Uber rolled out a new set of features on Monday that could remove some friction for people with service animals. The company now lets handlers automatically notify drivers that they ride with a service animal.
In a blog post, Chris Yoon, an Uber Product Manager, wrote that he “joined Uber with a singular mission: to help expand accessibility in rideshare, including for those who rely on service animals.” He says he and other blind travelers often message drivers in advance to let them know about their service animals. Today’s new features can automate that for them if they choose.
Drivers who consider refusing rides will have to think twice — and then some. If the driver requests a cancelation after learning about the service animal, Uber will automatically send an in-app reminder that doing so is against not only company policy but also the law. Uber says drivers refusing rides with service animals “may permanently lose access to the platform.”
Passengers who opt into the new features will automatically receive a message after a driver cancels, asking what happened and offering additional support. Those who don’t use the feature can contact the company through the app or over the phone.
Riders can set up the feature through the Uber app. Go to Account > Settings > Accessibility, and tap Service Animal. It will then prompt you to fill out an eligibility form and pick which parts of the feature (like notifying the driver in advance) you want to turn on.
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