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Uber sued in US for charging 'wait time fees' to people with disabilities
In April 2016, Uber began charging passengers wait time fees in a number of cities, the department of justice stated in the lawsuit. Eventually, the company expanded the policy nationwide, it also said.
The United States Justice Department on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the ride-hailing app Uber over allegations of overcharging passengers with disabilities. According to the statement published on the department's website, Uber Technologies charged "wait time" fees to passengers who needed more time to enter the car due to their disability. It has also asked the company to comply with the anti-discrimination law of America.
In April 2016, Uber began charging passengers wait time fees in a number of cities, the department of justice stated in the lawsuit. Eventually, the company expanded the policy nationwide, it also said.
The department said that the wait time policy of Uber violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, saying blind people or users of wheelchairs or walkers need more than two minutes to get into a car. "People with disabilities deserve equal access to all areas of community life, including the private transportation services provided by companies like Uber," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, who is representing the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.
The lawsuit seeks to bring the company into compliance with the mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), "while sending a powerful message that Uber cannot penalise passengers with disabilities simply because they need more time to get into a car," it also said.
The department further asked Uber and other similar companies to ensure equal access for all people, "including those with disabilities". "People with disabilities deserve equal access to all areas of community life, including the private transportation services provided by companies like Uber," Clarke also said.
The lawsuit is filed at US District Court in San Francisco and seeks an order to Uber to modify its wait time fee policy and pay monetary damages for any illegal fees that have been charged so far. Wait time fees start two minutes after the Uber car arrives at the pickup location and is charged until the car begins its trip.
Meanwhile, the company has called the lawsuit "surprising and disappointing". "Wait time fees are charged to all riders to compensate drivers after two minutes of waiting, but were never intended for riders who are ready at their designated pickup location, but need more time to get into the car," it said in a statement, according to a report by Reuters.
It also clarified that the company has issued refunds whenever disabled riders alerted about the charges on the app.
In April, Uber was ordered to pay $1.1m to a blind woman who was refused rides on 14 occasions. In the lawsuit, it was alleged that Uber's drivers had illegally discriminated against her due to her condition.
