DENVER — A Colorado organization that fights for people who are blind is asking state lawmakers to take action against rideshare drivers who are turning away service dogs at pickup, calling the issue "an epidemic."
"I was born with an eye condition called congenital coloboma of the optic nerve,” said Michael Bloomston, who relies on 6-year-old chocolate lab Yarley to get to and from.
Bloomston said it’s a condition that makes everything seem far away, so he has to look at everything up close. That's where Yardley comes in. He’s a seeing eye dog he takes everywhere he goes, including Lyft and Uber rides since he's unable to drive. That is, if he can get a ride.
A week ago, he said, he was denied a ride twice in the same day by two different Lyft drivers. The first incident happened outside his apartment in Cherry Creek North.
"She's like, 'I’m not taking you. I’m not taking the dog.' And I said, 'this is a service dog,'” said Bloomston.
Bloomston told the driver she had to by law, but she drove away. He said a similar incident happened a second time when he was leaving a doctor's appointment later that afternoon.
“There are only two questions they can ask you: 'Is it a service animal' and if you say yes, the only other question they can ask you is: 'What does the dog help you do?'" said Bloomston.
Bloomston reported both incidents to Lyft and the Department of Justice. He's waiting to hear back from the DOJ on a resolution. Lyft shared with Bloomston that they contacted the drivers and educated them on Lyft’s service animal policy, stressing that if the driver in question violates the policy again, they will be permanently deactivated.
Maryann Migliorelli, with the National Federation of the Blind Colorado, said rideshare drivers aren’t taking the rules seriously. The organization is calling it an epidemic.
"Even though they know and sign acknowledgments all the time stating that they need to take the dog, they'll say 'I don't take dogs in my car, I don't care,'” said Migliorelli.
This is why she helped create a resolution asking for urgent action to prevent ongoing discrimination against the blind by rideshare companies.
The resolution was sent to Governor Jared Polis and other lawmakers at the end of October. It asks Governor Polis, the Colorado General Assembly and others, to work with the NFB of Colorado and the Colorado Association of Guide Dog Users to take immediate steps to eliminate what’s been happening to rideshare passengers with service animals and call upon rideshare companies and its drivers to partner with the NFB of Colorado to ensure this doesn't happen in the future.
“We are looking to find ways to make it a much more punitive process when they opt to deny service animals the right to travel,” said Migliorelli.
Migliorelli said the ultimate goal here is to present a bill to the state legislature in the new year. She hopes a bill is signed into law that will punish rideshare drivers if they violate their service dog policy.
Bloomston said something needs to be done.
“I think if everyone knows who drives for these rideshare companies they will be removed from the app — the platform — if they even get one complaint. That’s more valid,” said Bloomston.
Denver7 took those concerns to Lyft, who issued the following statement:
"Lyft has a strict Service Animal policy that requires all drivers to accommodate passengers traveling with service animals, and we take any allegation of this nature very seriously. There is no place for any form of discrimination on our platform and we ask that riders report issues immediately."
The company stressed that the policy is regularly shared with drivers.
Denver7 also reached out to the governor's office. A spokesperson replied the governor's office is "focused on building a Colorado for All."
"We appreciate receiving this, the Lt. Governor’s office works closely with the disability community. DORA is reviewing the issues raised within the resolution, and we are focused on building a Colorado for All. We take issues raised by the community seriously."
