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LAX Is Working On Allowing Uber And Lyft To Pick You Up
Arrivals at LAX (Photo by ckramer via the Creative Commons on Flickr)
The days of Uber and Lyft being banned from LAX may be coming to an end, as Mayor Eric Garcetti has asked the airport commission to come up with new rules to allow the ridesharing services to pick you up.As wonderful as that sounds for users of the services, opposition is naturally coming from the taxi industry, who has seen their business suffer since the arrival of Uber and Lyft in Los Angeles. LAX is the only spot left in town for taxis where they don't have to compete with ridesharing services. That would be wiped away if the airport goes through with the plans to create a "level playing field," as requested by Mayor Garcetti according to LA Weekly.
Part of that plan would be to modify or possibly eliminate the 5-day rotation system that limits the amount of cabs allowed at LAX on any given day, otherwise Uber and Lyft drivers would outnumber the number of taxis at the airport. However, cab drivers like the rule because it keeps fares up. "Don't be messing with something that's not broken," a spokesman for L.A. Yellow Cab told the Weekly. In order to keep traffic on the arrivals loop road from become even more nightmarish than it already is, LAX may implement a "geofencing" fencing system that would cap the number of ridesharing cars allowed in at a time.
Aside from imposing a $4 fee on each fare, though, there are no plans from the airport to otherwise make Uber or Lyft drivers abide by the same regulations such as background checks or fare regulations. This has always been a point of contention from the taxi industry.
When the new rules would be put into place is still up in the air. Garcetti ordered a draft by the end of last year, and they are still working on it.
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