Washington man allegedly waits 2 hours for Uber. Then he sees his driver is going where his last 2 no-show drivers went: ‘same parking lot in Beltsville’

Washington, D.C. resident Alex Graf was just trying to head to a concert for his birthday when his failure to secure a ride led him to Instagram to vent. He claimed that he had waited nearly two hours for an Uber wheelchair-accessible van, only to have the driver cancel. As he alleged that he had noticed a recurring pattern with the drivers, he asked in the overlay text of his post, “Uber, is the wheelchair van option fake?”

In the video, Graf claimed, “It’s my birthday weekend, and we’re going to a concert, which will be very exciting, but we’re going to be very late because of Uber. Uber wheelchair Ubers are always way worse of a service than the rest of Uber’s fleet. But the last three times, including tonight, even once I’m lucky enough to be assigned an Uber, they don’t pick you up. 

“They don’t respond to your messages,” Graf alleged. “They actually drive in the opposite direction. They go to the same parking lot in Beltsville. And that’s it. That’s three times in a row I’ve had that. What’s going on, Uber? I’ve got the receipts. I’ve got the screenshots of where they’re driving. What are we doing? I just wanna go to a concert. What is going on?” Graf went on to provide more detail in his caption.

A necessary form of transport

Graf used the caption to provide detail and to put out a call for action. Tagging the company, he wrote, “your wheelchair van service has always been inadequate but the last few weeks, you don’t even offer it. I requested a ride nearly 2 hours ago. When a driver finally “accepted a ride” he didn’t actually drive to me, and 45 minutes later cancelled. @uber (I have screenshots!) this is obviously unacceptable.” 

Then Graf tagged the local lawmakers, like the Mayor and the Governor, and challenged them to take action. He wrote, “we gotta crack down on this, wheelchair users should be able to get a ride in the DMV.” It should be noted that this is only Graf’s version of the story, which can’t be verified.

DMV colloquially refers to the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Recently, another wheelchair user also posted about how people with disabilities should be able to access tools that provide independence.

In less than a day, this post already had over 45K views. It also drew in a flood of support and outrage, especially from the users who were facing the same challenge. One user shared, “I have NEVER gotten the wheelchair van option to work. Never.” Another commenter noted, “They’re trying to get you to cancel so they can get the cancellation fee. Free $$.” 

Some users pointed to deeper issues within the gig economy model. One user alleged, “Ive been told by drivers that uber doesnt pay the extras that the WAV drivers were promised so many sold their vans cause they couldnt pay off the loans they took for the modifications. One told me that he ONLY sits at the airports because the pay they get from there is higher. Its unacceptable all the way around but this is the problem with allowing companies to make work “gig”.”

Others highlighted what disabled riders had to go through with Uber. One user commented, “@uber has no way either to let drivers know your handicap. But allows to tell them your deaf. I can’t note to them I have either my wheelchair or that I have fake legs. I have had them pull in see me with my equipment and then drive off and cancel saying I never showed.” 

Another user added, “accessibility should be the norm! not the exception. it should never be this hard for anyone to get a ride.” A third wrote, “we need more protections for disabled users. my friend uses a guide dog and she gets similar treatment. @uber absolutely unacceptable.”

Currently, Uber is running two different accessible transportation options. According to Disability Help, these are Uber Assist and Uber WAV, which are designed for different needs. Uber Assist provides a standard car with a driver trained to help passengers get in and out, which is ideal for those who can walk short distances or use folding mobility aids. 

Per Disability Help, Uber WAV, on the other hand, provides a van with a ramp or lift, allowing riders to remain in their non-folding, motorized wheelchairs. The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that roughly 18.6 million Americans age 5 and older have a travel-limiting disability, making these services essential rather than just a convenience.

While both services are meant to provide equal access, the reality of availability is often a different story. Disability Help noted that Uber WAV is generally limited to major U.S. metros, while Uber Assist has been phased out in many areas.