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UberX Cancels Pick-Ups From LAX After Crackdown
Arrivals and departures at LAX. (Photo by Nic Adler via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr.)
As the crackdown on ride-sharing services continues at LAX, at least one company is partially putting the skids on picking up riders from the airport.
UberX still will take riders to the airport, but will stop picking up passengers, according to the Daily Breeze. In a statement to L.A. Airspace, Uber claims that they are looking forward to resolving the issue with LAX, but, "this unwarranted action by authorities to punish drivers and riders cannot continue. That's why we're temporarily halting UberX pick ups at LAX effective immediately."
The news comes after LAX police have started to crack down on drivers who are illegally picking up passengers for a fare. UberX doesn't pay a $4 fee per ride like regular taxis, nor do they have a TCP number, which signifies that they meet the California Public Utilities Commission's standards on drug testing and insurance. The situation has gotten pretty heavy in recent months, with over 200 drivers getting citations from LAX cops since December and two getting arrested.
Lyft, Uber's chief competitor, still operates to and from the airport. We reached out for a comment from Lyft on the matter but have yet to receive a response.
Jessica Harris, an UberX rider who spoke to the Daily Breeze, was in the middle of one of these altercations:
"Literally, five minutes after we leave the airport we get pulled over by a police officer," Harris said. "I was a little confused and a little nervous. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, did I do something wrong?' He pulled me out of the car and he explained to me the problem. He said, 'Don't worry you're not in trouble.' He said, 'You can call another car or I can call a cab for you.'"
But fear not, Uber fans: the service will continue to use two other parts of the Uber catalog that have their TCP numbers, Uber Black and Uber SUV, for pick-ups and drop-offs at LAX.
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Related:
LAX Cracks Down On Ride-Sharing
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