Equal access to transportation for all

September is Guide Dog Access Awareness Month, a time to celebrate the important role that guide dogs play. Whether it’s avoiding obstacles, stopping at curbs and steps, or negotiating traffic, a guide dog fosters independence for someone who is blind or partially sighted. It’s also a time for us at Uber to think about the best way for all Canadians to easily access a ride.

We believe in equal access to transportation for all. That’s why we are proud to continue our work with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) Foundation to raise this important issue and create more awareness on our platform so everyone has equal access to transportation with Uber. 

This year, free CNIB blankets, lint rollers, and decals for vehicles will be available for drivers on the Uber platform across the country at select Greenlight Hubs and CNIB community offices while supplies last. We are also sharing new awareness videos with drivers like the one below:

It is against the law for drivers to discriminate against riders with service animals. Drivers can be fined by local law enforcement, or they can be subject to proceedings at provincial human rights tribunals. And we do not tolerate discrimination on the Uber platform. Drivers who knowingly refuse a rider because of their service animal or assistive devices will lose access to their Uber account.

We have a specialized team devoted to investigating complaints of service animal denials, and they will speak with every rider and driver when looking into a complaint. If a rider is denied a ride or faces an issue related to their service animal like harassment or improper cleaning fees, we encourage the rider to please report the issue to Uber through Support in the app. We will investigate and take appropriate action. 

There is still much more work to do. We’re committed to working with partners and listening to riders as we develop and implement more inclusive ways to ride with Uber.

VIDEO: Equal access to transportation for all | Uber

Written byUber Canada