[nagdu] Intro and a Uber question

Thu Jun 19 17:58:31 UTC 2014

Agreed, complain if you need to!
I am fortunate. I've only ever had one problem with a cab company.... situation went like this.

My goalball coach pre-booked the taxi for a 4:30PM pickup, and mentioned my guide dog. It was cold (January in Alberta), and at 4:30 Jenny and I were out there waiting for the taxi.  By 4:45, no taxi, we're both freezing, and I called the cab company. Their call-taker told me that they were "waiting for a driver that was willing to accept my pet."
I nearly hit the roof. I told her that my guide dog wasn't my pet, but a service animal, and they could not refuse to serve me, and I didn't care if drivers didn't feel like it, but it's the law; driver receives the call, they have to serve me. She claimed they didn't have a supervisor on duty at the time, so gave me the administration number to talk to higher-ups on Monday.
Taxi finally showed up at 5:00, and we were both freezing! The only thing the driver openly requested was that Jenny remain on the floor, not on the back seat, which I was more than willing to oblige.
I called their administration number, left a message describing the situation, and told them if I didn't receive a call by the end of the day Monday that I would call the Alberta Taxi Commission. I received a phone call from the owner of the company with a profuse apology and a promise that he would review the recording of my call, re-train the call-taker specifically, and it would never happen again.  So far, I haven't had a problem with the same company.

Daryl
----- Original Message -----
From: Tracy Carcione via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: Dan Weiner <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>, NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 11:47:15 -0600 (MDT)
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Intro and a Uber question

Hi Dan.
You must complain when drivers refuse you.
We have used the same taxi company for years, and suddenly some drivers 
decided they were "allergic" and couldn't pick up a person with a dog.  We 
complained to the town office that licenses taxis, and they told the company 
to knock it off.  So far, it's worked.  If it hadn't, I would have moved up 
to the state civil rights commission, whatever it's called here, or the 
attorney general's office.
If people don't complain, drivers will figure it's fine and keep on with 
their nonsense.
Tracy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Weiner via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "'Mark J. Cadigan'" <kramc11 at gmail.com>; "'NAGDU Mailing List,the 
National Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2014 1:18 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Intro and a Uber question

> When I lived in Maryland, I found cab use an enervating experience because
> easily one out of every three times I had a hastle related to my having a
> guide dog.
> Either there would be a hastle or the cab driver would see me with the dog
> and drive away.
>
> What can we do guys, to hold company's feet to the fire and make sure this
> type of behavior becomes a relic of the past?
>
> Here in Florida it is somewhat better though I don't use cabs as much so
> maybe I'm just not hitting problems because I don't use it much.
>
>
> Cordially,
>
> Dan W.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mark J. Cadigan
> via nagdu
> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2014 12:54 PM
> To: Greg Aikens; NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
> Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Intro and a Uber question
>
> Hi Greg,
>
>
>
> I also have had lots of problems with cab drivers in the past, however, I
> have been using UBER for the past 2+ years and have only had one driver
> refuse me and 2 drivers give me a hard time about my dog shedding. This
> should not happen, however that is a far better track record than any 
> other
> transportation option I have used. That being said, I don't disclose to 
> the
> drivers that I have a dog, however, if I am somewhere crowded, I will tell
> them that I am blind, and to honk the horn when they pull up so that I can
> find them. This tends to work.
>
>
>
> For everyone going to convention, uber has just started offering there
> service in Orlando. If any of you are at convention this year, and want a
> discounted ride to test out UBER use the following promotion code to sign 
> up
> to receive $10 off. "uig9k"
>
>
>
> Hope this helps, and welcome to the list.
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg Aikens via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2014 10:10 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] Intro and a Uber question
>
>
> Hello all,
> I am brand new to the list and so thought I would drop a note to introduce
> myself and ask my first question. My name is Greg and I'm a teacher of 
> blind
>
> students in the Atlanta, GA area. I am currently working with my second
> guide, a golden retriever named Nikon from the Seeing Eye. I look forward 
> to
>
> connecting with other guide dog users and learning from the community.
>
> As to my question, my apologies if this has been covered previously. I 
> have
> just signed up for Uber and would like to use the service. Do the same ADA
> laws that apply to taxis also apply to Uber? I have run into enough 
> friction
>
> in my area from uneducated cab drivers that I generally try to notify the
> cab dispatch that I have a service animal when I request a ride so that I
> don't have to argue with cab drivers when they arrive. Is there a way to
> notify the Uber driver ahead of time that I have a service animal? Do 
> others
>
> on this list recommend disclosing that I have a dog ahead of time or not? 
> I
> am open to feedback.
>
> Thanks for any assistance.
>
> -Greg
>
>
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