Taxi, rideshare drivers in NSW who refuse passengers with guide dogs could be fined up to $3,300

The NSW government has increased the penalty for taxi and rideshare drivers who refuse to take passengers with guide dogs.  (ABC News: Melissa Mackay)

Jaci Armstrong is legally blind and relies on her guide dog, Bess, to navigate Sydney with her two-year-old daughter.

“Bess helps me get around safely and confidently … My guide dogs are genuinely the reason I am able to live the life I want to live,” Ms Armstrong said.

The mother-of-one and Bess often use rideshare apps and taxis to get around, but for the duo it’s never simple.

“The more confronting [experiences] are when you walk up to a taxi at a rank and you’ll be approaching, and they’ll either drive off suddenly, or I’ll go to open the door and I’m told ‘No you can’t get in’,” she said.

Under New South Wales legislation, Bess has a right to enter any public space and vehicle that Ms Armstrong does.

While she believes some drivers may simply be ignorant of the law, Ms Armstrong, who has been handling guide dogs for about 20 years, said drivers should be aware of their obligations.

“I like to start by having a respectful conversation, sometimes I’m successful but many times I’m not, and it’s a flat refusal,” she said.

“They’ll start driving off, which can be very dangerous when you’re holding the door.”

The experiences have at times left her frustrated, angry and even in tears on the side of the road.

Ms Armstrong said she is “unlikely” to ever be able to hail a taxi on the street and builds “buffer” time into her plans, knowing her trip won’t be as simple as others.

“I have had some really good experiences, but I am still far from confident that I am ever going to get a rideshare or a taxi when I need one.”

Increased fines for discrimination

New regulations introduced in NSW mean that from now anyone who refuses passengers like Ms Armstrong and Bess access to a rideshare or taxi service could be hit with a fine up to $3,300.

A penalty of $300 was introduced in November 2017, but NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Marjorie O’Neil said in the seven years since, it has not had an impact on eliminating discrimination against passengers like Ms Armstrong.

“We have seen complaints come in from people with disabilities being rejected from rideshare, and that is why we’ve decided to increase the penalty,” Dr O’Neil said.

“We need to send a very clear message that people with disabilities and with guide dogs are welcome to use rideshare.”

Tamara Searant from Guide Dogs NSW said discrimination against guide dog handlers and their animals was a global issue and led to further isolation of people with a visual impairment.

“How are you going to participate in the community, when you can’t even get there in the first place?” Ms Searant said.

“You would think that after 30 years of the Disability Discrimination Act this wouldn’t be occurring regularly but we’re hearing it’s daily occurrence for our community.”

Bess, like all guide dogs, is highly trained and Ms Armstrong hopes the increased penalty will have a significant impact on the taxi and rideshare industry.