[nagdu] Concerns arise over Uber's accessibility for personswith disabilities

Larry D Keeler lkeeler at comcast.net
Wed Jan 14 17:53:02 UTC 2015


I always tell a shared ride program but not necessarily a private one.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Abigail Bolling via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "Ginger Kutsch" <Ginger at ky2d.com>; "NAGDU Mailing List,the National 
Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Concerns arise over Uber's accessibility for 
personswith disabilities


> Personally, for UBER, I use the IPhone app...
> But, when I call for a regular taxi, I make sure I tell them I have a 
> service dog... Out of respect for the Driver.
> What do you guys think about having the UBER app add an option where you 
> can let them know if you have a dog or a wheelchair... Just because most 
> of the uber or lift drivers are using their own personal vehicles.
> Especially for a wheelchair. because then maybe at the base dispatch they 
> could have a few wheelchair vehicles available.
> Thoughts?
>
> Abigail Bolling
> "Keep a smile on your face and a song in your heart, and just let the 
> music play." (Julie Anderson Diamond)
>
>> On Jan 14, 2015, at 8:22 AM, Ginger Kutsch via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
>> wrote:
>>
>> Concerns arise over Uber's accessibility for persons with disabilities
>>
>> By Caitlin Johnston
>>
>> Tuesday, January 13, 2015
>>
>> Source URL:
>> http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/concerns-arise-over-ubers-access
>> ibility-for-persons-with-disabilities/2213526
>>
>>
>>
>> TAMPA - Ride-share company Uber has operated around Tampa Bay since 
>> April,
>> but advocates are concerned that the company has no wheelchair-accessible
>> vehicles here and that its representatives seem misinformed on federal
>> regulations.
>>
>>
>>
>> A representative from Uber discussed concerns with advocates and 
>> community
>> members during a forum Tuesday organized by the Hillsborough County and
>> Tampa Mayor's alliances for people with disabilities.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ana Mahony, Uber's general manager for Tampa, said the ride-share company 
>> is
>> piloting programs in several cities in hopes of finding the best method 
>> of
>> providing services for people with disabilities.
>>
>>
>>
>> Tampa, however, is not one of those cities. Currently, there is no way 
>> for
>> riders in Tampa to request a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, Mahony said.
>>
>>
>>
>> "I would love to be able to do something like that here,'' she said. 
>> "Those
>> kinds of situations require partnerships. . Right now we don't have the
>> luxury of being able to test something like that."
>>
>>
>>
>> Uber, which connects passengers with nearby drivers via a smartphone app,
>> has several variations on its typical rideshare model that could improve
>> service here for people with disabilities, Mahony said.
>>
>>
>>
>> UberWAV, which is only available in New York City's outer boroughs, 
>> allows
>> users to request a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. UberASSIST aims to 
>> assist
>> seniors, but does not have wheelchair-accessible ramps. UberACCESS,
>> according to its website, does include vehicles with a ramp.
>>
>>
>>
>> But wheelchairs are only a part of the ongoing discussion about
>> accessibility. Marion Gwizdala, president of the National Association of
>> Guide Dog Users, said he was worried when Mahony said that drivers are 
>> not
>> required to provide rides for service dogs if the drivers have allergies.
>>
>>
>>
>> A second Uber representative, spokeswoman Kaitlin Durkosh, confirmed
>> Mahony's statements to a reporter later in an email.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Driver partners are instructed in (Americans with Disabilities Act)
>> regulations and while they are permitted under the law not to take a 
>> service
>> animal for issues like allergies, safety or religious beliefs, drivers 
>> with
>> those concerns are directed to wait with the rider until another Uber
>> arrives," Durkosh wrote.
>>
>>
>>
>> According to ADA regulations, allergies and fear of dogs are not valid
>> reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service
>> animals.
>>
>>
>>
>> "I'm concerned that they don't want to be regulated, and they're not 
>> fully
>> aware of what their responsibilities are under ADA," Gwizdala said.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ben Ritter, co-chair of the Tampa Mayor's Alliance for Persons with
>> Disabilities, said he was glad there was such a strong turnout and 
>> thought
>> the conversation was productive. However, he doubts whether Uber or other
>> ride-share companies will enact any changes.
>>
>>
>>
>> "They're not going to do anything until they're forced to," Ritter said.
>> "They're not going to make these changes because they don't have the
>> incentive."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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