Justice Department Sues Lyft Over Rides Denied To Disabled Passengers

The US Justice Department sued Lyft on 9th November, alleging that the company and its drivers repeatedly deny rides to passengers with disabilities, including people travelling with service animals and stowable wheelchairs.

The department's press release says it seeks $53 million for affected individuals who complained to either the company or the Justice Department. The suit was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The claims are allegations, not a court finding that Lyft violated the law.

Before the lawsuit, Lyft said in its quarterly filing dated 6th November that it was cooperating with the Justice Department and seeking to resolve the matter. The company disputed the allegations of wrongdoing and said it intended to keep defending itself.

The 36-page complaint alleges that passengers have faced cancelled rides, disability-related charges, insulting treatment and refusals to make reasonable changes, such as allowing someone with mobility difficulties to sit in the front seat. It also accuses Lyft of inadequate training, monitoring and complaint handling.

The department says the consequences extend beyond an ordinary trip. Its complaint describes Lyft's partnerships with local governments for publicly funded paratransit services and contracts with healthcare providers and insurers. It says passengers with disabilities rely on the service for work, medical appointments and other essential journeys.

A disclosure option did not end refusals, complaint alleges

The complaint says Lyft introduced an optional feature allowing passengers to tell drivers in advance that they would travel with a service animal after the department notified it of the investigation. The department alleges that refusals continued despite that feature.

One example concerns a passenger who uses a guide dog. According to the complaint, the passenger used the disclosure feature but still experienced refusals. In June, it alleges, a driver arrived for an airport trip home, said he did not take dogs and drove away. The complaint includes images it describes as screenshots from a video of the encounter.

Lyft's published service-animal policy says drivers must accommodate service animals in any ride, even when the passenger has not requested its Pet ride option. It describes advance disclosure as optional and says using it brings no additional charge. Drivers receive a notification and a reminder of the obligation to accommodate the animal.

The policy also says drivers cannot demand documents proving an animal's status. It provides in-app reporting routes and a service-animal complaint hotline, including for drivers who did not complete the requested ride. Those published protections describe Lyft's stated rules; they do not determine whether the incidents alleged in the suit occurred.

Damages and service changes sought

The complaint asks for a court order to stop the alleged discrimination, changes to policies and practices, training, monetary damages and a civil penalty. Its request for relief does not specify a dollar amount; the $53 million figure comes from the department's announcement.

The requested compensation includes emotional distress, pain, suffering and other injuries. The department has demanded a jury trial. Its complaint asks the court to decide the allegations and remedies, so the amount sought is not an award to passengers.