Rideshare App Improves Services for Hard of Hearing Clients

As the rideshare craze infiltrated the nation, companies like Uber and Lyft saw proof positive that their model of connecting drivers and riders was a perfect fit for today’s times. However, as with many mainstream conveniences, these apps were constructed for a healthy hearing population. Now, Lyft’s partnership with the National Association of the Deaf promises to make this accessible mode of transportation truly accessible for the hard of hearing.

Living outside of “normal”

Feeling separate from the rest of a healthy hearing society is partly what leads to the prevalence of isolation and depression in the deaf and hearing-impaired community. So much of what is designed for our society doesn’t take into account disabilities that affect an enormous percentage of the population. For instance, about 20% of Americans report some degree of hearing loss. That’s one fifth of the population and a whopping 48 million people. By age 65, one out of every three people has hearing loss. We all know that life doesn’t end at age 65 — some might even argue that it’s when it truly begins — so why not take into consideration the needs of such a large segment of our population?

Many voices being heard

Thanks to the forward-thinking folks at Lyft and the tireless advocacy of the National Association of the Deaf, rideshare technology just got a little more inclusive. Where before drivers were alerted of a potential new fare by way of an audible ‘ding,’ Lyft’s new in-car communication device visually displays messages. Called an Amp device, each driver equipped with this technology will get a text explaining that a new ride request is coming down the pipeline. The device doesn’t just add ease into the lives of Lyft drivers, it also lights up, changes color and sends cheerful messages to customers. What’s not to like?

A small tweak to serve the many

In the past, drivers complained that it was too easy for those that were hard of hearing to miss the audible alert. With only a slight adjustment to the way Lyft’s technology interacted with their drivers and clientele, they’ve expanded the accessibility of their company many times over. Deaf and hearing-impaired drivers can interact normally with the alert system, while deaf or hard of hearing customers are able to enjoy their ride without missing important messages from the driver via the visual messaging system. Instead of requiring great investment or reinventing the wheel — no pun intended — this shift is a testimony to the ways building a more inclusive society that works for all sorts of people is as simple as tweaking what already exists.

Great explorations

When hearing loss affects your life, it can begin to feel as though every small aspect of the day just got 100% harder. It’s well known that transportation and mobility becomes limited after a diagnosis of hearing loss. A Finnish study recently reported that folks who identify as hard of hearing were more than twice as likely as others to limit their activity only to nearby areas. When 60% of people with hearing loss are either in the workforce or in educational settings, it stands to reason that with the exception of their hearing loss, they’re living completely normal lives. And busy lives spent working or going to school require services that are, for the time being, primarily designed with the healthy hearing in mind. While advocacy groups continue to be out there educating society on the need for greater inclusivity, it is heartening to see the ways companies and institutions are shifting their ingrained paradigms to address the needs of more people.

Don’t hide, seek treatment

If hearing loss is an issue in your life, don’t get caught in the trap of isolation. The first way to combat any of the ways hearing loss can potentially limit your life is by addressing your hearing loss face-to-face with a reliable diagnosis. From there, working with us at Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services can open doors all around you. We’ll help you find the best assistive communication device for your life and set you up with the right support to tackle the obstacles that inevitably come with any degree of hearing loss. And they’re just that, obstacles, meant to be overcome.