Other ride-hailing apps, such as Juno and Via, have also been called out on this issue in aAlthough there have been some mild efforts made over the last few months to improve accessibility , the progress has been slow.
I have never been able to access a wheelchair accessible Lyft or Uber in the Bay Area, and everybody I know who uses a wheelchair knows these services are not available to us. That needs to change. These companies need to comply with their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.” It used to be much easier to get accessible taxis, but ridesharing companies have put a lot of taxis out of business, including accessible taxis. Meanwhile, we are being totally ignored by these companies that claim they are making transportation more accessible.”As the IPO season comes into full bloom, companies are embarking on the traditional roadshow to meet with investors, which ultimately leads to the pricing of shares.
The two ride-hailing companies have been locked in an ongoing arm-wrestling contest for years, mimicking each other’s moves. What’s surprising here is that neither has taken the opportunity to make their on-demand service truly accessible to people in wheelchairs. As they were prepping for their long-awaited IPOs, either one could have made a major push to dramatically increase their fleets of WAVs in the Bay Area, thereby gaining a competitive edge over the other.