Investigation reveals ride-share rejections and transit system dangers for people with disabilities

Michelle Weger relies on her service dog, Quinn, to get her through the day.

The Ottawa resident has narcolepsy, and the Great Dane can sense when Weger is tired, bracing against her or warning her when she's about to experience cataplexy, a temporary muscle paralysis that can cause her to fall. That early warning gives Weger the time to get to a safe space.

For Weger, Quinn is an absolute necessity, but can become an issue when she tries to get an Uber, Lyft or taxi. She says there's been "friction" with drivers and cancelled rides with rideshares.

With hidden cameras rolling, CBC's Marketplace followed Weger as she attempted to hire Uber and Lyft rides in Toronto, as well as local taxis. 

Half of the Uber and Lyft drivers were informed in advance that there was a service dog. The rest found out when they arrived.

Three out of six Uber drivers denied service to Weger and Quinn. One driver acknowledged receipt of the message saying Weger was travelling with a service dog, then cancelled about two minutes later. Another arrived for the pick-up and said Weger must request a ride through Uber Pet, a service that costs more than a standard ride. 

Uber told Marketplace it believes in equal transportation for all Canadians, and that it reminds drivers of their legal obligations and policy "at several points throughout the year." It also says its pet service is not required for service dogs.

When one Lyft driver was warned about Weger's service dog through the app, the driver cancelled shortly after the message was sent.

Lyft told Marketplace they have a strict policy that drivers must accept service dogs, and say they take the issue "very seriously."

Weger said that while she's not a heavy rideshare user, the experience "makes me feel very sad for people who need to use rideshare services to be able to get to work or have a social life."

Marketplace's test results are indicative of the wider problem of transportation accessibility in Canada for people with disabilities, says Jeff Preston, a professor of disability studies at King's University College in London, Ont. 

While the federal government has set a goal of being "barrier-free" by 2040, Preston says Canadian jurisdictions need to do more to reduce barriers for people with disabilities. 

"I think we're being a little bit too polite, and I think we're also being a bit too naive in assuming that we're already doing enough, which quite frankly we're not," Preston said.

Weger's experience is part of a Marketplace investigation into the challenges people with disabilities face while travelling. The show documented three passengers, who each took different modes of transit, and encountered multiple barriers, which led to increased travel time, discomfort and sometimes outright danger.