[Njagdu] Uber driver investigated after allegedly refusing woman with service dog

[Ginger Kutsch]

Uber driver investigated after allegedly refusing woman with service dog

Source:
https://www.fox25boston.com/news/croatian-businessman-ivica-todoric-arrested
-in-london/641975299

Nov 6, 2017 - 

 

BOSTON -- An Uber driver is accused of denying a ride to a blind woman
because of her service dog before dragging her boyfriend from his vehicle.

 

As Boston police investigate the case, the driver has been stripped of his
access to the Uber app and cannot provide rides.

 

Milissa Garside ordered the ride through a pilot program between Uber and
the MBTA for riders with disabilities. Her boyfriend, Richard Welch, who is
legally blind, came down from their Washington Street apartment to help her
hail her ride.

 

When the driver arrived, the couple says he refused to take Garside because
of the dog.

 

"He rolled down his passenger-side, rear window and said that he didn't take
dogs," Garside said. "We both explained to him that according to the law and
Uber's policies he's required to take the guide dog."

 

"'No dogs. I don't take dogs,'" Welch added. "And mind you, the service
animal down here next to Milissa is clearly using a harness that's highly
reflective, says he's a guide dog."

 

Welch told Boston 25 News he reached into the open window to unlock the
door, but the driver rolled up the window and took off, dragging him.

 

"He rolled up his window on my hand and proceed to jet to the intersection
down the street here and dragged me for at least ten feet," Welch said.

 

Welch fell free, he said, getting road rash on his arm and receiving five
stitches for cuts on his hand.

 

"I was kind of freaked out, because I heard things and I didn't know what
was going on," Garside said. "So I kept asking, 'What happened? What
happened?'" 

 

Garside and Welch filed a police report and met with a detective on Monday.

 

Uber told Boston 25 News the driver lost access to his Uber app. 

 

"We are sorry to hear about this disturbing report and we are reaching out
to check on the rider's well-being," an Uber spokesperson said in a
statement. "Drivers are expected to accommodate riders with service animals
and comply with all accessibility laws." 

 

All Uber drivers must sign an agreement that requires them to transport
riders with service animals, and they receive quarterly reminders of that
requirement, the company told Boston 25 News.

 

The MBTA is also looking into the matter, telling Boston 25 News in a
statement, "The MBTA takes the needs and concerns of its paratransit
customers seriously. The MBTA is disappointed to learn of this reported
incident, but satisfied that Uber has launched a full investigation into the
matter."

 

Meanwhile, Garside and Welch are upset and disappointed with the way they
say blind people are often treated.

 

"It's really frustrating," Garside said. "You deal with this on a daily
basis and it gets old quickly."

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/njagdu_nfbnet.org/attachments/20171107/dd21161a/attachment.html>