Uber Technologies Inc. has been taken to court in a new case instituted by the United States government on behalf of hundreds of aggrieved individuals.
Uber faces charges of alleged discrimination against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices such as wheelchairs.
The litigation is part of efforts to protect people with disabilities and ensure equal opportunity and full participation in American society, the Department of Justice said on Friday.
The DOJ wants Uber, the world’s largest rideshare service operating in about 70 countries, to pay $125 million as compensation for the reported unjust treatment, as well as a separate civil penalty.
Uber is accused of violating Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal civil rights law, which prohibits disability-based discrimination by private transportation companies.
The lawsuit, filed in the Court for the Northern District of California, seeks an order to force Uber to stop discrimination, modify its policies to comply with, and train staff and drivers on the ADA.
The company allegedly imposed surcharges by charging cleaning fees for service animal shedding and cancellation fees to riders, whom Uber “unlawfully denied service.”
The Justice Department’s civil complaint linked individuals with disabilities’ missed appointments, significant delays, and abandonment in chilly weather to Uber’s ride denials.
But Uber denies the claims, declaring its “clear zero-tolerance policy for confirmed service denials,” as well as “fundamental” disagreement with the DOJ’s allegations.
Back in 2022, Uber compensated more than 65,000 users after a Justice Department’s legal action regarding the charging of disabled passengers a fee when they needed extra time due to their condition.
Uber faces $125 million US lawsuit for alleged discrimination
