By: Larissa Poctor
Guide dogs help give freedom and independence to people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision, but many guide dog handlers still face frequent barriers when accessing transportation, including rideshare services.
To help address the ongoing issues faced by people who use service animals, including guide dog handlers, Uber has introduced a new feature that allows riders across Canada to self-identify as someone who travels with a service animal. The rider self-identification feature was built in consultation with accessibility experts and members of the service animal community.
When enabled in the app, this feature can automatically notify drivers at pickup so that the driver is aware in advance that the person is accompanied by a service animal. This feature aims to reduce the incidence of ride refusals among people who use service animals.
Historically, there have been differing approaches among the guide dog handler community for mitigating access denials, with some handlers preferring to let the driver know in advance that they are accompanied by a guide dog, while others do not believe they should have to disclose in advance to get equitable service.
Uber's new self-ID feature provides handlers who prefer to self-identify in advance with the option to do so through a formalized process in the app. There is no obligation to use the self-ID feature, and handlers continue to be protected by human rights legislation in their jurisdiction, regardless of whether they use this feature. Despite these protections, some guide dog handlers fear that the self-ID feature will create an expectation among drivers that all guide dog users will choose to self-identify, resulting in continued curbside conflict. CNIB continues to work with Uber to ensure that the rights of guide dog teams are upheld
If you are interested in opting into the feature, here's how to activate the feature in the Uber app:
- Tap Account and then Settings
- Tap Accessibility and select:
- Service Animal
- Tap Complete eligibility form
- Complete the eligibility form
- Select 'I will ride with my service animal'
- Choose whether you want drivers to be notified of this information
If you opt-in to notify drivers, the app will automatically share this information at pickup. And if a driver attempts to cancel the trip at that time, they'll receive a reminder that refusing a rider because of a service animal is against the law.
CNIB will continue to advocate for safe and accessible journeys for all Canadians, including those who use guide dogs for mobility. Guide dogs belong everywhere—it's the law.
For more information about the rights of guide dog teams, please email advocacy@cnib.ca.