Fellow guide dog handlers have gathered the below information to counter ongoing infringements on our civil rights by rideshare drivers and companies. These best practices seek to hold drivers accountable and promote safety for guide dog teams confronted with drivers who do not understand or refuse to comply with the law. While the tips do not represent permanent or foolproof solutions, those who have implemented them have found varying degrees of success.
Guiding Eyes would love to hear from you regarding other ways you have improved your rideshare experience. Please contact us at mcarney@guidingeyes.org and gebgradcouncil@gmail.com to share any insight you may have. We intend to periodically update this resource with solution-focused strategies and tips. We look forward to working together to educate rideshare drivers and companies and protect the civil rights of guide dog teams across the U.S.
Uber Safety Incident Reporting Line (used to report Service Animal denials)
833-715-8237
Any service animal related questions, comments, concerns, or overall trends with accessibility denials can be sent to:
Note: Service animal denials should still be reported for investigation via the Uber app, website, or the safety incident reporting line.
Briana Gilmore, Head of Public Policy, Accessibility & Underserved Communities at Uber: briana.gilmore@uber.com
Note: This email is not for the purpose of reporting rideshare denials.
The following are avenues you may wish to use for reporting a rideshare service animal denial. This can include a denial that happened to you personally or to someone traveling with you.
1. Report the denial to Lyft or Uber via the app, website, or service animal denial hotline. Provide as many details as possible, including any videos that were taken.
2. File a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ), giving them as many details as possible about the rideshare denial. If you do not hear back or receive a generic response stating they will not be taking action on the complaint, do not be discouraged. Persistence is beginning to pay off, and the DOJ now has attorneys assigned to investigate service animal denials. Continuing to report your personal discrimination experiences to the DOJ will bring increased scrutiny to this critical issue and provide necessary data to justify legal action.
3. Complete the NFB Rideshare Discrimination Survey. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is seeking feedback from Uber and Lyft customers who have been discriminated against by either rideshare company because of a disability, including but not limited to a rider’s use of a service animal or white cane, or inaccessible rideshare app technology. NFB is gathering information about ongoing discrimination for legal advocacy.
Additionally, the following email address from the National association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) may be used to provide feedback about the Uber complaint process regarding a service animal denial, regardless of whether the outcome was satisfactory. It should not be used to submit the complaint itself. Uber-feedback@nagdu.org
4. Report the denial to the American Council of the Blind (ACB) via the following email: advocacy@acb.org. The ACB is working with the Department of Justice regarding this important issue.
5. Report the denial to the Protection & Advocacy Agency (P&A) for the state where the denial occurred.
Find your state’s Protection and Advocacy Agency. P&As provide legal advocacy services for people with disabilities. They have the authority to pursue litigation and all other appropriate remedies under federal, state, and local law.
Access Information Line for Guiding Eyes Graduates with an Active GEB Guide 800-974-4925.
This line provides real-time assistance and/or follow-up support in resolving situations where access is being denied by establishments, transportation, or other services. The hotline is also available for questions about access laws or advice on individual situations.
Table of State Assistance Animal Laws – Animal Legal & Historical Center
Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP)
ASAP 24/7 Toll-Free Advocacy Hotline – For Assistance with Access Issues
855-ASAP211 (855-272-7211)
ASAP is a network of service animal advocates across the United States whose mission is to encourage, educate, and support service animal handlers through informational webinars, educational materials, direct advocacy support, intervention, and mediation.
Rideshare Poster – Pine Tree Guide Dog Users
This informative, fun, and easy-to-read poster, written from the perspective of a guide dog, is intended to help rideshare drivers learn more about guide dogs and what to expect when transporting these highly trained animals in their vehicles. The rideshare poster is available to print or download in three formats: handout, poster, and image, each obtainable in English, French, and Spanish.
To download “Addressing Rideshare Denial”, as a printable document, click here.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 13-1854606.
© 2023 GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND PRIVACY POLICY | ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |