I’ve never much cared for the world Angeleno, but I am proud to call Los Angeles home. I’m also a traveler who, on average, visits Los Angeles International Airport once per week and often uses Uber. How does the LAX ride sharing crackdown really effect those who use LAX most?
I’ll just cut to the chase here: I’m going to be driving to LAX a lot more than before.
But before I work my way to that conclusion, let’s review what is going on.
LAX Bans Curbside Ridesharing and Taxis
Effective on October 29, 2019 at 3:00AM:
- All Uber X, Lyft, and other ridesharing pick-ups will no longer be permitted at terminal curbside
- Taxis will also no longer be permitted to pick-up at terminal curbside
- Instead, pick-up will occur in a parking lot adjacent to Terminal 1
- Taxi and rideshare drop-offs will still be permitted on the upper level of the airport
Other Traffic Pattern Changes at LAX
In addition to banning ridesharing, LAX will make other adjustments to the flow of traffic:
- Lower (Arrivals) Level
- Private pick-ups will move to the outer crub from the inner-curb
- Includes Uber Black
- The following busses will operate from the inner-curb:
- Termianl connectors
- Economy lot
- employee shuttles
- FlyAway buses
- Private pick-ups will move to the outer crub from the inner-curb
- Upper (Departures) Level
- Hotel shuttles
- Private parking busses
The Result: I’m Going To Be Driving My Own Car To LAX More Often
I often waver over whether to drive my own car or take Uber or Lyft to the airport. Usually what determines which mode of transport I take depends upon how long I will be gone. For a 1-3 day trip, I’ll drive, because the parking/gas costs will roughly equal the round-trip Uber cost. For longer trips, my assistant will take me to the airport or I’ll take Uber.
I don’t like to drive, but I’d generally rather drive than take an Uber. I know LA streets well and can get to/from the airport much quicker than most drivers. So many (totally idiotic) Uber drivers don’t have transponders for the Metro ExpressLanes, which always saves 15 minutes each way during rush hour traffic. What kind of professional driver would not have one, when there are not even any tolls if there are at least two people in the car? When I order an Uber now, I’ll call the driver immediately. If they don’t have a transponder, I bring mine along or cancel the ride.
Anyway, I love parking in short-term parking ($40/day), walking from terminal into my car, plugging in my phone, and enjoying CarPlay on the way home with my heated seated on and occasionally the autopilot feature engaged if I am using a company car. It just makes for a much more pleasant experience to be in your own car.
Even on longer trips, if I have to take a shuttle off-site, I might as well just park my car in the Parking Spot, enjoy an In-N-Out burger, and again have my own car.
I doubt I’ll splurge very often for Uber Black…that will depend upon how fast the shuttle is from the airport terminals to the ridesharing lot.
CONCLUSION
I’m agnostic, at this point at least, to the change. It will certainly make it more inconvenient when I want to use Uber X, but that is not my only consideration. Traffic is so horrible at LAX and (if we’re just being honest), I’d rather see visitors forced to take a shuttle to Uber to make room for cars for Angelenos. Is that a selfish thing to say?
Long-term (by the 2028 Olympic Games in LA), I do hope that LAX has fast and efficient public transport system in place. I wish I could leave my car at home and take the train to the airport. But not now…no way. It would triple my travel time and require a bus to a train to another bus to another bus. Thanks, but no thanks.
Last question: why not just tax the heck out of those who still wanted to use Uber or taxis? It’s exactly what I proposed for the plastic water bottle issue in SFO. Generally, I think taxes provide a better form of behavioral deterrence than blanket bans. I guess that tax comes in being forced to use Uber Black or another professional driving company for airport pick-ups.
What are your thoughts on the curbside LAX ridesharing and taxi ban?
I like the change. Especially moving private pick-up to outer curb in lower level; there’s just more space on the outer circuit than the inner.
And having to take a shuttle to grab a ride-share service or taxi is only the primer for when the connector is operating in a few years anyway. Eventually ride-share and taxis were going to moved off-site anyway. This is just a few years ahead of time.
I believe the preferred term is Angelenx.
And I’m not sure if that’s a joke or not.
Hope I can still get Postmates to deliver from Randy’s Donuts on a long layover.
Idk. Metro to union station to flyaway is super easy and $13 each way.
Uber drop offs are still allowed.
And Uber curbside pickups were a nightmare before.
The question is whether the airport express or super shuttle private vans can still drop off. These things are about $75 from most of the peripheral city.
Lastly, $40 a day parking makes a lot more sense in tax deductible situations than to those on W2’s. Carryon vs. two suitcases has huge impact on transport options.
> Last question: why not just tax the heck out of those who still wanted to use Uber or taxis?
Sure.
Then let’s put together subsidiaries for the drivers who don’t have enough customers because they use the service less as it’s more expensive.
Then, let’s create another tax, to finance the subsidiaries.
Then, let’s add another layer of taxation to equalize who gets taxed, so that it’s properly distributed because after all, the system might be unfair.
