[NFBOH-Cleveland] A service dog named Alfred sparked a Lyft settlement in Minnesota

[smturner.234 at gmail.com]

A service dog named Alfred sparked a Lyft settlement in Minnesota with
nationwide reach


WFMJ

March 11, 2026

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The ride-sharing company Lyft
<https://apnews.com/article/waymo-lyft-uber-protest-california-robotaxi-ae89
9573f4b12aa1844656fa5f7365ec>  will ensure the rights of blind and other
disabled passengers across the country to travel with their service animals
under a settlement announced in Minnesota on Wednesday.

College student Tori Andres turned to the Minnesota Department of Human
Rights after several Lyft drivers refused to let her service dog, Alfred,
ride along with her. The agency investigated and determined that the company
was violating the state's Human Rights Act. Both sides then negotiated a
settlement that includes changes in driver training, and updates to the Lyft
app that will make the agreement apply nationwide, not just in Minnesota.

"This case is a deeply personal thing to me because I travel pretty much
everywhere with my guide dog," Andres said at a news conference, as her
black Labrador lay quietly near her feet, with only an occasional lick or
yawn. "He is my eyes. He is my freedom, and he is why I am able to live
independently."

The terms require Lyft to train its drivers on the rights of passengers with
disabilities, and warn them that they could be "deactivated" and lose their
ability to drive for Lyft if they violate the law, state Human Rights
Commissioner Rebecca Lucero told reporters. Drivers can't cancel or refuse a
ride because a passenger has a service animal or wheelchair, or because they
have low or no vision, she said. The state will monitor Lyft's compliance
for three years, she added, and Andres will get a $63,000 monetary
settlement.

"We expect that all riders in Minnesota and in fact, across the United
States, will benefit from these changes," Lucero said.

Changes to the Lyft app include giving riders the option of updating their
accessibility settings to notify a driver that they're traveling with a
service animal, and to report if they're denied service. Some of those
features were already in place. Lyft agreed to follow up on every report it
gets of driver refusals.

Drivers who try to cancel or refuse a ride to a passenger who has disclosed
their service animal in the app will immediately receive an in-app message
reminding them, "It's against the law to refuse service animals," and that
they risk getting fired.

The state reached the settlement with Lyft without resorting to a lawsuit.
Lyft's leading competitor, Uber,
<https://apnews.com/article/uber-women-safety-9c974f92dfd7fb25d504d173b2429d
06>  the country's largest ride-haling service, is not a party to the
settlement. But Lucero said the Minnesota Human Rights Act binds all
ride-share companies, including Uber. She said her agency frequently gets
complaints against a variety of transportation companies, but did not
indicate that anything is currently in the works against the competitor.

"We recommend that all businesses use this as an opportunity to look at
their policies, training and accountability systems to make sure that it's
being enforced correctly," Lucero said.

Lyft officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the
settlement, nor did Uber officials respond to a request for details on their
policies about service animals. Uber's website says service animals must be
accommodated in compliance with applicable accessibility laws and the
company's service animal policy, which says there are no exceptions due to
allergies, religious objections, or a fear of animals.

The federal government filed a lawsuit against Uber
<https://apnews.com/article/uber-service-dogs-discrimination-department-just
ice-6c0f395b4084c27ac4d400f0ad78f3b9>  in San Francisco last September
alleging it routinely refused to serve individuals with disabilities,
including those with service dogs. A federal magistrate judge last week
denied a company motion to dismiss the case.

"Access to ride shares like Lyft is not a convenience. It is, in fact, a
civil right," Lucero said.

  _____  

 

 

Suzanne M. Hartfield Turner

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, Vice President

Ohio Legislative Director

Cleveland Chapter, President

 

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and
all blind people in the United States. We know that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination,
and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

 

P: (216) 990-6199

W: NFBOhio.ORG

Facebook:  <https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/>
https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/

 

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