Ride-hailing company Uber is not required to provide wheelchair-accessible service in the United States market, according to a California federal judge. 

Chief Judge Richard Seeborg of the federal San Francisco Court said that Uber's decision to provide such service only in a couple of cities in the country was not in violation of federal law.

Uber Backed By Federal Judge

According to ABC News, two users of motorized wheelchairs in New Orleans and Jackson, Mississippi, sued the ride-hailing company over the lack of accessible service in the said cities. 

Since the company could not accommodate non-foldable wheelchairs, they claimed that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prohibits businesses in the country from discriminating against people with disabilities. 

The two users argued that Uber has a deep-rooted accessibility problem and treated their needs as only an "afterthought." The trial for the case took five years before the federal judge announced his decision. 

Also Read: D.C. taxis will soon have proper support for wheelchair-ridden passengers: Fears of Lyft and Uber 

In its defense, Uber said that it would be too expensive to offer wheelchair service in every city in the country if it needed to contract with providers of wheelchair-accessible vehicles, according to Engadget. 

Judge Seeborg agreed with the ride-hailing company and said that the plaintiffs gave "scant evidence" that the company could do so cost-effectively and that wait times would be too long if it did. 

The federal judge added that the "anticipated cost is too high" for the limited service, thus making the modification unreasonable. 

The judge did reject the company's argument that it did not need to provide wheelchair-accessible services everywhere because it has done so in some cities in the country.

Uber does accommodate wheelchair users in other cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Boston. New Orleans had considered mandating the service, but the company lobbied against the efforts. 

An Uber spokesperson said they welcome the outcome and "are proud of the efforts that they've done to improve accessibility for all users," including Uber WAV. 

Noting that the decision arrived on the eve of the anniversary of the ADA's passage into law, Scott Crawford decried the ruling. He said that the company had "made no sincere attempt to give accessible service, but instead claimed it was too burdensome. 

Uber Expands EV

Before the ruling about its wheelchair-accessible service, Uber had made a move to expand its electric vehicle rides through the Comfort Electric option to more cities. 

Since most of its electric rides come from Tesla vehicles, Uber has started sending notifications about how to open Tesla door handles, which can be confusing for new riders. 

According to Electrek, in 2021, Hertz announced an important effort to electrify its rental vehicles, led by a massive purchase of Tesla Model 3 vehicles to be delivered in 2023. 

After the purchase, Hertz announced that aside from adding 100,000 Tesla cars to its rental fleet, the company also made a deal with Uber to offer its drivers access to electric vehicles. 

Around 50,000 Tesla vehicles will be offered for rent to Uber drivers, and the ride-hailing company has an option for more if the program succeeds.

Related Article: Wheeliz Startup Is The Uber Alternative For People With Disabilities: Peer-To-Peer Wheelchair Adapted Car Rental 

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Written by Sophie Webster