Commentary
It Makes
No Economic Sense
Cab Drivers Refuse
Rides to Blind Dog-Guide Users
by Clarence Schadegg
Dog guide users have been
denied cab rides with increased frequency over the past several months
at our Twin Cities International Airport. I’ve experienced
it myself. A year and a half ago, my wife and I—and my dog
guide—were returning from Biloxi, Mississippi. The cabs
were lined up at the airport, yet it took us three tries to finally find a driver
who’d take us home. In another incident, to and from the home of my wife’s
father, our ride was rejected by each driver, and we had to encourage both drivers
to get back into the cab and take us to where we wanted to go. In each of these
incidents, I merely wanted to get to my destination, without having to educate
a cab driver about how illegal it is to deny me that ride because I use a service
animal.
What am I missing? Illegality aside,
I cannot figure out why somebody would prefer to make a bad business
choice—to not make money—only
because of fear and prejudice against those of us who use a dog guide.
In both situations, I explained that
these dogs are well trained and they will not touch the driver.
But this line of negotiation was not received as successfully as
when I threatened them with legal action or that I’d complain to the management of their cab
company, either of which may result in that driver paying a fine
or temporarily losing their license. I do not want a driver to be
denied the ability to work; I just want a ride—which is my
legal right. Interestingly, the cab drivers seemed to have no trouble
serving us after I made them aware of the penalties involved in not
doing so.
Service animals undergo a significant amount of training. Dog guides
are trained to sit quietly on the floor, at our feet, as we take
our seats in taxi cabs or on buses. The dogs are well groomed to
reduce the chance for their fur to cling to the upholstery of the
car. The dogs have a single-minded focus; to guide us from place
to place. Dog guides do not pose any problem for taxi cab drivers.
Most cab drivers don’t deny rides to those of us who use these
well-trained animals, so you may well wonder what’s the problem.
Perhaps it’s the unpredictability that is the most difficult
for me. Unlike most people, I cannot assume I’ll have a ride
when I flag down a taxi cab. It is rather baffling to me why some
taxi cab drivers choose, in the face of severe penalties, to make
life difficult for those of us who use a service animal. In my experience,
however, these are the people who don’t understand the laws
and penalties. And once they do, well, we’re on our way. ![]()
Notify Rebecca Kragnes, at MN Guide Dog Users, if you have been
denied a ride by a taxi rebeccak@tcq.net.
