On November 8, 2019, the U.S. District Court in San Francisco issued an order granting plaintiffs their attorney fees in National Federation of the Blind of California v. Uber, confirming the necessity of continued monitoring of the relief obtained in this class action litigation on the right of service-animal users to access Uber’s transportation system. The order is available here: NFB v Uber Amended Order Granting In Part Pltfs Motion for Attys Fees and Costs, 11-08-19
In December of 2016 the court had entered an order granting final approval of a groundbreaking settlement between Uber and blind and low-vision persons who use service animals. See Blind Service Animal Users Secure Right to Access Uber. The settlement resolved the lawsuit which had been brought to ensure that guide dog users have full and equal access to vehicles in the Uber network. Plaintiffs were represented by RBGG, Disability Rights Advocates, and Timothy Elder of TRE Legal.
On-demand transportation services have become an important part of the transportation system in many U.S. communities. Other transportation services, such as trains, buses and taxis, long ago recognized the need to serve blind people who use guide dogs. Bringing such access to the new on-demand transportation services has required litigation like the NFB v. Uber case. RBGG and co-counsel have been actively monitoring the NFB v. Uber relief to remove barriers to access for blind persons with service animals.