Keep going, and then you have billions and billions of debt, and overly complicated system, and… Wait what were we doing initially? oh right people only wanted to go home. Silly me.
Unecessary parade of horribles. It is a simple supply/demand problem.
Your wish fulfilled–pushing customers to use Uber Black for pickup at desired terminal is essentially the tax you’ve suggested.
@ Matthew — This should make the airport hotels happy. From now on, we won’t even consider staying anywhere other the HR LAX on a long stopover. We used to at least look at the off airport ICs. No more….
Why is LAX the only airport in the world with this problem? I’ve never seen an endless parade of rental car shuttles, hotel shuttles, employee shuttles etc at any other airport in the world.
Why LAX?
Not to mention 8 lanes or personal cars.
Why? Because there is no good train link. Even when the people mover opens you have to take that to the metro. Then change metro lines again to get slot DTLA or change twice to get to hollywood. What a mess.
In Madrid and Barcelona the metro line goes right up into (under) the terminal. You walk through arrivals and take an escalator down to the metro.
Every “solution” lax comes up with sucks.
Why ban taxis and Uber from the terminals?
Why not ban personal cars? They make up the bulk of the traffic
Matthew this is really no big deal. Today, I always walk from T1/2/3/Bradley to Hyatt because it’s overall faster & $5 cheaper. The new Uber pickup spot is the former Park One LAX, so that saves me 5 minutes vs. the Hyatt.
For T4/5/6/7/8, I was already walking to T7 pickup spot, so will instead will just walk across the U and to the new pickup spot.
Should be very efficient at the new pickup spot as I assume Uber will switch to their PDX model where you call the ride and just get into the next available Uber in the queue, showing a code for the driver to enter.
That is my question. Will you have to wait until you are at the remote lot before ordering an Uber? It seems that ordering after landing could be a long time before you catch the shuttle. Can’t imagine an Uber driver willing to wait around for a fare.
Current Uber pickup model at LAX is chaos and deters me from even using it. Last life boat on the Titanic was more civil. The PDX model is great, fair to riders and drivers.
I don’t think your Metro transponder is transferable to other vehicles on a temporary basis…it may “beep” on the Harbor Fwy express lanes, but the priviliges are tied to the registered owner’s VIN/plate #s…
No, I can log into my account and add their license plate number. Takes about 10 seconds.
Well, that’s a nice hack. I will think about it, but I also don’t understand why Uber/Lyft don’t push drivers more to pick up a Metro transponder…I think Costco sells them for $40 with $40 of toll credits preloaded (i.e., arguably, free)
absolutely no need to add the vehicle. the transponder is quite sufficient. do it all the time in Ubers/Lyfts.
Metro Express Lanes…”Customers intending to use FasTrak in multiple vehicles should list all vehicle license plates on their account.”
OC Tollroads…”Hardcase transponders can be moved from vehicle to vehicle as long as the license plate number for each vehicle is listed on your account and the transponder is properly mounted.”
You can get them directly from Metro for the same price and return them for your $40 back if ever necessary.
I’m keeping an open mind on this one.
Hope I never get this “Angelino” as a pick up. Jerks like him expect limo rides for a bus fare. You can take that transponder and….
I have one, but never offer it for some pax. Why would I want to shorten my ride and shorten my fare to make your silly azz happy, while you pay the same regardless? Plan ahead and request early enough for your flight and enjoy the deeply discounted ride. Or take Black. Or, your best suggestion, drive yourself, please…
You are the type of driver I relish giving a one-star rating to. You are selfish and jejune.
Craigstersmith, by your own admission, the passenger pays the same regardless, so by providing better service you are not passing on a discount to him. Am I missing something?
The thing is, Craig, if you don’t think Uber pays you enough for your time, unemployment is 3.5% and I am positive you could find something to help pay your bills. I truly don’t understand people like this.
Maybe he’s trolling, but you would think he would understand that if we are paying a fixed price for a trip, the sooner he drops me off, the sooner he can pick up his next fare…
I will keep an open mind. As others have pointed out, this is “ripping off the band aid” in preparation for the people movers. For folks like me who are married, the best option seems to be to get dropped off by Uber and picked up by a spouse.
What will make this successful is if they can make the terminal shuttle fast. What I mean by that is they must come every 2-3 minutes and be able to take a passenger from Bradley to the Uber/Taxi ranks in about 5 minutes. Maybe giving them exclusive reign over the inner curb will help this.
I do feel sorry for our friends at the Southwest terminal who will have to ride the entire horse shoe to get to the pickup area. Maybe those individuals will walk?
Here’s what I don’t get. Why are airports treating some cars different than other cars? Either there’s too much car traffic or there isn’t. Charge an entry fee per car and apply it to Uber, Lyft, Mom, Uncle Fred, everyone.
Bottom line is that — particularly in America — cities and airports need to coordinate to build better connecting public transit like the rest of the friggin’ first world.