[NAGDU] Rideshare denials

carcione at access.net carcione at access.net
Fri May 24 21:06:48 UTC 2024 

Every time I get a denial, my husband asks me what the, um, heck the NFB is doing about it, and what the heck good the NFB is if they can't help with something like this.  I say we're working on it, but it's sounding pretty lame after a while.
Tracy


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Cindy Ray via NAGDU
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2024 5:01 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Rideshare denials

This is all really discouraging. I wish we heard more regularly updates on what is happening on the rideshare front. I know we are working onit, and maybe I’ve just missed it.
Cindy Lou Ray
Sent from my iPhone

> On May 24, 2024, at 3:27 PM, Buddy Brannan via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Yep. I just saw a post from a friend on Facebook, who was denied *three times* in a row. After the third time, he got a message from Uber suggesting that if he wanted to take his furry friend along, he should use Uber Pet. But…service dogs are allowed on regular rides. Uh … OK. Fourth time he got a ride.
> 
> 
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV, WRVB670 - Erie, PA
> Email: buddy at brannan.name
> Mobile: (814) 431-0962
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On May 24, 2024, at 2:48 PM, Debbie Malone via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Just an FYI. The service dog denials are getting worse. I had the 
>> same scenario happen just a week later.  I was also denied directly 
>> when I wanted to go with my significant other to his appointment. 
>> They said I couldn't go because I had a service dog. It is really bad 
>> when the transit authority is perpetuating the problem and actually 
>> denying access because of the service dog. Just saying...
>> 
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>>> On Sun, May 5, 2024 at 8:50 AM Diane Graves via NAGDU 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I hear you Debbie. It is an outrage to have to decide whether to 
>>> take a dog to your time sensitive appointment or leave them home, 
>>> because you don't know what the rideshare drivers are going to try 
>>> to pull. It is even worse, to make this ongoing problem a 
>>> consideration when deciding whether to train with a successor dog or not.
>>> 
>>> Although the rideshare companies would claim otherwise, I simply 
>>> don't believe that they have a strong zero tolerance policy for 
>>> violations of the law when it comes to guide dogs/service animals. 
>>> They would say that they are doing all they can, but I do not believe it.
>>> 
>>> For example, I was recently enrolled at a university which had a 
>>> very strict progressive policy against cheating and plagiarism. If 
>>> you were caught once, you would receive an F on the assignment; 
>>> twice, you failed the entire course; three times and you were 
>>> expelled from the university. I don't think the rideshare companies have such a policy in place.
>>> 
>>> When attempting to make travel arrangements with a family member or 
>>> friend, I try to be considerate. If they don't want a dog in their 
>>> vehicle, I can either honor that or choose not to ride with them. 
>>> However, When a driver makes the decision to provide a public 
>>> service and drive their personal vehicle for a rideshare company, 
>>> they forfeit their right to make the call, and they should be 
>>> required to comply with the law. We shouldn't be forced to deal with this.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Robin (Diane) Graves
>>> rdgraves2007 at gmail.com
>>> 317-238-9262
>>> 
>>> “TGIF: TODAY GOD IS FIRST.’—OS Hillman
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Debbie Malone 
>>> via NAGDU
>>> Sent: Sunday, May 5, 2024 7:31 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
>>> < nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Debbie Malone <dmalone510 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Rideshare denials
>>> 
>>> I do the same thing. I report to Uber, NFB, and our RTA (MBTA/the 
>>> RIDE)since many of my rides are contracted through them. I am going 
>>> out to the DOJ complaints in the next day or so. Any advice?
>>> 
>>> I am so outraged that even those contracted rides are denied. The 
>>> other day the paratransit service didn't have enough vans to take me 
>>> on my scheduled trip. The tried to get me an Uber but were refused 
>>> by every driver. They were telling the drivers that I had a service 
>>> dog and allowed each driver to deny the ride. They had to delay a 
>>> regular van driver's lunch to take me to my appointment. I am so 
>>> outraged that I am looking into a protest at the state house and/or media coverage. I am too through.
>>> 
>>> *Sent with Right Inbox 
>>> <https://www.rightinbox.com/?utm_source=signature>*
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Sat, May 4, 2024 at 4:14 PM Suzette May via NAGDU 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> What Lyft told me is that if you message the driver that you have a 
