Uber is facing another in what has become a long line of controversies.
The Verge reports that The Equal Rights Center filed a lawsuit against the ride-hailing company on Wednesday, accusing Uber of not making its service accessible to people who use wheelchairs in Washington, D.C.
The lawsuit alleges that Uber has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as D.C’s Human Rights Act, according to CNN. More specifically, it alleges that Uber’s fleet of cars in D.C is unable to service people in the city who have non-foldable wheelchairs. And even if they can, there’s no way for passengers to know because it’s not indicated in the app.
While the lawsuit notes that Uber does have an option for handicapped people, called UberWAVE, it alleges that this service falls short, CNN reports.
“Were they to be accessible to wheelchair users, Uber’s transportation services could have life-changing effects for wheelchair users, improving their ability to work, study, participate in community life, and generally to live more independently,” the lawsuit claims, according to the Verge .
Interestingly, Uber had the option to including wheelchair access in its fleet of cars last year , the Verge first reported at the time. But the ride-hailing company chose not to.
A spokesperson for Uber was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Coins2Day. But in a statement to the Verge, a spokesperson said: “We take this issue seriously and are committed to continued work with the District, our partners, and stakeholders toward expanding transportation options and freedom of movement for all residents throughout the region.”
The news of the Equal Rights Center lawsuit comes after a wave of other problems at the ride-hailing company, and just after Uber’s CEO, Travis Kalanick, stepped down last week amid pressure from investors.
