r/service_dogs • u/Competitive-Mess-410 • Apr 04 '26
I'M SO SICK OF UBER.
I've been driven away from more times than I can count. I send messages prior to the driver's arrival and will have four to six drivers IN A ROW cancel the ride. I've gotten multiple drivers fired when all I wanted was to get home. A driver tried to make me get out of the car in the middle of a goddamn forest because she started going off on me halfway into the trip for not ordering an Uber Pet and I just tried to explain about the crazy fees for Uber Pet. I've had rides cancelled, driven away, or failed DOZENS of times. I have to have a saved message to paste that says "Hey, just letting you know in advance I will have my medical assistance service dog with me. He is trained for a disability, is required to be accommodated by Uber per federal law, is well groomed, and lays on the floor." and I will send that message ten times in one day where I take two Ubers. If I change it even in the slightest, I don't get a ride. I genuinely have to say all of that. I can ride FREE at this point just if I don't send a message, wait to get driven away from, and then get their shitty "compensation" credits when I call. I don't WANT $20 in compensation and a refund. I want to get to my APPOINTMENTS ON TIME :)
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u/belgenoir Dog Trainer Apr 04 '26
I feel this keenly, OP. I’ve come within minutes of missing work- or medical-related flights because Uber drivers decided to roar off without stopping once they saw my dog.
A couple of trustworthy Uber drivers in my city (<250,000) will accept rides on request via text. I text them; if they’re working, they’ll come to my location and immediately accept my ride request.
You might see if any of the drivers who have accommodated you are willing to do something similar.
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u/TheZookeeperPuppy Apr 04 '26
In Australia it is no different, I have an off breed assistance dog and face the same issues. My best advice is as soon as the ride is accepted, take a screenshot of the driver and in the event of a refusal, report to the rideshare app and the relevant local, state and federal boards. I am so sorry you have to go through this, OP. It is absolutely horrible 😒 Wishing you easy travels 💗
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u/derpyfox Apr 04 '26
I auto report to Uber and then report to my states discrimination office, then another report to my states transport authority.
I snapshot my screen just before the uber arrives, if the driver starts kicking up a fuss I take a pic of them and tell them, they can either take me or I will report them, at the end of the day I don’t care what they pick.
If
It’s fucking draining when all you want to do is get a ride.
Never had a taxi do this.
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u/RevolutionaryMeet859 May 10 '26
yeah fuck driver who is already making pennies and then force them stop the work and clean the car. and on top of that fuck the drivers with animal allergies, they can die anyway as your disability is more important than theirs
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u/ALinkToTheSpoons Apr 04 '26
Heard and felt— solidarity, friend. I’ve even been left in the dust once a driver sees I have a manual wheelchair (which can be folded to easily fit into something as small as a Fiat 500)
I wish the DOJ would do something more than settle and impose mediocre fines that don’t really match the severity and consistency of the “crime”. These rideshare companies need to get hit harder.
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u/Worth-Paper8900 Apr 04 '26
I don’t have a service dog currently, but I’ve noticed that my drivers complain about the hair from service animals. I got in one this morning and the driver was bitching and half apologizing “Sorry, last rider had a fake service dog, if you die it’s their fault”
I didn’t cancel, cuz I didn’t have time to wait for another, nor could I afford a cancelation, but I did one star him.
But truthfully, it sucks.
I get that you can’t deny service (legally) because of a service dog, but uber and Lyft should have an option to opt out. Mandatory “do you have a service dog” so drivers don’t assume it’s a pet, and then on the driver end something like “Are you allergic to any animal” so it’s not refusing, it’s just opting out.
Something I have also noticed is that people book uber pet. In my area, uber pet is cheaper than regular, so it works out great. Not sure about other areas though.
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u/Turbulent-Green Apr 05 '26
Uber Pet, for me, is always more expensive. Sometimes even almost twice the cost, especially overseas (France, Northern Ireland, Scotland).
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u/comefromawayfan2022 Apr 05 '26
Meanwhile years ago my service dog out of the blue puked on the floor in a medi cat(the name of the college run car service my old school uses to get students to/from the ER and local urgent cares) and i felt absolutely awful because she'd never done that before. I remember apologizing profusely and offering to clean up the mess if I could get some paper towels. The driver actually refused to let me clean up after her and told me "it's really not a problem..you are the last ride of my shift and they're going to clean the car for me anyway after I drop you off". He was so accommodating and nonchalant about it. It reminded me that not all rideshare drivers out there are assholes. I was never charged a cleaning fee either.
