By Dee-Ann Durbin
The federal government is suing Uber saying it discriminates against disabled people by charging fees when drivers have to wait for passengers to board their vehicles.
Uber's “wait time” fees kick in two minutes after a driver arrives, and are charged until the car begins its trip. According to the Department of Justice, Uber added the fees in a few cities in April 2016. Eventually, they spread nationwide.
In its lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Northern California, the Justice Department says Uber is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act for failing to modify its fees for those who may need extra time to get into an Uber car.
The lawsuit alleges that Uber charged the fees even when it was aware that a delay was disability-based.
Uber said Wednesday it has been in active discussions with the Justice Department and was surprised and disappointed by the lawsuit.
“Wait time fees are charged to all riders to compensate drivers after two minutes of waiting, but were never intended for riders who are ready at their designated pickup location but need more time to get into the car,” Uber said in a statement.
Uber said its policy is to refund wait time fees for disabled riders whenever they alerted the company they were changed. As of last week, any rider who certifies they are disabled will have the fees automatically waived, the company said.
The San Francisco-based company says the average wait time fee charged to riders is less than 60 cents.
“We fundamentally disagree that our policies violate the ADA and will keep improving our products to support everyone’s ability to easily move around their communities,” Uber said.
The lawsuit asks the court to order Uber to change its policy, train its staff and drivers and pay monetary damages to people who were subject to wait time fees that violated the ADA. It also wants Uber to pay civil penalties.
Tesla is increasing wages for factory workers in Germany.
People are making travel plans and booking tickets as the holiday season nears. Johannes Thomas, CEO of Trivago, joined Cheddar News to provide tips on saving when booking lodging ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Elon Musk unveiled 'Grok,' his new A.I. chatbot over the weekend, adding that it will be more rebellious than its counterparts. Cheddar News breaks it down.
Heinz is combining two popular flavors for its new condiment, pickle ketchup.
Federal health officials are expanding an investigation into potentially lead-tainted pouches of apple cinnamon fruit puree marketed for children amid reports of more illnesses and additional product recalls.
Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by businessman Warren Buffett, reported its operating earnings in its most recent quarter jumped more than 40% from a year ago but posted its first net quarterly loss in a year.
Maks Chmerkovskiy and wife Peta Murgatroyd, of "Dancing With the Stars" fame, are branching out into skincare.
Donald Trump began testifying Monday morning in his civil fraud trial, producing the spectacle of a former president and the leading Republican presidential candidate defending himself against allegations that he dramatically inflated his net worth.
The trial between Google and the maker of the game Fortnite will begin Monday as a San Francisco jury will hear Epic Games' case claiming the Google Play Store takes an unfair commission on purchases made through apps.
One of the most self-made and success stories in the country, Emma Grede, has worked along with the Kardashian Jenner family on many of their best-known brands. Grede, CEO and co-founder of Good American, gave back to the next generation of business leaders as a featured speaker at the Chase for Business Make Your Move summit last week. She spoke with Cheddar News about her career, her company's fashion brand, working with the famous Kardashian-Jennifer family and balancing her own family life.
