Chicago

Group Sues Uber Over Lack of Wheelchair Access

A Washington, D.C.-based civil rights group has filed a lawsuit against Uber under the American with Disabilities Act —which prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities— alleging that the ride-hailing company has chosen to not to include wheelchair-accessible vehicles in its services.

The Equal Rights Center's executive director Melvina Ford says that Uber "has a legal obligation to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access its transportation services without excessive costs and wait times."

While Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment, its website says that it is piloting models in some cities "to determine which wheelchair accessible vehicle options best meet the needs of our riders" and drivers. Some of those pilot programs direct riders to commercial providers.

A group in Chicago in 2016 also filed a federal lawsuit against Uber for what it said was a failure to provide access to those in wheelchairs in violation of federal law.

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