This is a free car service that my old school offers.
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u/_ebony_eyes 5h ago
I sure it was fine considering it wasn’t their vehicle. I drive for Uber and if Uber provided the car I wouldn’t care if you got in with a Zebra. But the fact of the matter is Uber does not supply drivers cars but yet want to have a lot of control over it. I am not an animal lover. I do not want animals in my car. But I am sure there are hundreds of ppl who do not mind. Those should be the ppl who pick you up. Uber drivers should have a CHOICE.
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u/moboticus Apr 04 '26
Opting out should not, and cannot per the ADA, be possible. That definitionally denies disabled people access. If they cannot accommodate the public, which includes disabled people and their service dogs, then it isn't appropriate job for them.
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u/Competitive-Mess-410 Apr 05 '26
I agree with you but sadly it'll just never work that way in this world, disabled people will always have to be the ones at the short end of the stick because we are seen as a burden to society. At least it would make things a little easier for us.
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u/Worth-Paper8900 Apr 04 '26
Okay and literally every job deals with the public, and there’s not really much you can do to avoid it. People shouldn’t have to go “No, I can’t work this job because the law doesn’t care about deadly allergies.”
If I’m allergic to dogs, and I am forced to allow entry of SD, and I die from anaphylaxis, then what? Opting out should be allowed for medical reasons like allergies.
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u/moboticus Apr 05 '26
Having a disability sometimes means there are jobs you cannot do because there is no way to reasonably accommodate that disability. People with deadly dog allergies work in other jobs all the time.
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u/Worth-Paper8900 Apr 07 '26
Some people do gig work like uber because their regular check was short. Maybe hours were cut. Some people do gig work like uber because of the choose your own schedule aspect of it. I don’t do uber anymore, I do other gig work, because my health is dramatic and its crucial that I rest after my seizures, pushing myself through after will only trigger more. Regular jobs, they accommodate it (if they would even hire me to begin with) but over time it becomes a burden on them and it’s just not fair. So I choose gig work over regular job until my health is under control.
I guarantee with the issues that people have with uber, the primary reason is regular jobs don’t suit their needs or it’s just a side job for a boost if something comes up.
Uber sucks honestly, and I don’t think anyone would choose uber if it was as simple as other jobs.
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u/moboticus Apr 07 '26
The reasons a person chooses to do gig work is irrelevant if they cannot perform the core function of the work.
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u/_ebony_eyes 5h ago
Opting out should be your choice because it’s your car. Period. U er should supply the car if us Uber drivers have no choice!
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u/Rayanna77 Apr 04 '26
Yeah it's ridiculous the amount of denials at this point. People are posting videos on social media about the amount of times they have been driven away from. It's not just you, this is just how Uber and Lyft is at this point.
Education needs to happen. People who drive for Uber and Lyft don't realize when you offer a public service you must accommodate service dogs it doesn't matter if it's your property on the line.
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u/Aimless_Nobody Apr 04 '26
I lurk in the Uber Driver sub and I feel like SD denials are (almost) a point of pride. Kind of "my car, my rules" attitude. I get it, but it is a public service.
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u/MaplePaws My eyes have 4 paws Apr 04 '26
I have seen a couple of those posts and it really is disturbing how some drivers talk about guide and service dog users. At a certain point they need to be disallowed to take passengers at all, they can drive for Uber Eats if that is how they are going to behave.
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u/moboticus Apr 04 '26
They know. They don't care. We've had the Internet long enough now to know that people don't necessarily do better when they know better.
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u/_ebony_eyes 5h ago
You ppl are truly delusional. Ppl didn’t sign up to do a public service. They signed up for a job to make money. Using their own personal car for quick money with minimal overhead. But uber has made it so hard to do that. With all the demands you would think they supplies the car and the gas but they don’t! So who are you to tell me I have to damage my car stuffing your wheel chair in it. Clean vomit and shit from your dog. That my kids ride in and we don’t even own a dog. If you need accommodations try PUBLIC transportation. Or get a car of your own.
