RIDEGURU
My Uber driver who drives for like four companies told me he can deny service and cancel any requests whenever and for whatever reason Is this true?
I feel like there has to be a guideline and some mandate from Uber.
Can Uber and Lyft drivers refuse a passenger for any reason?
Posted 5 years, 4 months ago
Posted In
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Posted By
MolGoldberg
29
Ride Apprentice
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Comments
Yes we can. Unless you are giving driver hard time, being disrespectful, obnoxious, making a mess etc... drivers dont want to kick you out. I've never kicked anyone out in over 2200 rides. Came close one night with 6 drunk idiots. RedAnt's comment gives reasons why we cant kick you out.
My car my rules, I'm an IC.
GTFO and automatic 1*
Right, but being disrespectful, and verbally or physically violent are indeed good reasonable reasons for kicking them out. I was thinking more in the line of weird reasons like:
- The driver hates the way the person looks.
- The driver discriminates against based on gender, race, age, etc.
- The driver just doesn't like the look or someone.
- The driver found that the passenger is completely naked. (legally or not)
LOL - being completely naked in public is illegal in the USA! I don't think the driver has to take you anywhere if you are breaking the law!
Ultimately, drivers are IC, they can refuse requests, it’s their private car. But once they are at pickup, there are some guidelines. As per Uber & Lyft drivers can’t discriminate for gender, race and they must give a ride to pax with support animals. That is regardless of them being allergic to the support animal such as dogs. If the ride has been started and things go sideways, the passenger can leave a comment and the driver could be deactivated. If the ride hasn’t started and the driver cancels and drives away, there isn’t much a pax can do.
There is a difference between being deactivated and doing something illegal.
I am asking this seriously, because I don't know. You said drivers can be deactivated but is this illegal? Can this even be criminal?
Illegal? As per Uber or Lyft? Or ADA?
U/L will deactivate the driver on any complaint but especially from a pax with a support animal. Half the dogs, probably more that get in my car don't have proper paperwork but if I question the pax and they complain, I'm gone.
U/L are like LAPD, shoot first and ask questions later.
I mean by state or federal law. I get it that it's bad and you can be deactivated. I am now curious if this is considered illegal and whether the driver could be sued by the riders. What about getting fined by the law enforcement and being arrested or criminally charged?
I am so curious I submitted a question. Of course, this would be a lot more relevant if I ever drove an Uber. haha
https://ride.guru/lounge/p/is-it-actually-illegal-for-a-driver-to-deny-a-passenger-with-a-service-animal-or-based-on-religion-race-or-gender
You can use my referral link and sign up to drive UBER 😆
Seriously, as per ADA, American's with Disabilities Act prohibits all ride for hire vehicles to refuse rides for passengers. A taxi driver can be sued probably since they are governed by regulators.
Uber and Lyft constantly send e-mails to drivers not to refuse rides to anyone with a support animal. That supersedes a situation like the driver to be deadly allergic to a dog or a cat. They can easily fix it in the app but they don't, they force drivers with allergies to suffer. Go figure!
Thanks!
For clarification, the service animal restriction only applies to ADA service dogs, NOT emotional support animals.
Good luck on that, so you ask for their papers? A couple of complaints from pax to UBER, you're gone, shoot first ask questions later. Uber is always on the pax side.
In most cases you can spot legitimate service animals. If you suspect the dog isn't, you can ask "Is that an ADA service animal" and "what is it trained to do."
If they say that it's for emotional support, you CAN refuse the ride, just be damn sure to have that conversation on dashcam, immediately contact Uber/Lyft to notify them that the animal you refused was NOT an ADA service animal, and when they seek clarification via email, attach a copy of the dashcam video to prove your point. Pictures also help. I have refused several "non legit" animals this way over the years and am still fine. Just make sure to cover your ass.
