Lyft Riders Win Class Certification in Wheelchair Access Lawsuit

Lyft Inc. must defend against claims brought by three classes of would-be passengers who say the ridesharing company discriminates against people with disabilities by failing to consistently or reliably provide wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Judge Philip M. Halpern of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York certified the trio of classes March 24 on the recommendation of US Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause.

The first approved class is nationwide and comprised of plaintffs in “non-access regions"—where Lyft doesn’t make any wheelchair accessible vehicles available. It includes “all residents of or visitors to any and all regions serviced ...