Minnesota reaches settlement with Lyft after blind student denied rides over service dog

A Minnesota state agency announced Wednesday it reached a settlement with Lyft after it said it found drivers with the rideshare company repeatedly denied rides to a blind college student traveling with her service dog.  

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights said Lyft drivers violated state civil rights law when drivers canceled multiple rides for Tori Andres between November 2021 and January 2023 after learning she was traveling with her guide dog, Alfred. She filed a discrimination complaint against the company with the agency.   

The state investigation found that in one instance, a Lyft driver hung up the phone and canceled the ride immediately after being told about the service animal. In another case, two separate drivers canceled within minutes of each other after seeing the service dog, causing Andres to miss a medical appointment.

Under the new measures, Lyft drivers who attempt to cancel a ride for a passenger traveling with a disclosed service animal will immediately receive an in-app message warning that doing so violates both the law and company policy and may lead to termination.

"For people with disabilities, access to rideshares like Lyft is not a convenience; it is a civil right," said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero.

The settlement includes policy improvements, driver education updates, and changes to the Lyft app that will benefit riders nationwide, according to the state agency. The agreement also includes a $63,000 monetary settlement for Andres.

The state will monitor Lyft's compliance with the settlement agreement for the next three years.

"Discrimination has no place in the Lyft community. Lyft has maintained a strict service animal policy for nearly a decade, and independent drivers who violate that policy face serious consequences, including permanent deactivation," a spokesperson with Lyft told WCCO Wednesday. "The commitments reflected in this agreement reaffirm the robust practices Lyft has already had in place to help ensure that riders who rely on service animals are treated with the respect they deserve. We remain committed to building a platform that is accessible, inclusive, and welcoming for every rider."