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2w ago

Minnesota Reaches Settlement With Lyft Over Service-Dog Ride Denials

State regulators will oversee Lyft for three years to enforce disability access on the platform.

A service dog named Alfred, who belongs to college student Tori Andres, attends a news conference at the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, where state Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero announced a settlement with the ride-sharing company Lyft that will ensure the rights of blind and other disabled passengers across the country to travel with their service animals. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero, at the podium, holds a news conference at the State Capitol in St. Paul on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, to announce a settlement with the ride-sharing company Lyft that will ensure the rights of blind and other disabled passengers across the country to travel with their service animals. College student Tori Andres, right, turned to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights after several Lyft drivers refused to let her service dog, Alfred, ride along with her. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
Lyft and Uber rideshare service stickers are displayed in a car's rear windshield. (Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine / Flickr)
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Overview

  • Minnesota’s Department of Human Rights concluded Lyft violated state civil rights law after drivers canceled rides for blind student Tori Andres between late 2021 and early 2023.
  • Under the settlement, drivers who try to cancel a ride for a disclosed service animal will receive an in-app warning that the action violates the law and company policy and may lead to termination.
  • Lyft must roll out policy updates and refreshed driver education focused on accommodating riders with service animals.
  • The agreement awards $63,000 to Andres, following documented denials that included back-to-back cancellations causing a missed medical appointment.
  • Commissioner Rebecca Lucero called rideshare access for people with disabilities a civil right, and the state said the app changes are intended to benefit riders nationwide.