Rideshare Use and Discrimination Among the Blind and Low Vision Community

Abstract

Ridesourcing, the use of private vehicles and drivers summoned by smartphone apps such as Lyft and Uber, has the potential to benefit the disabled community through greater mobility options. The Blind and Low Vision (BLV) community (and the disabled community as a whole) routinely encounters discrimination using transportation. As ridesourcing has become more prevalent, discrimination has also been documented among the disability community while utilizing these services. Through a survey and in-depth interviews with people in (BLV) community, we investigate their transportation experiences and use of ridesourcing to determine the levels of discrimination in various modes of transportation. We explore several factors that lead to transportation denials by rideshare drivers and the effects of discrimination on people’s mobility. We also discuss the need for transparency and data reporting from the private companies that serve as public transit contractors.