Accessibility
Transport for All
Convenient, safe and affordable transport, everywhere for everyone. That’s the big idea at the heart of Uber. Through our award-winning uberACCESS and uberASSIST products. Read on to learn more about your options and legal requirements.
uberACCESS
Helping riders who require wheelchair accessible vehicles.
uberACCESS is a forward-facing wheelchair accessible product. All vehicles are fully wheelchair accessible and can transport one wheelchair user and an additional passenger. Available currently in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds & Newcastle.
uberASSIST
For those who require additional assistance in an uberX vehicle.
uberASSIST is an option for those who require additional assistance – such as older people and people with an access need - including those who may just feel more comfortable with extra assistance when getting from door-to-door.
Register to become an uberACCESS or uberASSIST driver
Only the highest-rated drivers have the chance to drive with uberACCESS and uberASSIST. Every uberACCESS and uberASSIST driver must attend and complete in-person disability equality training before they get behind the wheel.
Your legal obligations
Assistance dogs
Thousands of people in the UK rely on assistance dogs to help them get around their towns and cities and complete everyday tasks. All drivers in the UK have an important role to play in helping people with assistance dogs get around their cities.
The law
As an Uber driver you are required by law to accept assistance dogs. If you cannot take animals for medical reasons, please speak to the council about an exemption certificate. Once obtained, please ensure you carry it with you and show it to your rider whilst clearly explaining that you are unable to complete the trip. Advise them to cancel and rebook with another driver.
If you are found to have refused a rider with an assistance animal without having a medical exemption certificate, you will permanently lose access to the Uber app and risk losing your license and face possible prosecution.
How to help someone with an assistant dog:
- Offer to help the rider and their dog into the car
- Ask the owner where they would like their owner to sit or lie- remember dogs should be seated with their owners.
- Assistance dog owners must be able to use taxis or private hire vehicles in the same way as everyone else.
Wheelchair Access
As an Uber driver you are required to make all reasonable efforts to accommodate a passenger with a folding wheelchair. You should assist the passenger into the vehicle and store the wheelchair in the boot. All drivers are expected to offer appropriate assistance to wheelchair users to ensure that they and their chairs are treated much the same as any other passenger.
Learn more about assistance dogs
What is an assistance dog?
Assistance dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Not everyone knows that. Watch this video by the ADUK and 11 other assistance dog organisations that explains exactly what an assistance dog is.
Riders with Assistance Dogs
Watch and learn from one vision impaired rider, Emily, as she shares her experience about having a guide dog and riding with her dog and Uber.
How you can help your community
See what people think
Jamil, frequent uberACCESS rider
"As a wheelchair user myself, until I discovered UberACCESS, transport options specifically tailored towards wheelchair users in London were, you know, sparse, lacklustre and pricey. Finding a service like uberACCESS that was safe, affordable and easy to use that was bookable through a smartphone app meant I could spontaneously get around quickly and fuss free. Or, to put it differently, I could use transport in a way that fitted around me and the life I wanted to lead, as opposed to me having to previously adapt my lifestyle to accommodate poor services."
Muhammad Yasir Saddique, uberACCESS Driver
uberACCESS and uberASSIST are game changers for those that need an extra hand, helping them maintain their independence. Being an uberACCESS driver isn’t just rewarding - you see the difference you make in society and in the lives of others. I’d strongly recommend other drivers take the training with one of Uber’s approved partners.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is uberACCESS currently available?
uberACCESS is available in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Merseyside, Leeds and Newcastle.
- Where is uberASSIST currently available?
uberASSIST is available in London, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Merseyside, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton, Cardiff, Nottingham and Bristol.
- What is the pricing?
The pricing for uberASSIST & uberACCESS matches uberX.
- Will I still receive uberX trip confirmations?
Yes - If you use uberACCESS or uberASSIST you will be cross-dispatched to receive your regular uberX trip confirmations as well.
- Do I have to allow service animals in the car?
Yes, regardless of whether it is an uberASSIST, uberACCESS or uberX trip allowing service animals in your vehicle is a legal requirement.
- Do I have to be an uberASSIST driver or can I opt-out?
If you no longer wish to receive uberASSIST trips, you can easily opt-out by reaching out to Uber Support through the Uber app.
- What vehicle do I need for uberASSIST?
All vehicles should be able to accommodate an assistive device, such as a folding wheelchair or scooter. If your vehicle cannot safely fit your rider’s assistive device, you can cancel the trip and reach out to us via the Uber app to let us know why and avoid a cancellation fee.
- What vehicle do I need for uberACCESS?
uberACCESS vehicles should be adapted fully wheelchair accessible vehicles. To see the uberACCESS vehicle requirements in your City please visit your local Greenlight Hub.
- How much help will a rider using uberASSIST need to get in or out of the car?
Many riders prefer that you always ask before physically assisting them. You might want to offer to provide your arm to guide or help the rider find their balance when walking or getting up from a chair into a car. For safety reasons, you should not physically lift anyone out of a wheelchair or a scooter.