New rules for Uber/Lyft/taxis pickups at LAX (Oct. 2019)
 

Starting on or about Oct. 29, 2019, there will be no curbside pickups by paid drivers allowed at LAX. This applies to Uber, Lyft AND taxis. Passengers will take a shuttle to a designated waiting area (near Terminal 1) to connect with their driver. Passenger drop-offs at each terminal will still be permitted.

Although I wasn't aware, San Francisco and Boston Logan airports have instituted similar changes.

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...ckup-uber-lyft

Well, the good news is it's adjacent to Southwest Airlines (terminal 1) so an easy stroll without having to wait for the shuttle to go all around the loop.

That said, I rarely have to take a cab from Terminal 1 . . . usually from the Tom Bradley terminal, and I don't look forward to getting off an 11 hour flight, going through customs to get on one shuttle with luggage to go to another staging area, get off the shuttle, then get in a big line to get a cab. I suspect it will be a big line because currently, there are taxi stands all around LAX. One taxi stand for all terminals? Yikes!

In Boston it does not apply to taxis and is located somewhere in Central Parking garage - which opponents noted that this is a half mile walk from some terminals. Taxi companies pushed hard to make taxis exempt.

I don't see how airports could do that for taxis, it would alienate customers and airports often are trying to attract them.

I see nothing in that article saying it applied to taxis at any of those other airports. Uber/Lyft is nothing new, they aren't a business, remember, just guys driving around in their car who aren't employees or registered as a business.

The article explains that traffic is a real problem at LAX and that's why they did it, I can understand that.

I agree that taxis should be exempt, LAX is my home airport and while the arrival area has always been a real mess (compared to Departures), the taxis were kind of controlled by a dispatcher curbside at each taxi pickup area.

Nothing new about that for Uber/Lyft. I'm shocked that taxis are being included (are they?).

I'm also surprised that taxis were included in the ban, but LAX traffic has become ridiculous in the last couple of years, with cars backed up on feeder streets and even lanes on the 105 freeway. Construction for the People Mover and expansion in preparation for the Olympics adds to the chaos.

Officials say the new shuttle to the meet-up point will have its own access to terminals which should speed things up.

The People Mover is schedule to be running by 2023 and will eliminate the car rental shuttles that add to traffic. Maybe taxis will be allowed back into the "horseshoe" when that happens?

More reasons to fly to Burbank!

More on the new rules...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/wi...fic/ar-AAIjzEE

Uber/Lyft and taxis account for about 30% of the vehicle traffic in the LAX area on any given day. It's estimated the new rules will eliminate about 15% of the traffic in the terminal area.

From the article:

"Passengers hoping to go home in an Uber or Lyft should order a ride as they pick up their bags, then board a shuttle on the lower level of the airport, Wilschetz said. Travelers looking for a cab should proceed directly to the waiting area, where there will be a taxi queue.

"Curbside lanes on the arrivals level will be converted to bus-only lanes to speed travel times. Bright green shuttles are supposed to arrive every three to five minutes, and will make a maximum of two stops before going to the pickup lot."

"The pickup area, at the corner of World Way and Sky Way, is a parking lot converted into a plaza with umbrellas, trash cans, bathrooms and phone charging stations. The area will offer food trucks that will operate from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m."

Sounds like a real mess.

. . . or Long Beach or Ontario or John Wayne/OC.

Well, a possible delay of 10-15 minutes in getting a ride hardly compares to the drive from an outlying airport into L.A., esp. if your destination is anywhere on the west side. Driving in from Ontario, LB or OC would be torture.

The current wait times for Uber/Lyft pickups inside the terminal area are 20 minutes as drivers crawl through the traffic to get to you, and then they have to crawl out of the airport. If the shuttle picks you up in 5 minutes and has its own lane to the new waiting area (outside of the terminal area), you could possibly be in your car and on your way in less time. It's less convenient for those taking taxis which would otherwise be waiting outside each terminal but certainly not inconvenient enough to make me contemplate flying into another airport if my destination is L.A.

>>Driving in from Ontario, LB or OC would be torture. <<

Absolutely - IF one was heading to the west side or downtown LA. But MANY travelers are not staying in those areas. The problem is that many visitors only know about LAX and think it is the only option for the LA Basin. 'tisn't

John Wayne is my fave too if it makes any sense itinerary-wise. A really easy airport.

Here is the actual press release which would answer many of the questions, if people will take the time to read it...(LOL)...because no one every does read any links

FOR RELEASE: LAX-it to Provide a More Efficient and Easy Ride App and Taxi Pickup Experience

I see it as likely easing the suffocating traffic congestion.

There was a noticeable increase in car traffic in the airport area after Uber/Lyft were allowed to pick up inside the "horseshoe." Then a big growth in passenger numbers in recent years just added to the mess. If LA Metro had extended the Green Line light rail service into the airport back in 1995 when the line was opened, we wouldn't be in this situation now. But prep for the Olympics is putting pressure on improving the transportation infrastructure, and, once the People Mover is operational, connection to the light rail system will be easy.

Eh, I'm not so interested in government talking points. The government makes lots of "improvements" under the guise of making things better, and it actually makes things worse. I'm more interested to see how this plays out in reality -- whether this actually decreases congestion around the horseshoe, and whether this will make taking an Uber a "more efficient and easy" experience... or whether this "improvement" will make landing at LAX even more miserable than it already is.

I do give credit to the city for not succumbing to the taxi mafia. No reason to treat taxis any different from Uber/Lyft. So maybe they actually do want to make things better.

Starts tomorrow, Tuesday 10/29, at 3:00 a.m.

This article includes a map and a little Q&A.

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...ickup-terminal