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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Great letter. What’s next?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Jo Elizabeth Pinto<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Please visit my author Website:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.brightsideauthor.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://www.brightsideauthor.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk-bounces@nfbnet.org>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Curtis Chong via Colorado-Talk<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Saturday, November 2, 2024 10:19 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> colorado-talk@nfbnet.org<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Curtis Chong <chong.curtis@gmail.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Colorado-Talk] Rideshare Advocacy on Unlawful Implementation of Self-Identification<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Greetings everyone:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have pasted into this email a letter sent by President Mark Riccobono to Uber regarding its unlawful implementation of self-identification to Uber by people using service animals. When, in early October, I read that Ubert was going to
make it possible for passengers who were blind or deafblind to indicate this in their rider profiles, I thought that this would make it even easier for Uber drivers to deny rides to guide dog users. It would seem that my skepticism was justified.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><a href="https://nfb.org/blog/rideshare-advocacy-unlawful-implementation-self-identification">Link to Original Source</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Friday, November 1, 2024<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white;vertical-align:top"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">In follow up to the National Federation of the Blind Rideshare Rally, President Mark Riccobono sent
the following correspondence on October 31, 2024, to Uber regarding the implementation of self-identification.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Dear Mr. Byrne:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">In our discussions with Uber during the past two years about the ongoing discrimination our members
face when Uber drivers continue to deny them transportation based on their use of a guide dog service animal, we made several suggestions for how Uber could reduce such denials, and reduce the burden placed on riders in reporting denials. Among those, we suggested
Uber provide an option for riders to save their use of a service animal in their profile/preferences and have the Uber platform inform drivers about those riders’ use of a service animal, alongside a reminder that the law and Uber policy require all drivers
to transport riders with their service animals. We suggested the Uber system automatically suspend drivers who cancel rides after being informed that the rider uses a service animal, and automatically submit a denial complaint with the information about the
denied rider, the denying driver, and other details necessary for an investigation that would result in the permanent deactivation of the denying driver.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">We suggested the self-identification option in the belief that, even if some riders who use guide
dogs choose not to use the option, they would benefit because the riders who do choose to use the option would help to more quickly identify and remove denying drivers, which would benefit everyone. That belief was and is premised on self-identification only
identifying service-animal using riders to drivers after they are paired.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">When Uber representatives informed us in late 2023 that they were planning to implement self-identification,
in a way that would identify riders with service animals on the offer card presented to drivers before pairing, we indicated in the strongest terms that we and our members would not accept or support such a system, as it would enable drivers to choose not
to pair with riders who use service animals, and effectively shield those drivers from the consequences of their discrimination against such riders. We left that conversation believing that Uber understood the importance of only identifying riders with service
animals to drivers after pairing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Unfortunately, we learned last week that Uber intends to offer a default choice in the self-identification
option to inform drivers of a rider’s service animal on the offer card prior to pairing. Providing this option, whether it is the rider’s choice or not, is unlawful. We will not support or condone such an option, and will publicly denounce Uber’s use of it
and tolerance of the discrimination it fosters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Simply put, offering an option to disclose use of a service animal prior to pairing is unlawful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits Uber from discriminating against riders “on the basis
of disability in the full and equal enjoyment” of Uber’s services (42 U.S.C. §§ 12182(a) and 12184(a)). Uber may not “directly or through contractual or other arrangements, utilize ... criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of discriminating
on the basis of disability; or that perpetuate the discrimination of others who are subject to common administrative control” (42 U.S.C. § 12182(b)(1)(D)). It may not apply “eligibility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out an individual with a disability
or any class of individuals with disabilities from fully and equally enjoying” Uber’s services (42 U.S.C. § 12182(b)(2)(A)(i) and 12184(b)(1)). Finally, it must “make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures, when such modifications are
necessary to afford” Uber’s services to riders with disabilities (42 U.S.C. § 12182(b)(2)(A)(ii) and 12184(b)(2)(A)).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">By offering an option for riders to disclose their use of a service animal on the offer card prior
to pairing with a driver, Uber uses a criteria or method of administration that has the effect of discrimination by providing drivers with an option to undetectably refuse to transport an identifying rider with a service animal. It also perpetuates the pervasive
discrimination by drivers who deny riders with service animals, whether they use self-identification or not, because it does not in any way reduce the number of drivers on the Uber platform who refuse to transport riders with service animals. Rather, it allows
them to do so with impunity. In contrast, identifying riders with service animals after pairing can result in the discipline and removal of drivers who discriminate, redounding to the benefit of all riders with service animals whether they self-identify or
not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Offering an option for riders to disclose their use of a service animal on the offer card prior to
pairing with a driver also presents an eligibility criteria for driver pairing that screens out or tends to screen out riders with disabilities who use service animals from pairing with otherwise-eligible drivers who undetectably and unlawfully choose not
to accept those riders. Uber must therefore modify its practice or procedure for self-identification to disclose riders’ use of service animals only after pairing so that driver-discrimination against those riders is weeded out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">We hope Uber will consider this and our prior statements about how self-identification must function
and never identify a rider’s disability or use of a service animal until after they are paired with a driver.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Mark A. Riccobono, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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