Has anyone tried Uber?

[palmtree]

Getting around is so difficult with MS. I just got out of the hospital (which I will talk about in another thread). Everyone who has been giving me rides all summer is suddenly 'back to school'.

They released me from hospital with 3 Dr. Appointments and Tysabri. I am very weak because I almost died. Been sleeping round the clock without even a shower because I couldn't get a wink of sleep in that place.

So how do I get to doctor's appointment?

Loaded up the Uber App but how can I tell them I have a disability? They expect you to be standing at the right place at the right time. But, what if I can't be hobbling out to their location?

Does anyone have any experience communicating to drivers that you have a disability?

[jamilea]

Hi, I'm sitting in Uber right now lol I used the pool option so that I only have to pay half the cost. Uber finds another rider for you going in the same direction.

There is an option to contact the driver by calling or by sending a text message. All you do is hit the driver's name and hit contact. It will give you the option to call or message the driver.

I find the option of Uber to be great at minimizing stress in traffic. My trip to work every day is an hour each way. It's a nice break to do it once or twice a month. I hope your Uber experience will be as enjoyable as mine have been.

[jreagan70]

Hi palmtree:

Check your Uber app to see if UberACCESS is available in your area. Drivers with uberACCESS have training, and one would presume the desire, to offer assistance to people with disabilities. They may even have vehicles that are more easily accessible than regular passenger cars.

Regular Uber and Lyft drivers are just regular people driving their own (or rented) cars to make money. They're just regular folks trying to get by. They have no training or obligation or probably not even the desire to offer assistance to people with disabilities. Their vehicles are personal passenger cars, trucks and vans, and don't have to have accessibility features. The drivers are obligated to pick up and drive people with disabilities, but that's all.

With regular Uber, you'll be on your own, even if you tell them you have a disability. Uber drivers are just drivers. They aren't personal assistants, so you'll have to be responsible for yourself as far as showing up in the right place at the right time, and for getting yourself, your stuff, and any mobility devices in and out of the car by yourself. If you can't get in and out of a regular 4-person passenger car, you may have to request uberXL, which provides larger vehicles but it costs more.

If you need assistance, you'll do better with uberACCESS, if it's available. Another thing to check is whether your city or county transportation system offers Dial-A-Ride or paratransit services. With the latter, and possibly with the former, you may lose the spontaneity of just calling for a ride whenever you want it, but you'll have extra assistance available.

[palmtree]

Is there a way to tell them that you will need assistance? They claim to be friendly to the disabled.

[jamilea]

Is there a way to tell them that you will need assistance? They claim to be friendly to the disabled.

Palmtree, I just checked my Uber app and Jreagan is right. See on the bottom of the screen where you can select Pool, uberX, SELECT, BLACK, SUV, LUX? To the right of LUX, there should be one called "ACCESS". That lets them know that you need assistance. It even has a little icon of someone in a wheelchair. Select that one. I would think there would be no need to tell them after that option is selected.