Richmond, VA. – Armando Vias, a blind community advocate and now chairing multiple Disability Caucuses, released the following statement after he recently sent a letter to Groome Transportation, an airport shuttle company that transports passengers to and from airports in different states.
The issue with their service is that their online reservation system that customers can use to book reservations for a discounted price instead of booking over the phone isn’t accessible/usable to screen-reader users. This means that customers who are blind or low vision will have to call their local Groome Transportation office to book over the phone, in which they’ll have to give their credit/debit card information to the agent in order to book the reservation and also having to pay extra since they’re not booking it directly on their website.
I had a wonderful experience with Groome Transportation last month. However, the accessibility of their website needs major improvements in order for everyone to reserve online privately and independently.
As a blind individual who uses a screen-reader to complete tasks, I was disappointed to find out that their reservation system was still not accessible, even though that I first reported this issue back in 2023.
You shouldn’t have to give your credit card information to customer service agents to book a reservation over the phone. Along with having to book over the phone, you don’t get the online discount whenever you book through their website.
While I’m usually an independent blind advocate who reaches out by myself and also chairs multiple Disability Caucuses, I’ve reported the inaccessibility of the reservation system to the National Federation of the Blind, one of the largest blindness organizations in the United States.
The inaccessibility of online services needs to end now, and I’m willing to make sure that I do my part to make these services that I come across accessible for all users.
To read the recent letter that was sent to my local and the Corporate offices, visit https://armandovias.com/advocacy/letters/us/groome-transportation-march-2025-update. You’ll also find other letters that I sent to the company as well.