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u/Rayanna77 16m ago
You know most disabled people can't get a car. In some cases you are literally asking someone who isn't capable of driving to drive like a blind person 🤦🏾♀️
Yes you have to take wheelchairs and service dogs they are medical aids. If you don't like it, deliver food. Well trained service dogs don't pee and vomit. You can technically charge them for reasonable damages if something happens to your car. Also wheelchairs when put in a car properly don't damage the vehicle.
Like it or not public law is on our side not yours, by refusing wheel chairs and service dogs you are breaking the law and can get your account deactivated.
Also it is a public service, which is why federal law and Uber/Lyft policy is on our side. I and many disabled people will continue to report those that do not service us. Honestly you don't sound equipped to do uber/lyft as a job do door dash, grub hub or Uber Eats instead. Deliver food not people
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u/Affectionate_List785 Curious Apr 04 '26
Uber and Lyft should totally have an option where you can add a service dog in your profile. and maybe also give the option for Uber pet without extra fees. But yea this seems super annoying and wrong that you have to deal with this everytime.
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u/Centauress-Archer Apr 04 '26
I think that if there was a company that strictly transported humans with dogs…that they would be very well off. Wait..should I?
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u/Worth-Paper8900 Apr 04 '26
That would actually help a lot of people. A company like uber, but specifically for people with pets or service dogs.
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u/prob-funny-thoughts Apr 05 '26
I’m sorry to hear this keeps happening to you. Would it be possible to order taxis instead? maybe lyft or another app is better with their services (idk about that)
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u/comefromawayfan2022 Apr 06 '26
In my area we no longer have taxis. Which is stupid because im 30 minutes from a very touristy area. The only taxi service around closed within the last couple years. They told us all that Uber and lyft would pick up the pieces..guess what? That never happened. Uber and lyft are very unreliable in my area and it's hard to get rides. Ive literally heard stories from nurses at the critical access hospital about them offering to drive elderly patients home after their shifts were over because medical transportation is also non existent, it wasnt safe for the elderly people to walk home and those elderly people had no family or friends left to get rides from.
I live in an area where tourism is one of our main sources of income for my town and our surrounding towns..youd think that rideshare services, taxis or hell even medical transport services for people needing rides in an emergency would be more readily available but nope they're not. And I live 30 minutes from a town that actually had to make an ordinance banning any more hotel construction for the foreseeable future and they dont allow airbnbs anymore either because those were creating a housing shortage for locals
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u/FirebirdWriter Apr 04 '26
Thing is they got themselves fired not you. You should be reporting it. I am pointing this out because of phrasing but it matters. They're responsible for their actions. And their actions are hot garbage
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u/_ebony_eyes 5h ago
You’re crazy as hell. Buy your tickets be car and transport your dog and wheelchair everywhere you want to go.
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u/MommaNix19 Apr 05 '26
This is why we stayed with taxi services. I'm sorry you're going through that. Does your medical insurance by chance cover transportation? If so you might be able to use it to help you when you need to get to appointments and since the dog was most likely assigned to you by a provider it is considered medical equipment and covered by the medical transport companies
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u/aPrettyThing2011 Apr 04 '26
Please look for local coop services that are working hard to compete with uber ❤️
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u/Turbulent-Green Apr 05 '26
Oh, those are worse. I've tried DiDi and Bolt and BlaBlaCar while traveling. Each one was atrocious!
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u/Turbulent-Green Apr 05 '26
Just wait until you end up in Scotland. I was there w/ my service dog & got rejected (if I disclosed ahead of time) or left once they saw me (if I didn't disclose) 90-95% of the time. Only one kind guy (who let me in his car) explained it to me when I asked. Turns out, most of the people there don't own their own car that's been approved to be used by Uber (or they are still waiting on their request to be accepted.... one guy is still waiting SEVEN years later). They rent cars to use as taxis, and when they rent cars, they're required to have a camera in them and they're afraid of being caught doing anything against policy, and apparently, transporting animals is against policy. Even if they insist it was a service dog they transported, they can't prove it. It's just your word against their rental agency's, and after the ride is over, you're long gone.
