A state disability rights group has sued the ride-hailing apps Get Me and Fare in federal court, arguing that because the apps only partially offer text-to-speech software, they are unusable for blind people and therefore in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For example, Austin resident and accessibility consultant Jeanine Lineback, who is blind, was able to set up an account but was not able to request a ride, the lawsuit says.
The Fare app was officially made accessible to blind individuals in its iPhone update Sunday, and the Android app will have the same update in two weeks, Fare’s CEO Michael Leto said. As a result, Leto expects the lawsuit to be dropped against Fare.
Officials with Get Me said they disagree they are in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act because they do not provide public transportation.
The National Federation of the Blind chapter in Texas is suing on behalf of Lineback and four other Austinites, arguing that they are entitled to damages as well as an injunction against the apps, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday. The injunction would require that the apps’ companies make these apps accessible to people who are blind.
When the National Federation of the Blind sued Uber in 2014 over some drivers refusing to transport blind individuals with guide dogs, Uber also argued that the Americans with Disabilities Act does not apply to them. However, the federation argued that private entities primarily engaged in providing transportation services are covered by the act, and Uber settled the lawsuit this summer.
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“Get Me and other similar taxi services are a critical transportation option for many blind individuals in Austin, Texas,” the suit says. “Due to distances between destinations and the limitations of public transportation and paratransit, many blind persons must use taxi services to travel from one place to another.”
The suit also argues that if these kinds of apps put traditional taxis out of business, people who are blind will have even fewer options to get around. The suit says “other competing taxi services” operating in Austin have incorporated this technology into their apps, but does not specify which ones.
Color me unimpressed with GetMe’s defense. All of these rideshare companies need to have some level of accommodation for disabled riders. Perhaps the formula for it should be different than it is for a traditional cab company or public transit service, but it needs to be greater than zero, and they need to be accountable for it. That has to be a corollary of the way the vehicles for hire industry is changing. I hope GetMe can follow Fare’s lead and find a way to settle this rather than fight it out in court.