I generally don't mind transporting non-support dogs, however if the passenger lies, is belligerent or combative I will refuse. If the animal is dirty, wet or mangy I may also refuse during busy hours because a dirty/wet/shedding dog can put me offline to clean during rush and cost me…
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In most cases you can spot legitimate service animals. If you suspect the dog isn't, you can ask "Is that an ADA service animal" and "what is it trained to do."
If they say that it's for emotional support, you CAN refuse the ride, just be damn sure to have that conversation on dashcam, immediately contact Uber/Lyft to notify them that the animal you refused was NOT an ADA service animal, and when they seek clarification via email, attach a copy of the dashcam video to prove your point. Pictures also help. I have refused several "non legit" animals this way over the years and am still fine. Just make sure to cover your ass.
I generally don't mind transporting non-support dogs, however if the passenger lies, is belligerent or combative I will refuse. If the animal is dirty, wet or mangy I may also refuse during busy hours because a dirty/wet/shedding dog can put me offline to clean during rush and cost me a lot of money.
A couple of years ago, when I was a noob, I was nice and agreed to transport a dog. After dropping them off I picked up my next passenger, businessman heading to the airport, and mid-trip he exclaimed "WTF? I'm covered with dog hair!" His business suit was COVERED in fur, and this guy was headed to a client meeting. I received 1*, complaint about a "dirty car" and no tip for my troubles.
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Damn. "belligerent or combative." hahaha. that's reason to cancel whether there is an animal or not!
If you cancel orders just because the driver does not like your gender, religion, skin color or the way you are dressed, sooner or later he will be left without orders and will be blocked by the service in which he works. Of course, I do not deny that there is a category of passengers who are simply inadequate, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and behave improperly. Unfortunately, there is no getting away from this.
That's partially right. The driver can refuse to transport you for any reason EXCEPT having a ADA service animal, or because of your race religion, sex, age, etc.
I think you are right.... However, I may have to challenge it because everyone else strongly suggests, "Yes, the drivers can do whatever they want because they are independent contractors."
I would imagine if you are an employee, sure, you are held by those laws to discriminate. However, if you are an individual just driving your own car, are you still held to the same laws?
Didn't they find the baker in Colorado have the right to NOT cook that wedding cake for that gay couple? I think he verdict was that he can discriminate because he shouldn't have to be forced to do render service for anyone.
1. You may be an independent contractor, but you are also a licensed business entity that's required to comply with the ADA and non-discrimination laws. If you discriminate, YOU, the business entity, are liable and can be sued.
2. Uber and Lyft both have very strict rules prohibiting discrimination. If you refuse service as required under the ADA, or if you choose to illegally discriminate based on race, religion, sex, etc, you will be PERMANENTLY BANNED from that platform. No arbitration. No appeal. Terminated.
huh. you bring up a good point.
If I am driving my own car, driving around personally, I can drive anyone or anything I want and I also have the right to refuse it, say based on "I just don't like you."
Now, if I am actually "working" as a contractor, would the rules change? I think it would. You go into a business arrangement with someone the moment you decided to pick them up.
GTFO and 1*, it's the right thing to do under certain circumstances
I cancelled an automatic drive because the passenger photo was a full frontal nude picture of this male. I would like to report this to LYFT, but can't figure out how. Also, when I cancel a ride and click "other" there should be a box for explanation. I've had several young mothers with babies and NO CAR SEATS! I am not willing to take a chance with those drives.
So, looking at the responses, I see the consensus is that they can cancel for any reason at all. Independent contractor. check.
Is this why Uber stopped penalizing drivers for having low acceptance rates? Are they legally not allowed to use that information to treat their contractors differently?Just curious.
There’s no legal precedent for IC. However, part of the settlement Uber agreed to is to not deactivate drivers for low AR (acceptance rate). But they’ll turn your app off after three declined rides or put you in unspoken time-outs by not sending you pings.
There’s a difference between low acceptance rates and cancellations. You can only cancel after you accept a request. So study the ping and don’t accept if it’s not what you want. Then you won’t have to cancel a lot, unless you’re working drunk hours and the pax is totally bent out of shape then cancel and show them your tailpipes. No one is puking in my car.