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Uber sued for overcharging disabled people; 'wait time' fees discriminatory, says US Justice Department

WION Web Team
New DelhiUpdated: Nov 11, 2021, 01:40 PM IST
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Uber logo (file photo). Photograph:(AFP)

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It has been claimed that Uber's "wait time" fees are discriminatory against disabled passengers as they need more than two minutes to get into a car

The US Justice Department is suing the very famous Uber Technologies Inc over allegations of overcharging disabled passengers. The department has also asked a federal court to order compliance with anti-discrimination law.

It has been claimed that Uber's "wait time" fees are discriminatory against disabled passengers as they need more than two minutes to get into a car. The lawsuit was filed in US District Court in San Francisco and it challenges an April 2016 Uber policy of charging passengers for waiting time. 

"People with disabilities deserve equal access to all areas of community life, including the private transportation services provided by companies like Uber," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division in a statement.

As a response, Uber has said that it disagreed that its policies were in violation of the ADA. A spokesperson said that the company had been in talks with the DoJ before the "surprising and disappointing" lawsuit.

He further added that the wait time fees were "never intended for riders who are ready at their designated pickup location but need more time to get into the car."

He revealed that Uber has a policy of refunding wait time fees for disabled riders whenever they alert the firm. "After a recent change last week, now any rider who certifies they are disabled will have fees automatically waived," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)