21/04/2025
What taxi and rideshare drivers should know about parents who are blind, travelling with kids & guide/service dogs.
This post is for taxi/ride share drivers who want to better understand how to respectfully and confidently assist parents who are blind traveling with children, car seats, and guide dogs.
We use Taxi, Uber and Lyft just like anyone else, to get to work, school, daycare, medical appointments, airports, and family outings. We don’t just stay home. We’re raising kids,
running businesses, and contributing to our communities.
So when you pull up and see a parent with a cane, a guide dog, a car seat, and maybe more than one child, it might look like a lo, but trust us: we’ve got this. We plan ahead, we know our routine, we’re ready to work with you.
Let us help you help us.
Before You Arrive: What to Expect
You may get a message from us before you arrive. Since GPS pins aren’t always accurate for passengers who are blind, we often send a quick note like:
“I’m wearing a red jacket. We’re near the bus stop with a white cane and car seat.” Not everyone feels safe messaging a driver, especially after experiencing ride denials.
Some riders think, “My picture and name are in the app, that should be enough.” But even we worry: Will the driver cancel? Will they treat me respectfully? Will they understand English?
Language barriers can make it hard to communicate where we are, or where we need to be dropped off. Taxi, Uber and Lyft could help by requiring translation tools for drivers who don't speak English fluently. It's scary when we feel trapped in a car and can't explain what we need, especially as parents who cannot see. We are responsible for our children. Some drivers also don’t know that guide dogs are legal, protected service animals, or that we may have more than one mobility tool (a cane and a guide dog, for example). You might also see a service dog in training. These dogs are well-trained, valued working animals, some worth more than $60,000.
When you pull up. How to communicate respectfully.
Here’s what helps:
-Roll down your window and say,
“Hi, I’m George. Are you Sarah?”
or “I’m here for Sarah, need a hand getting settled?”
-Offer to open the door or place the car seat in the car.
-Let the parent install and buckle it unless they ask for more help.
If we don’t need help, we’ll let you know. But if we do; we’ll ask.
How we travel with our children. You might see.
-A car seat backpack worn on our shoulders.
-A car seat strapped to a cart, with the child riding in it.
-A ride-safe travel vest- A folded stroller with a detachable car seat
-More than one child, a cane, and possibly a guide dog.
Yes, it’s a lot. Yes, it’s bulky, but we’ve practiced.
Installing the car seat.
Here’s what we usually do:
-Help the child into the vehicle.
-Fully extend the seatbelt.
-Ask you to hold the belt (if we need help).
-Thread it through the back of the seat.
-Lock and tighten it.
-Buckle the child in ourselves.
Even if you offer help, we often prefer to secure the seat and child ourselves. It’s about safety and confidence.
Guide dogs in cars.
Guide dogs are trained to:
-Lie in the front or rear footwell.
-Stay calm, quiet, and out of the way.
-Adjust for space in small vehicles.
-Remain still throughout the ride.
You may see:
-Labrador Retrievers
-Golden Retrievers
-German Shepherds
-Standard Poodles (for allergy-sensitive handlers)
-Golden doodles/Labradoodles
-Airedales (for people with severe allergies)
These are not pets. They are working service animals.
What makes a difference.
-Greet us and confirm our name.
-Offer help without assuming.
-Be patient: it takes time to load safely.
-Respect our kids, our dogs, and our independence.
-Understand that every family looks different, and we’ve got a system.
Please Avoid Saying:
-“You don’t look blind”
-“Who takes care of you?”
-“Your child must help you a lot”
-“I couldn’t do it if I were blind”
We’re not looking to be admired: we’re looking to be respected.
Final thoughts.
We’re not here to make your day harder.
We’re here to get where we’re going, just like you.
Let’s work together to make taxi & rideshare safer, more respectful, and more accessible for all families, including ours.
Danielle Frampton
DiverseAbilities.ca
AI generated photo of a family, a mom, dad, little girl and baby in a car seat. The dad has a white cane and guide dog. The family is getting into a taxi.
