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<p>Good morning. <br>
</p>
<p>What exactly is our goal? Are we trying to mount pressure on
Uber, or pressure MBTA to remove rideshare from the Ride Flex
program? <br>
</p>
<p>Service animal denials are frequent with both Uber and Lyft. I
would hate for us to target Uber when Uber has, at least on the
surface, been working with NAGDU. <br>
</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong. I'm all for pressuring Uber and Lyft to do
their part in stopping discrimination. However, I would hate to
see either Uber and Lyft disappear from the MBTA program. <br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 7/19/2023 5:28 PM, Shara Winton via
Massachusetts-NFB wrote:<br>
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<blockquote type="cite"
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello All, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most recently, Several RIDE Flex
participants have shared repeated complaints an videos of Uber
drivers refusing riders with service and guide dogs. The MBTA
cannot legally use state and federal funding to subcontract
with an entity that they are fully aware is discriminating
against a subset of the population that they are contracted to
serve. Uber states that "the state and federal law prohibits
drivers using the Uber Driver app from denying service to
riders with service animals because of the service animals and
from otherwise discriminating against riders with service
animals." However, this problem continues to happen. I am
looking to gather stories relating to any guide or service dog
users who have experienced any Uber or Lyft refusals, whether
through the RIDE Flex paratransit program or the regular app.
Would you all please share this message with your network
and members?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shara Winton<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">President, National Federation of the Blind
of Massachusetts<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">617-304-0347<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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