The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against rideshare company Lyft, accusing it of discriminating against passengers with disabilities by repeatedly denying rides, charging improper fees and failing to make accommodations.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday, accused Lyft of denying service to “hundreds, likely thousands,” of individuals with disabilities who travel with service animals or who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, the suit said.
Lyft allegedly receives “thousands of complaints each year alleging disability-based discrimination,” but the company refuses to modify its policies, practices or procedures “to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities,” the suit alleges.
The DOJ accused Lyft of violating Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, according to the suit.
“Lyft is aware of, but fails to prevent and remedy, disability-based discrimination throughout its transportation services. Lyft does not adequately train its drivers and customer service representatives about their ADA obligations; monitor its drivers to prevent discrimination; or provide meaningful relief to people it has discriminated against,” the suit alleges.
In a statement, Lyft said it disagrees with the allegations made by the government.
“Discrimination has no place in the Lyft community. We have long-standing policies requiring drivers to accommodate riders who travel with service animals or use foldable mobility devices, and drivers who violate these policies face serious consequences, including permanent deactivation,” Lyft said in a statement.
“We’ve backed those policies with in-app tools, like letting riders tell drivers in advance that they’re traveling with a service animal and reminding drivers that refusing one is against the law. We’ve cooperated with the DOJ throughout its review and remain committed to serving every rider, including riders with disabilities,” Lyft added.
The suit included testimonies from passengers who the government alleges were discriminated against by Lyft, including James Rath of Tennessee who is legally blind. Rath claims he was denied repeated rides since getting a guide dog in November 2025 and in June he says he was denied a pickup from the airport because a driver refused to take his dog and drove away without canceling the ride, the suit alleges.
When he says he complained through Lyft’s chat feature, the company allegedly did not follow up with him until he posted his experience to social media about the incident. Lyft then gave him a $10 credit, according to the lawsuit.
Virginia Prince of California is blind and travels with a guide dog, and claims she has been repeatedly denied Lyft rides because of the service animal, according to the lawsuit.
Jodie Simon of Nevada, who has mobility disabilities due to a near-fatal car accident, also claims she was denied multiple Lyft rides in a row in May 2024 because of her wheelchair, the suit alleges.
Several users named in the complaint reported being late due to the delays and having to argue repeatedly with drivers who do not want to allow service animals in their vehicles, according to the lawsuit.
The government also alleges that Lyft has notice of “widespread disability-based discrimination in its transportation services but has failed to prevent it,” the suit says.
The government is seeking $53 million in damages for people with disabilities who they say Lyft has discriminated against and have submitted complaints to Lyft or the government. Additionally, the government is seeking a court order to force Lyft to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA and to train its staff and drivers on the ADA, according to a press release published by the DOJ.
The government is also seeking that Lyft pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination.
“Our purpose in the Department of Justice is often to fight for what’s right on behalf of those who can’t fight for themselves. And there are few areas where the fight is more important than in ensuring equal access to transportation services for all Americans,” U.S Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California said in a statement.
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