1. Mike May President and founder of Sendero Group, accessible GPS Advisor to Uber Traveling More Independently Using iPhone Apps CTEBVI Conference Friday, April 8, 2016

2. What is Rideshare and who is Uber? Mission: “Provide transportation as reliable as running water” Available in over 400 cites and 69 countries Options may vary in other cities

3. What are the benefits of rideshare for everyone? Low cost Quick availability Nice cars Pleasant drivers GPS trackable trip No cash payments: automatically charged to one’s online account Expense label if desired Easy driver rating system Easy to report issues Far better in all these respects than using taxis

4. The best independence tool so far this century for blind people I have used Uber in many places and situations Additional services like: ▪ Uber Eats ▪ Uber Rush ▪ Child car-seats and ▪ More coming, potentially for ambulatory paratransit

5. Preparing your Uber Account Set up your account before you are ready for your first ride Get a free ride code from a friend Include more than one credit card if you wish to separate work and personal trips Add emergency contacts to easily share your trip progress Add your home and work addresses for easy pick-up selection Although you may submit a personal photo, the driver will not see it

6. Request a ride Rate your last driver if you haven’t already Choose your vehicle type Enter “pick-up location” by address or POI Check the ETA of the nearest driver Select the field called, “Set pick-up location” Optionally, enter the destination to view the estimated fare Confirm all trip details Request a ride

7. VoiceOver nuances of the Uber app Before you request a ride, the ETA shows the approximate minutes to get a ride After your ride is on the way, the ETA is the approximate time to pick you up Press the map pin button to reset the map to your current location if you are not near an obvious address

8. Meeting up with the driver Text the driver from the Contact driver button 3 minutes before arrival Choose a visible location for the driver to see you Hold your dog harness or cane visibly Note the first few digits of the vehicle license number to share with a nearby sighted person Carry an Uber sign so the driver can spot you

9. Notes for guide dog users Note you have a guide dog in your text message Be extra clear that you are blind and this is a working dog Quickly get the dog on the floor Make sure the dog doesn’t sniff the driver Carry a sticky roller or small towel to minimize dog hair Rate the driver and use the comment field for noteworthy service Two strikes and you are out policy Consider carefully if using Uber Pool with a guide dog

10. Safety Considerations All drivers have background checks Enter your destination and choose the Share button so someone can track your progress When you connect with the driver, ask them who they are looking for so you can confirm they are there for you. Use your own accessible GPS to follow the route if you have one Confirm you are at your correct destination before getting out

11. Reporting a Problem Rate a ride 1 star and choose the issue to report Choose Help from the Menu and follow the prompts to report a problem Reply to your email receipt Use the History button to review recent rides

12. Room for improvement Better ways to connect the driver and the blind rider Have the color of the vehicle available to VoiceOver users Make the visual map features accessible through voice prompts Adding more cities and more drivers in small cities Increasing driver awareness about guide dogs and nuances of accessibility

14. In Summary Uber has totally changed how I work and play as a blind person As with any technology or service, there is potential for improvements Perhaps a private driver is better than a self- driving car

15. For more Information http://www.CrashingThrough.com http://www.AccessibleGPS.com http://www.uber.com