Blind people and their supporters were set to rally Tuesday against Uber and Lyft in San Francisco, claiming the ride share apps discriminate against them.
The National Federation of the Blind will lead Tuesday's rally, and its members told NBC Bay Area they hope to draw more attention to what they say is the companies’ failure to stop discirmination against blind individuals, particularly those accompanied by guide dogs.
The ride denials violate not only the companies’ own state policies but also state and federal law, organizers said.
Months ago, NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit looked into complaints from blind riders from across the Bay Area who said they were being discriminated against because they ride with service animals.
Those riders plan to amplify their calls for changes during Tuesday's rally.
Guide Dogs for the Blind, based in San Rafael, recently found 83% of its clients reported being denied rides.
Protesters and their allies are demanding that Uber and Lyft implement a zero-tolerance policy for drivers who violate company policy, reduce the burden on reporting denials and deliver better driver education.
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Uber released a statement, saying in part, "Our policies prohibit drivers from denying service because of a rider’s service animal or assistive device, and we are committed to implementing technology and policies that help make transportation more accessible."
That technology includes a new service animal handler self-identification pilot and an updated education module for drivers.
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Lyft did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its previous statement said in part, "Lyft has a strict service animal policy that requires all drivers to accommodate passengers traveling with service animals, and we take any allegation of this nature very seriously. There is no place for any form of discrimination on our platform and we ask that riders report issues immediately."
Tuesday's rally starts at 10 a.m. in front of Uber headquarters in Mission Bay. Another rally is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. in front of Lyft headquarters in China Basin.
