A blind Tennessee man says he was left stranded at a Nashville-area airport after his Lyft driver allegedly refused to transport his guide dog, then kept the ride active as he drove away.
James Rath travels with a trained guide dog named Hobie. According to Rath, the driver refused the trip after seeing Hobie but didn’t cancel it, temporarily preventing him from requesting another ride.
The story was shared on Rath’s TikTok account, @jamesrath. In the video, he says he had waited several minutes for a driver after a long day of travel when the driver saw Hobie and said he does not take dogs. According to the man, Lyft had already flagged Hobie as a service animal on his account before the driver accepted the trip.
Rather than cancel the ride, Rath says the driver left the airport and drove around for roughly 10 minutes while the trip remained active. According to Rath, the active trip prevented him from requesting another driver.
The Tennessee man also claims the driver was waiting for him to cancel first. He says that would have left him without a clear record of the alleged service-animal denial while allowing the driver to avoid potential consequences for canceling the trip himself.
Rath says the situation is part of a broader pattern he has encountered with rideshare drivers, alleging that some drivers stall or remain stationary after discovering a passenger has a service dog rather than canceling the ride outright. He says the resulting delays can interfere with trips to work, medical appointments and other commitments.
Lyft’s policy specifically requires U.S. drivers to accommodate passengers with service animals. The company tells drivers to “Always Say Yes” and says allergies, fear of dogs, or religious and cultural objections do not permit a driver to refuse a service animal. A driver can face permanent deactivation if Lyft investigates a complaint and verifies a wrongful denial.
Lyft also responded directly to Rath’s viral video, calling what he described “unacceptable” and asking him to contact the company so it could investigate. “We saw your Instagram and tried to get in touch with you there,” the company wrote. “Please send us a DM on either platform so we can make sure this driver is held accountable.”
Tennessee Man’s Lyft Drama Has People Talking
The video’s comment section drew thousands of responses, with much of the discussion focused on the driver’s alleged refusal. Some commenters argued that drivers who are unwilling to transport service animals should not accept rides where one is present. One user wrote, “Don’t be a driver if you won’t carry service animals.”
Others raised questions about drivers with severe allergies, dog phobias or previous negative experiences with dogs. Lyft’s policy addresses those situations directly, stating that allergies and fear of service animals are not acceptable reasons for refusing a ride.
Current and former rideshare drivers also joined the discussion, with some saying they had received information about service-animal requirements while driving for rideshare platforms.
For Rath, the problem isn’t simply one delayed airport ride. He says repeated service-animal denials force disabled passengers to account for delays that other riders don’t face.
Lyft has publicly told Rath that what he described is “unacceptable” and said it wants to hold the driver accountable. What isn’t yet clear is what action, if any, the company ultimately took against the driver.
