MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A 22-year-old Milwaukee woman says she faced discrimination from a bus driver who was unwilling to accommodate her wheelchair during a recent trip to Madison.
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Ebony Lewis, who has arthrogryposis, a muscle disorder where joints are locked in a fixed position with clubbed hands and feet, recorded her interaction with a Badger Bus driver during Halloween weekend after the driver questioned her need for wheelchair accessibility.
"This world is not built for people like me, you know," Lewis said. "It feels like the world should adapt to me, but it's more I'm adapting to the world."
In a cell phone video Lewis recorded, the driver can be heard saying he had no notification about a wheelchair passenger despite Lewis booking her ticket through the company's website with wheelchair accommodation selected.
"It has got nothing on here about a wheelchair. Not a thing," the driver said in the recording.
"Okay, well, there's a ramp on every one and..." Lewis responded.
"Well, that doesn't mean it's good because now we're pretty much full on some buses, and we had no idea you were coming, and I believe you're supposed to let somebody know you're coming," the driver said.
When the driver asked if Lewis was supposed to indicate wheelchair needs when booking, she confirmed she does so every time.
"You guys are just not trained for this, and you need to be cause this is ridiculous," Lewis said in the video.
"We don't need to be," the driver responded.
Lewis, who lives independently and travels frequently to visit her best friend in Madison, said this wasn't an isolated incident with Badger Bus, which advertises as wheelchair accessible on its website.
"Every time it's been an issue, and it's always someone rude and they're just not trained," Lewis added.
She recalled another incident in which staff couldn't operate the wheelchair lift, leaving her stranded in Madison overnight when she missed the last bus.
"There was one time where they couldn't figure it out and I was stranded in Madison for overnight, cause that was the last bus for the night," Lewis said.
Watch: Milwaukee wheelchair user questions local bus company's accessibility
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires private transportation companies serving the public to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. The law specifically states that motor coach buses operating fixed route services must provide accessible vehicles.
TMJ4 News tried to call Badger Bus Friday and asked for an interview. We later received an email from Badger Bus providing this statement:
"Badger Bus has received your inquiry, dated 14 November 2025, regarding a recent experience of our customer, Ms. Ebony Lewis, and her travel from Madison to Milwaukee on 2 November. We take all concerns seriously and we are actively reviewing the details of Ms. Lewis’s experience, including the attached video footage, the specific bus route, and the actions of the driver involved. Maintaining a safe, reliable, and accessible transportation system for all passengers is our top priority.
We understand that Ms. Lewis has indicated this is not the first time she has encountered issues. We apologize for any difficulties or distress this situation, or previous situations, may have caused her. As part of our continuing commitment to providing consistent and appropriate service for all passengers with disabilities, we will review our training and procedures for both our management staff and our team of drivers. At Badger Bus, we expect every passenger to receive the best service available and we will continue to do what we can to ensure that this goal is met."
Lewis said she decided to share her story to raise awareness and prevent others from experiencing similar treatment.
"It was more than not okay, and I have experienced so much, and if I can just make someone's life easier or they don't have to go through the same experience I have, I will do that," Lewis said. "There needs to be awareness about it."
Despite using her feet for daily tasks like cooking and writing, Lewis emphasized her independence while acknowledging when she needs assistance.
"Yeah, I'm in a wheelchair, but I'm just like everyone else. I'm still human," Lewis said.
This story was reported on-air by Jenna Rae and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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