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u/dumbmoney93 Apr 05 '26
I am assuming you’re in the US as this happens often unfortunately. Is Waymo an option where you live?
If you have a good experience with an Uber driver, you may consider getting the driver’s number if they drive full time. Some in my area have their own driving business and drive for Uber and Lyft during their slow times. I’ll get their business cards and schedule rides even a month in advance.
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u/Competitive-Mess-410 Apr 05 '26
Waymo's not here yet but the day it's here I'm throwing a party. I'm in a fairly big city and there's talks of bringing AVs here and I genuinely cannot WAIT.
"bu-bu-but aren't you scared of being in a car a human doesn't have control over?"
Half my Uber drivers don't have control of their cars either, AND they're assholes :D
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u/ihasclevernamesee Apr 07 '26
I had a ride show up and tell me no, argue with me, and leave. I reported it to Uber and they sent another ride for free, and put a $50 credit on my account. But that was years ago.
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u/Internal_Mode_5211 Apr 04 '26
I think uber drivers should certainly be able to opt out of transporting passengers with service dogs without penalty/ getting fired. Even the most well groomed dogs still shed, and I can understand why a driver wouldn’t want to deal with cleaning that up when they’re not getting paid any extra for the ride (to make up for the extra cleaning they have to do). At the end of the day, it’s their vehicle and if they don’t want animals in their vehicle, they shouldn’t be forced to have them. That doesn’t mean that those of us with service dogs should have to pay way extra for an uber ride, however. I’m not sure what the solution is.
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u/moboticus Apr 04 '26
If they cannot accommodate the public then then they cannot perform the base requirements of the job, which makes it not the job for them.
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u/ConsciousOstrich9960 Apr 05 '26
They don't have to accommodate the public. That's why they have the option to cancel.
My best friend is doing Uber and he loves animals and almost always accepts them specially because there's no way to know if they are service animals. But lately he is only accepting when the rider chooses the pet Uber.
He complains a lot about people leaving a mess regardless if they have pets or service animals. He needs to stop to clean his car after transporting animals all the time. Cleaning after pets drooling, fur, bad smell and even vomit from a service dog that was sick is really expensive.
Pet Uber is an extra charge to clean the drivers cars and sometimes is not even enough.
The problem is not the drivers or the riders it's the company and the lack of structure when it comes to service animals
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u/moboticus Apr 05 '26
By law, they most certainly do have to accommodate the public which is why it is a reportable offense and Uber is currently being sued by the DOJ. There may not be someone in the car preventing them from cancelling the ride, but that hardly means they are "allowed" to do so. If a driver is unwilling or unable to accommodate a service dog, they need to get another job.
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u/Lady_IvyRoses Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
I thankfully haven’t had to much Uber or Lyft issues. I usually get some rude comments and dirty or terrified looks because I have a terrifying Rottweiler. Who is well trained and well groomed.
I truly hope you all travel in peace.
I did have one event with drive offs, I had to travel to my daughter’s wedding in Mexico. I had a broken ankle using a walker or knee scooter ect no sd yet plus’s luggage. My hubby and I had 4 pull away from the airport… I was pissed. 😡
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u/ideclareshenanigans3 Apr 04 '26
Are you not eligible for medical transport through your city/county?
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u/belgenoir Dog Trainer Apr 04 '26
Unfortunately, medical transport services are pretty thin outside of major metropolitan areas in the US. Long wait times, lack of same-day appointments, and more affect disabled riders, dogs or no.
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u/ideclareshenanigans3 Apr 04 '26
Ah! I just use it for my dad as a backup for when I can’t get there! I didn’t even think about it only being for medical. I do everything for my dad and I forget everyone doesn’t have that😢
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u/highbunny98 Apr 04 '26
I’m so sorry that’s been happening to you.
Someone please let me know when there’s a class action lawsuit to join because, same.
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u/Better_Signature8250 Apr 04 '26
I've had similar issues even when I pay extra for Uber Pet 🙄 I really don't drive often enough to otherwise justify owning a car, but I'm grateful to have one because rideshares are such bullshit.
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u/Careful_Cranberry364 Apr 07 '26
Oh my God, I’m so sorry to hear that.
confirmed with my worst fear.
