‘So demeaning’: Melbourne woman denied service by 10 cabs in one booking over guide dog

Debra Simons with her guide dog, Royce. Simons says she is rejected by taxis so often that she needs to add a buffer of at least half an hour on to every trip. Photograph: Ellen Smith/The Guardian

A vision-impaired woman with an assistance dog was denied service by 10 cab drivers in a row in a single booking. When she pursued the matter through the human rights commission, the booking company offered a $100 gift voucher.

Melbourne woman Debra Simons, 62, took her case to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) but 13Cabs argued they were a booking company that did not directly employ drivers.