Greyhound Website and Mobile App to Become More Accessible to Blind Users

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Greyhound Website and Mobile App to Become More Accessible to Blind Users

National Federation of the Blind Reaches Comprehensive Agreement with Greyhound

San Francisco (July 17, 2018): Greyhound has committed to make its website (www.greyhound.com) and mobile apps more accessible to blind passengers who use screen-reader software to access these services. An agreement with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) resolves a lawsuit filed by the NFB and five blind California residents who had trouble using the website.

Under the agreement, Greyhound will ensure that greyhound.com and the mobile apps allow blind users to gain the same information and engage in the same transactions with an ease of use substantially equivalent to that of a sighted person using the same browser or operating system without screen-reader software. Changes needed to accomplish this goal will be made in less than a year. Until then, Greyhound will inform blind passengers of alternative methods for purchasing bus tickets on the website and mobile apps. The website and mobile apps will also clearly state Greyhound's longstanding policy that blind passengers who self-identify to customer service representatives and state that they have had difficulty using the website or mobile apps will not be charged any call center booking fee or other additional charge solely because they have used the Call Center under these circumstances. The National Federation of the Blind will conduct a "secret shopper" program to report to Greyhound whether the operators at its call centers are following this policy.

"We commend Greyhound for agreeing to remove access barriers on its website and mobile apps on a robust timeline," said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "We further commend the company for its commitment to treat blind passengers fairly when we are unable to complete transactions through its website or apps, and urge other transportation providers to follow Greyhound's example in both respects. The National Federation of the Blind will work closely with Greyhound to help ensure that booking passage on its bus service is a fully accessible experience for current and future blind passengers."

"As we complete our work on our new websites and mobile apps, we are grateful to have the assistance of the capable and committed members of the leadership of the National Federation of the Blind in ensuring that these websites and apps are easy to use and fully and equally accessible to all of our customers," said Todd Koch, Vice President of strategy and business development, Greyhound Lines, Inc.

The plaintiffs are represented by Timothy Elder and Anna Levine of the TRE Legal Practice, www.trelegal.com, and by Lisa Ells and Michael Nunez of Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP, www.rbgg.com.

CONTACT
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
410-659-9314, extension 2330
410-262-1281 (cell)