DOJ lawsuit says Lyft routinely refuses service to passengers with disabilities

The company settled with the DOJ over similar allegations in 2020.

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The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Lyft, accusing the company and its drivers of "routinely" refusing service to passengers with disabilities. Its complaint focuses on individuals who use mobility devices like stowable wheelchairs, as well as those who have service animals trained to perform tasks related to their conditions. The actions of Lyft and its drivers violate Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA, which prohibits transportation companies from discriminating based on disability, the department said in its announcement.

In addition to refusing service, the agency accuses Lyft of imposing cancellation fees on passengers who've been refused service, as well as of refusing to modify its policies and practices to avoid discrimination against those passengers. One example is denying passengers with mobility issues the choice to sit in the front seat when needed. 

This isn't the first time Lyft has had to face the same allegations from the Justice Department. In 2020, the company reached an out-of-court settlement with the agency to resolve allegations that it violated the ADA. Back then, the department launched an investigation into the ride-hailing service's practices after a wheelchair user in Los Angeles filed multiple complaints over being refused rides. Lyft agreed to pay damages and to revise its wheelchair policies, but the DOJ has clearly concluded that any change it has made since then isn't enough.

The lawsuit is seeking $53 million in damages for passengers with disabilities who have filed complaints to Lyft or the department itself. It's also asking the court to order Lyft to train its drivers on the ADA. The company denies the allegations in a statement it sent to the New York Times.  "Discrimination has no place in the Lyft community," it 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."

Last year, the DOJ also sued Uber (again) over disability discrimination. Similar to its complaint against Lyft, the department said back then that 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.