Justice Department Sues Lyft, Seeking $53 Million for Riders With Disabilities

The US Justice Department sued Lyft on November 9, 2026, alleging the ride-hailing company discriminated against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices such as stowable wheelchairs. The lawsuit seeks $53 million for individuals with disabilities who Lyft allegedly discriminated against and who have submitted complaints to Lyft or the Department of Justice, MarketScreener reported, citing a DOJ statement.

What the DOJ Alleges Against Lyft

The complaint centers on riders who use service animals and stowable wheelchairs, two categories the DOJ says Lyft treated differently from other passengers. The department filed the suit in Washington, with reporting by Kanishka Singh and editing by Caitlin Webber.

The $53 million figure covers individuals who filed complaints with either Lyft or the DOJ, according to the department's statement. Lyft operates a mobility platform that combines rideshare, taxis, private hire vehicles, car sharing, bikes and scooters, and its app connects riders with drivers for on-demand rides. The company also runs Express Drive, a rental program through which drivers can enter rental agreements with rental car partners for vehicles used on the Lyft platform, and it owns Freenow, a multimodal app built around taxi service.

Lyft's Scale Behind the Dispute

Lyft is a publicly traded ride-hailing marketplace connecting riders with drivers through its app in more than 650 US and Canadian cities, supplemented by bike and scooter sharing, international taxi operations and autonomous vehicle fleet services, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show Q1 2026 gross bookings of $4.9 billion, up 19% year-over-year, and active riders up 17% year-over-year to 28.3 million. FY2025 full-year revenue was $6.3 billion with $2.8 billion net income, a 45% margin.

Lyft's Recent Expansion Moves

Lyft completed its acquisition of Gett UK for $55 million in April 2026, combining it with its existing Freenow presence to build a pan-European mobility platform, the same records show. In March 2026 the company reported record trailing 12-month free cash flow of $1.12 billion, Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $132.8 million up 25% year-over-year, and gross bookings of $4.9 billion up 19% year-over-year. Flexdrive opened an 80,000-square-foot Nashville depot in January 2026 servicing Waymo autonomous vehicles, employing about 70 people for AV charging, cleaning and maintenance.

Lyft's Robotaxi and Booking Momentum

Lyft's quarterly bookings reached all-time highs for rides and riders, CFO Michael Brous said, attributing growth to its partnership approach and product innovation, The Wall Street Journal reported on November 5, 2026. Lyft plans to significantly grow its Waymo robotaxi fleet in Nashville by year-end, with airport rides coming soon, and has opened an 80,000-square-foot depot, US News reported the same day. Lyft's adjusted core profit rose 47% to $203.9 million in Q3.

What Comes Next for Lyft

Lyft CEO David Risher said on November 6, 2026 that robotaxis are "one of the biggest gifts I could have gotten as a CEO in my life," Yahoo reported, citing AI as a tailwind. Risher expects Q4 gross bookings of $5.74 billion to $5.94 billion.