Uber will make changes and pay millions to settle a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit alleging that the ride-sharing service illegally overcharged people with disabilities for years.
The Justice Department sued last year alleging that Uber violated the Americans with Disabilities Act with its “wait time” policy. Uber has charged extra fees since 2016 for riders who take more than two minutes to get into its cars and start their trips after the car arrives at the pickup location. Fees were charged even when the company knew that a passenger needed extra time due to a disability, according to the lawsuit.
The Justice Department noted that passengers with disabilities may need extra time for many reasons including to collapse and store a wheelchair or walker or for a person who is blind to safely walk from the pickup location to the car.