Lyft is facing a major legal challenge over how passengers with disabilities are treated when they request rides. The Justice Department says the company and its drivers “routinely” refuse service, turning access to transportation into a fight over mobility devices, service animals, and basic accommodations.
The department filed the lawsuit against Lyft in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeking $53 million in damages for passengers with disabilities who filed complaints with Lyft or the department itself. The case also asks the court to require Lyft to train its drivers on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Complaint Focuses on Wheelchairs and Service Animals
The complaint focuses on passengers who use mobility devices, including stowable wheelchairs, as well as passengers with service animals trained to perform tasks related to their conditions. The Justice Department says Lyft and its drivers violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, known as the ADA.
Title III prohibits transportation companies from discriminating based on disability. The department accuses Lyft of refusing rides, imposing cancellation fees on passengers who were refused service, and failing to modify its policies and practices to prevent discrimination.
One example in the complaint involves passengers with mobility issues who needed the option to sit in the front seat. The agency says Lyft denied those passengers that choice, even when the seating change was needed because of their disabilities.
These allegations reach beyond a single cancelled trip. They describe a pattern that the Justice Department says affected passengers trying to use a transportation service while traveling with equipment or animals connected to their medical conditions.
DOJ Says Earlier Changes Fell Short
The lawsuit follows action Lyft took in 2020, when the company reached an out-of-court settlement with the agency to resolve allegations that it violated the ADA. The department launched its investigation after a wheelchair user in Los Angeles filed multiple complaints about being refused rides.
Lyft agreed to pay damages and revise its wheelchair policies as part of that settlement. The Justice Department has now concluded that any changes Lyft made since then were not enough to stop the alleged discrimination.
That history gives the new lawsuit added force. The department is not only asking for money for passengers who filed complaints; it is also seeking a court order that would require driver training on the ADA, placing accessibility rules at the center of Lyft’s service operations.
The requested $53 million would cover passengers with disabilities who complained to Lyft or the department. The amount also signals the scale of the impact the agency says it identified through its investigation.
Lyft Denies the Allegations
Lyft denies the allegations. In a statement, the company said, “Discrimination has no place in the Lyft community.”
Lyft also said, “We have longstanding policies requiring drivers to accommodate riders who travel with service animals or use foldable mobility devices, and drivers who violate these policies face serious consequences, including permanent deactivation.”
The dispute now turns on the gap between those stated policies and the conduct described in the complaint. Lyft says drivers who violate its rules can face permanent deactivation, while the Justice Department says passengers continued to face refusals, fees, and missing accommodations.
The case also lands as the department continues its scrutiny of disability access across ride-hailing services. Last year, the DOJ sued Uber again over disability discrimination, saying Uber and its drivers “routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities.” Both lawsuits were filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.
For passengers who rely on foldable mobility devices or service animals, the outcome could shape what ride-hailing companies must do when their normal practices do not meet a rider’s needs. The Justice Department’s demand for driver training puts that question directly before the court, and the $53 million claim gives the case a powerful financial dimension.
Lyft’s policies promise serious consequences for drivers who refuse service. The lawsuit will test whether those policies work in practice—and whether the company must change more than its written rules to meet the ADA.
Based on
- DOJ lawsuit says Lyft routinely refuses service to passengers with disabilities — engadget.com
- U.S. sues Lyft over service dog and wheelchair denials — ctvnews.ca
- Lyft’s New Subscription Bundles In DoorDash’s DashPass For $10 Per Month — engadget.com
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