in clear harness.  I’m sure the driver canceled my ride because of Rusty.  You better fire this lady quickly or I and Bob are going to call the police and take this company down!!! [offensive emoji omitted].

The first example is much better.  It is respectful and clearly explains how the driver came to know it was a service animal and demonstrated that knowledge before cancelling the ride.  The first version is also better because it references other evidence such as video footage and contact information for a witness.  You should still submit a detailed complaint even if you don’t have an eyewitness or video footage, but the more evidence the better.

  3.. Report Problems: Our legal team can advocate for further changes and policy improvements if these companies are not properly handling your complaints or not holding drivers accountable.  Please continue to participate in NFB’s testing program.  We depend on your reports to support our advocacy and inform our understanding of the effectiveness of the current settlement provisions.  We also look for patterns to see if there are new problems not addressed by the settlement or changes that might improve the situation for riders with service animals.
To submit reports, visit the ridesharing page on NFB’s website.  

  4.. Report non-service denial discrimination: If you experience forms of discrimination other than being denied a ride, make sure to report these to Uber or Lyft and also to NFB.

  5.. Report Accessibility Issues: Continue to let Uber and Lyft, as well as NFB, know about any technical/accessibility problems you experience using their apps or complaint forms.

Your reporting enabled us to negotiate excellent service animal policies with both companies.  Your continued reporting will support our efforts to ensure that Uber and Lyft are now enforcing those policies, supplementing with additional measures if needed, and that we reach the goal of eliminating driver discrimination on the platform.  Please keep up the good work!  Don’t hesitate to contact me or anyone on our legal team with questions or concerns.

For more information about reporting, visit the ridesharing page on NFB’s website.  

Timothy Elder 
Attorney 
TRE Legal Practice 
4226 Castanos Street 
Fremont, CA 94536 
Phone: (410) 415-3493 
Fax: (415) 952-9898

E-mail: telder at trelegal.com 

Jenine Stanley

Consumer Relations Coordinator

Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc ®  and 
America's VetDogs®,  The Veteran's K-9 Corps Inc ® 
Providing "Second Sight" ® since 1946
371 E. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787 
Toll-free: 866-282-8047 

Mobile: 631-708-6726
jenine at guidedog.org

jenine at vetdogs.org 

http://www.twitter.com/GdfJenine

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Posted by: Jenine Stanley <Jenine at guidedog.org> 
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