Uber faces US DOJ lawsuit over disability discrimination again

The US Department of Justice has filed a new lawsuit against Uber, accusing the company and its drivers of discriminating against people with disabilities.

The suit alleges that drivers frequently refuse service to passengers with disabilities, including those with service animals or stowable wheelchairs, and have insulted or asked inappropriate questions.

Uber disputed the allegations, saying it enforces a zero-tolerance policy for confirmed violations and requires drivers to follow its service animal policy.

The company noted it has implemented educational initiatives and features to support riders with service animals.

The DOJ is seeking a jury trial, financial penalties, and other remedies under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This follows a previous DOJ lawsuit against Uber in 2021 that was settled in 2022.

🔗 Source: Engadget

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Uber faces decade-long pattern of disability discrimination lawsuits

This latest DOJ lawsuit represents the continuation of nearly a decade of legal challenges against Uber’s disability practices across multiple jurisdictions.
Previous lawsuits include a 2016 Chicago case where Uber provided only 14 rides to motorized wheelchair users between 2011-2015 despite millions of total rides, and a 2017 New York lawsuit alleging only 200 of Uber’s nearly 60,000 vehicles were wheelchair accessible.
The DOJ previously sued Uber in 2021 over “wait time” fees charged to passengers with disabilities, resulting in a $2.2 million settlement in 2022.
Similar discrimination lawsuits have been filed in California, Washington D.C., and other major cities, indicating the scope extends beyond isolated incidents to systematic accessibility failures.
This pattern suggests that despite policy changes and settlements, Uber has struggled to effectively implement solutions that prevent discrimination at the driver level where service delivery actually occurs.

Service animal discrimination persists despite recent app features

Uber introduced a service animal notification feature in early 2025 that allows riders to alert drivers in advance, but the DOJ lawsuit alleges discrimination continues “notwithstanding the feature.”
Real-world experiences documented as recently as 2024 show drivers still cancel rides upon seeing service animals, with blind rider Suzette May reporting repeated refusals for her guide dog.
The disconnect between policy and practice appears significant. While Uber states it has a “zero-tolerance policy for confirmed service denials” and requires drivers to acknowledge service animal policies, enforcement mechanisms may be insufficient to change driver behavior.
This suggests that technological solutions alone may be inadequate without stronger enforcement mechanisms and driver education programs to address underlying attitudes and compliance issues.