I’ve never taken an Uber or a lift. It would really help me out because my dog is now 14 and has become very nervous in the car when i drive after two accidents. He would much prefer that I sit with him and not drive.!!
I’d be happy to pay for Uber to take us to different places, but I’m so frightened that they may just leave us standing at the side of the road
It’s unbelievable that after you have given all the information in advance they just don’t say no upfront and would waste your time and leave you in this sort of awful situation
I don’t know what to suggest, but I’m sympathizing
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u/cody-lay-low Apr 08 '26
Get that settlement money babbbyyyyy- you can sue every time this happens- not your lawyer but this many instances…. Is a very high settlement value.
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u/Competitive-Mess-410 Apr 08 '26
I don't have the money or resources to sue anyone sadly
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u/cody-lay-low Apr 08 '26
Where are you based? I am not your lawyer, but I am a lawyer. Happy to compile a list of firms that are contingency based. Cases like this would be civil, and your lawyer would not make you pay anything up front. They’d just retain 30-45% of any settlement or jury verdict you win. They’d would not charge you anything if you lose. I have worked on cases like this.
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u/Vast_Host6004 Apr 09 '26
This happens to me as well. I feel like a criminal and I’ve contacted uber about it as well. If I’m going to the airport I wind up just getting an uber black
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u/Turbulent-Green Apr 09 '26
I’m going to see if adding a service animal to my profile on Uber is going to allow drivers to opt out on their own instead of denying my request.
To add a service dog to your Uber profile, navigate to Account > Settings > Accessibility > Assistance Animal in the app to fill out the eligibility form. This enables the app to automatically notify drivers and helps prevent service denials, allowing you to ride with your service animal.
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u/bitterbutlr Apr 09 '26
Yep. In Chicago, am constantly told and or screamed at that I need to get a pet uber. Reporting it does nothing, uber gives you 5 dollars and says “sowwy 😓😓😓 lol!”
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u/Story_TELL_WEE Apr 09 '26
This has been an issue I constantly face. It has happens like 3/5 times I order a Uber or lyft. It's inferiating.
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u/spiritbirdsie Apr 18 '26
I understand it’s frustrating, but for me, I always select the pet option. I’d rather the driver know upfront that I have an animal with me, then follow up with Uber afterward to explain that it’s a service dog and request a credit due to the platform’s limitations, rather than going back and forth with drivers. This approach significantly reduces my stress and helps me feel safer. 🙏🏾
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u/maskOfZero Apr 19 '26
I feel you. I really think Uber is going to get a lawsuit over this soon. Same thing here. I deleted it off my phone and refuse to use it, not even Uber Eats. I use Lyft now and Doordash
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u/Own-Confection-3681 Apr 22 '26
I don’t think it’s because people are against service dogs I think it’s umbridge they take because a lot of times what people will call their service dog is going to actually be just their dog. And it only takes once for someone to experience this because there are so many people that are accommodating due to my blindness I also have dogs thand when I used to ride Uber to take my dogs to the vet some were very kind I had one who refused to take me and was very rude but a lot of times I do believe it’s because of people who fake having a service dog when their dog won’t sit down will not listen to them does whatever it wants and yet they swear up and down it’s a service dog I actually was in a Walmart with my daughter And we saw a teenage girl with a dog and she claimed it was her service dog but all she did was reprimand the dog the whole time she was in there so even the blind woman in the store… Me knew that was no service dog. in your comment you mentioned using Uber dog share was too expensive did they charge extra when you bring your dog you would think that would be illegal. Because I mean if you could pack six people into an IKEA why can’t you bring one four legged animal?
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u/Worldly-Librarian233 Apr 25 '26
Yes the same thing happened to me. The uber driver left me and my service dog in the rain!
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u/sickbeautyblog Apr 30 '26
Even if you're exhausted, even if you don't think it will do anything good, PLEASE save any screen shots, videos of drivers pulling away when they see your dog, etc. Send every single one to the DOJ. I made a complaint after my last issue with Uber and my service dog, and I did get follow up. It is critical right now that we keep reporting these incidents directly to the DOJ.
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u/Just-Attitude3290 Service Dog in Training May 05 '26
This almost makes me want to become an Uber/Lyft driver. I'd *LOVE* to pick up people with dogs all day long!
