Posted by Jacob

You ever read something in the news and just shake your head because it feels like the same story keeps repeating itself with different company names? That’s how I felt when I saw the headline about the Department of Justice suing Uber for discrimination against disabled customers. Honestly, it didn’t surprise me, but it did get me thinking about how little progress we’ve made when it comes to accessibility and fairness in big tech.

From what I gathered, the DOJ is going after Uber for allegedly charging extra wait time fees to passengers who have disabilities. Think about that for a second. If someone is in a wheelchair or needs a little more time to get into the car, they were getting dinged with fees. Imagine already dealing with the daily challenges of moving around in a world not built for you, and then an app that’s supposed to provide convenience punishes you for being slower than the “average” rider. It’s messed up.

Now, Uber’s defense is kind of what you’d expect. They’re saying their policies weren’t meant to be discriminatory, and that they’ve already made changes to waive these fees for disabled riders. And sure, maybe the system wasn’t designed with malicious intent—but here’s the kicker: impact matters more than intent. If your app is consistently penalizing people who need more time because of a disability, then you’re discriminating, whether you meant to or not. That’s the harsh truth.

I’ve got friends who live with disabilities. One buddy of mine uses crutches, and just getting into a rideshare vehicle can take him an extra minute or two. I’ve watched drivers roll their eyes or look impatient while he climbs in. It might not sound like much, but those little moments pile up, and then to add insult to injury, the company tacks on a fee? That’s more than just bad PR—it’s exploitation.

And this isn’t the first time Uber has been called out for stuff like this. There’ve been lawsuits over accessibility before, like drivers refusing to take service animals, or cars not being properly equipped for wheelchairs. You’d think after years of backlash, they’d have nailed down a foolproof policy to make sure every rider—disabled or not—feels respected. But here we are again.

What bothers me most is how normalized this kind of treatment has become. Companies act like accessibility is some “bonus feature” instead of a basic requirement. In 2025, we still treat disabled folks as an afterthought. And when people raise concerns, corporations respond with carefully worded statements about “working to improve” without actually owning the harm they caused.

I know some people will argue that Uber provides a service drivers can’t control, and that individual drivers shouldn’t be blamed for the app’s policies. And yeah, that’s fair to an extent. But Uber is the one writing the rules, setting the algorithms, and enforcing the fees. If they can tweak their system to maximize surge pricing and track your location down to the second, they can figure out how not to penalize disabled passengers.

The DOJ lawsuit is important, not just for the potential fines, but for the precedent it sets. If Uber is held accountable, it sends a message to every other tech platform out there: accessibility isn’t optional. You can’t just design your system for the “fastest” or “easiest” user and leave everyone else behind.

And honestly, it shouldn’t take lawsuits to force change. These companies have billions in resources and the smartest engineers on the planet. How hard is it to include a toggle in the app for passengers who may need extra time, so the driver knows in advance and no fee is applied? Or how about investing in more wheelchair-accessible vehicles instead of treating them like rare unicorns on the platform?

At the end of the day, I think this case is about more than Uber. It’s about what kind of society we’re okay living in. Are we fine with technology that’s built for the majority while everyone else gets left behind—or are we going to demand systems that truly serve all of us?

I don’t know how the lawsuit will end. Maybe Uber settles, maybe they fight it out in court, maybe they spin it into some big “we’re committed to accessibility” campaign. But here’s what I do know: disabled people deserve better than being nickel-and-dimed by apps that claim to make life easier.

So yeah, that’s my two cents. I’m curious—have any of you had experiences with Uber (or Lyft, for that matter) where accessibility was an issue? Do you think the DOJ is doing the right thing here, or is this just another government slap on the wrist that won’t actually change anything?

—Jacob

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