>>>> guide dog or the driver is close enough to see that you have a 
>>>> guide dog and the ride is canceled at any point after that, it is 
>>>> considered a service dog denial. So I report those.  I also 
>>>> screenshot my text message when it says the driver has seen the 
>>>> message, along with the driver information screen as soon as 
>>>> possible. I also report it on the NFB form and the DOJ form every 
>>>> time.  If I can, I start videoing when
>>> the driver is one minute away.
>>>> I'm averaging about 1 in 3 guide dog denials.  I've had several 
>>>> that were blatant, to my face denials. That was before I started videoing.
>>>> 
>>>> *Suzette May*
>>>> *PS139.13 at gmail.com <PS139.13 at gmail.com>*
>>>> *512-564-0152*
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Thu, May 2, 2024 at 12:34 PM Raul Gallegos - NAGDU via NAGDU < 
>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hello Vanessa. While there is no direct evidence that you have 
>>>>> been denied, I personally would still report it as such, 
>>>>> especially if you
>>>> have
>>>>> voluntarily sent the driver a text that identifies you as a blind 
>>>>> person traveling with a guide dog.
>>>>> I hope this helps.
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> Raul Gallegos, President
>>>>> National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>>> (346) 439-7444 • rgallegos at nagdu.org www.nfb.org • www.nagdu.org 
>>>>> Subscribe to the NAGDU public calendar Facebook Group • Email list 
>>>>> • Mastodon “You can live the life you want. Blindness is not what 
>>>>> holds you back.”
>>>>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Vanessa Lowery 
>>>>> via NAGDU
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, May 2, 2024 12:22 PM
>>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
>>>>> Users < nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Cc: Vanessa Lowery <val4dogs at gmail.com>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Rideshare denials
>>>>> 
>>>>> I have a question. To give an example, let's say that I have 
>>>>> selected
>>>> Uber
>>>>> and have messaged the driver stating that I will be traveling with 
>>>>> a service dog and will be placing a towel on the floor of the 
>>>>> vehicle
>>>> before
>>>>> the dog enters. You continue to wait as the countdown for the 
>>>>> drivers arrival continues. The driver gets two or three minutes 
>>>>> out, and then the next thing you know, You've been switched to 
>>>>> another ride. But before
>>>> that
>>>>> happens, you've gotten a text response back from the driver that 
>>>>> just
>>>> says,
>>>>> "OK.". You assume that the OK means that the driver has no issues 
>>>>> with
>>>> the
>>>>> presence of the service dog. But then, you are suddenly switched 
>>>>> to
>>>> another
>>>>> driver. Is that considered a denial? And if not, at a minimum, 
>>>>> should we
>>>> go
>>>>> to the tracking link that the NFB has and report that. And if so, 
>>>>> what is it categorized to be? I have had that happen a few times
>>> lately.
>>>>> Vanessa and the zoo
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On May 2, 2024, at 7:21 AM, Debbie Malone via NAGDU 
>>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>> Is NFB still collecting data regarding Uber andLyft service 
>>>>>> animal
>>>>> denials?
>>>>>> If so where do we report the incidents? Thanks.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> *Debbie Malone*
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts*
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *Affiliate Second Vice President*
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *At-Large Chapter President*
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *National Federation of the Blind, National Writers Division Vice
>>>>>> President* *InclusionEducation.com
>>>>>> <https://inclusioneducation.com/>*
>>>>>> Amazon Author Page <https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RVCRR5R>
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *Sent with Right Inbox
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>>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> *Debbie Malone*
>>> 
>>> *National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts*
>>> 
>>> *Affiliate Second Vice President*
>>> 
>>> *At-Large Chapter President​*
>>> 
>>> *National Federation of the Blind, National Writers Division Vice
>>> President* *InclusionEducation.com 
>>> <https://inclusioneducation.com/>*
>>> Amazon Author Page <https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RVCRR5R>
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>> 
>> 
>> --
>> *Debbie Malone*
>> 
>> *National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts*
>> 
>> *Affiliate Second Vice President*
>> 
>> *At-Large Chapter President​*
>> 
>> *National Federation of the Blind, National Writers Division Vice 
>> President* *InclusionEducation.com <https://inclusioneducation.com/>*
>> Amazon Author Page <https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07RVCRR5R>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> me
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