Uber is now opening up this flexible economic opportunity for folks who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Uber through it’s Beethoven Initiative, have made the platform open to thousands of hearing impaired driver partners on its platform. There are now thousands of deaf and hard of hearing driver partners on the Uber platform, who are proving more rides an average

Uber, the ride-sharing app has revolutionized the way people travel across the world. It has not only made the travel faster but also hassle free. It uses the most comprehensive tool to let us travel in a hassle free manner. While this technology has become a part of our daily life, Uber has also provided a livelihood for many partner drivers.

Uber is now opening up this flexible economic opportunity for folks who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Uber through it’s Beethoven Initiative, have made the platform open to thousands of hearing impaired driver partners on its platform. There are now thousands of deaf and hard of hearing driver partners on the Uber platform, who are proving more rides an average.

Some of the features in the app are:

  • The ability to self-identify as deaf or hard of hearing which unlocks the features for the drivers.
  • The ability to call a deaf or hard of hearing driver-partner is turned off for the rider — instead, riders are directed to text their driver if they need to communicate with them.

Lastly, passengers are notified in advance that their driver is hearing-impaired, which makes it easy to avoid any awkwardness. It also makes it mandatory to enter their destination before boarding the cab.
These features have established support mechanisms that allow deaf drivers to effectively communicate with passengers while allowing them to continue having a flexible means of earning money.

The deaf or hard of hearing folks often turned down during the traditional work sphere due to the challenge in communicating effectively. The deaf friends are often limited by unequal and inaccessible training and available resources, which makes it difficult for them to build the skills and Knowledge to effectively find a suitable job, most often end up in an underpaying job. I am happy that Uber has decided to open up its platform to make inclusive for everyone, I wish that everyone company adopts the same.

Currently, this accessibility including ASL video guides and helpline are currently to the United States, as per the information the Uber website. It will be soon made available globally.