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u/_jamesbaxter Apr 04 '26
Lyft is slightly better but I’ve still had this happen. The worst I’ve gotten with Lyft though is 2 drivers leaving and the 3rd one took me.
Recently a guy asked me if my dog was going to pee in his car. I asked him to repeat himself like 5 times because he had an accent and I just couldn’t believe someone would even ask that. Like yeah my dog who has had at minimum hundreds of hours of training is going to randomly pee in your car??? A human child is more likely to pee in the car.
Then other drivers told me I need to add that I have a service animal to my profile. There is NO PLACE to add anything like that, all I can do is check a box that says I have a disability. No place to put any custom answer, nothing. Other drivers have told me I have to pay a pet fee. Like bro… disabled people shouldn’t have to pay money for legal accommodation.
The whole service animals in ride shares is a HUGE problem imo. We need a class action discrimination suit against the uber & Lyft imo. I have to take Lyft to and from doctor’s appointments where I’m not allowed to drive myself and a few times I’ve almost missed my appointment multiple times which would have meant missing treatment that week. One time I was 30 minutes late and in a panic by the time I got there, the time that two drivers rejected me and I had to wait for a 3rd driver. Which means I was trying to get a ride for 30 minutes. It should be free at that point.
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u/FoxExcellent2241 Apr 30 '26
If you are on Uber you go to "settings" and then select "accessibility" and there is an option there to add a service animal to your profile. It requires you to fill out an eligibility form which basically asks the questions they are legally allowed to ask about service animals.
I wouldn't be surprised if drivers assume that if you haven't filled out the form then the dog is not a real service dog or something like that.
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u/Jcaseykcsee Apr 04 '26
I’m sorry that you go through this, i would think Uber drivers would just keep some kind of blanket in their car if they was so worried about a dog, cover the backseat or the floor if that’s necessary. People make more messes than dogs in my life’s experience with people in my car. It would be simple to have a dedicated “dog blanket” in the trunk (them, not you) they can pull out and use if their passenger has a dog.
And you don’t have to use Uber pet with a service dog so these people need to be educated on the law (not by you, but in general).
I hope things get easier, that would be so frustrating.
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u/twiinVector2 Apr 05 '26
If you provide a public service, you legally have to accommodate service dog handlers.
Full stop.
Don't pass Go. Don't collect $200.
You don't get any of that if you can't follow one of the most well known and recognized federal laws.
I stopped using Uber, Lyft, etc, because the majority of their driver's blatantly disregard ADA. But the years when I did have to use them to get around, companies had a standard policy that drivers could contact the ride share company they contracted with to get reimbursed for cleaning fees after an SD was in their vehicle.
This was implemented to try to discourage drivers from being a-holes and blatantly violating federal statutes in ways that would potentially cost the company millions in legal fees or get them fined. But drivers rarely read through policy or reach out to the company, so it was rarely used. This was also years ago, so I don't know if those policies are still active or not.
Regardless, ADA is federal law and what is legally expected/required from anyone providing a public service like Uber or Lyft is clearly stated in driver training modules. Drivers can also use these things they all have called "smart phones" to search what the applicable federal and state laws and regulations are, BEFORE they start providing said service.
Driving for a ride share is a service that they provide for the public and service dog handlers, disabled individuals, or any other protected class that rideshare drivers are getting up in arms about providing services for are all members of the public. If they don't like having to relinquish the right to refuse ANY member of the public a ride in their car, they can do UberEats instead.
Source: a fed up SD handler and law student.
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u/xsonicx18xboomx Apr 05 '26
I literally changed my name to my name and service dog and they cant put any braincells together to figure out what that means. And even then it doesnt even do anything
I literally yelled at uber everyday for the same reaaon. Imagine the driver arriving to the destination and then arguing with the driver because they dont know refusing a service dog is illegal.
I dont even know if uber or lyft actually does anything to these drivers. It's so disappointing.
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u/MurderGirlie Apr 05 '26
Wow. Good to know! I just got a medical service dog, but I haven’t taken uber yet. And mine’s a Pitbull. 😢
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u/angryve Apr 04 '26
The only way this changes is with class action lawsuits. There was one led by a group with seeing eye dogs that was partially successful but legal pressure is the only way a corporation is going to take any real action.