This guide dog owner is frequently – illegally – left stranded by rideshare drivers

Olivia Muscat says she’s often refused service from taxi and rideshare drivers because she’s travelling with her assistance dog. Here, she highlights the need for education around her rights – and the role of these canine supports.

Last week I put on a fun outfit, harnessed up my dog and booked an Uber to a work event. I was all set to be right on time and planned to use the car ride to finish off a few pesky admin tasks. However, as it turned out, I spent the car trip with an elevated heart rate and spiking anxiety because not one, but two, Uber drivers started long, drawn-out arguments with me about why I shouldn’t be allowed in their vehicles before driving off.

This cost me 20 minutes and my calm composure. I was flustered, late, upset and on edge because the third driver I’d connected with that day - who finally did relent and take my booking - was clearly very unhappy about my, and my guide dog’s, presence.

Assistance dog refusals are not a new phenomenon. But I find it demoralising and frustrating that in 2022, I often find myself standing in the middle of a road arguing with someone who is refusing to take me and my guide dog in their car. On the way to an important work meeting in the rain. All dressed up to go somewhere exciting on a sweltering hot day. Late at night in an unfamiliar area.

These are just some of the situations in which I’ve found myself being refused service because I am a guide dog handler. And not just refused, but yelled at and accused of being a liar. I’m tired of defending myself.

There have been too many scenarios in which drivers have informed me they’re aware that what they’re doing is illegal - and they know their licence to drive for whichever company they work for will be suspended when I report them - but they just do not care.

There have been other drivers who, though reluctant to let me in, eventually do - usually because a sighted person is also present. Those drivers are then extremely surprised that my guide dog is so quiet and just sits calmly on the floor, minding her own business.

They do not know, or have not been made aware of, how an assistance dog works.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve felt afraid - either because I’ve been left somewhere unsafe or I’ve been in a car with a driver who clearly doesn’t want me there. It’s degrading and relentless. Not to mention hugely inconvenient - and sometimes dangerous.

I am a busy freelance artist who often has to be in several places in a day. I also have family commitments and a social life. I don’t always have time or energy to rely on public transport, so I don’t have any other choice but to use taxi and rideshare services. But I’m tired of being late or having to factor in an extra half-hour of travel time to account for potential refusals and arguments. 

Every time these incidents occur I go through the same ritual of reporting the driver and being told by the very nice people in the offices that this behaviour is unacceptable and that they’re very sorry.  I believe that they believe that. However, not enough is being done to educate drivers about the laws around disability assistance dogs - and the amount of training these dogs go through to ensure they are non-disruptive and won’t climb all over seats, or bark, or pee at inopportune moments.

My guide dog is not a pet, she is a working dog who knows when her job is to sit quietly and have a nap.

The current situation is not good enough. Disabled people have as much right as anyone to choose our means of transport and to get where we need to go without being harassed and treated like inferior members of society.

Hireup approached Uber for comment. In a statement emailed to us, an Uber spokesperson said:

“We know service animal refusal is an issue across society, and sadly rideshare isn’t immune. Our aim is always to educate driver-partners in relation to assistance animals when they sign up to the app, through specific education modules, and then on a regular, ongoing basis. 

“We want to lead a change, and as a result of responding to direct feedback from our users with service animals, we have developed a specialised program of support. The Service Assistance Program (SAP) is the result of direct engagement between Uber Australia and members of the blind community who wanted us to take a more proactive approach.

"This world-first initiative invites riders with an assistance animal to voluntarily opt-in to access features that are designed to improve their experience on the platform. This program is a first for Uber, and it will evolve over time in line with feedback received from the blind and low vision community.” 

Guide Dogs Australia have made the problem of drivers refusing guide dog handlers a PR issue, making a video in collaboration with a taxi company to highlight it.