Starting next week, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will ban taxis and rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft from picking up passengers near the curbside of terminals. Starting on Oct. 29, travelers will need to take a shuttle or walk to a parking lot next to Terminal 1 in order to book their taxi or rideshare rides. The decision was made in response to worsening congestion at the airport. The airport is currently in the middle of a $14-billion overhaul of its aging road network and terminals. Kristi Nichols, an engineer who travels frequently for work and to visit family, told the Los Angeles Times the following during an interview earlier this month,
It doesn’t sound great. I think it’ll be a lot less convenient, and it will probably take a lot longer to get home.
According to LAX officials, passenger volume has increased from 63.7 million in 2012 to 87.5 million in 2018. In recent months, the construction at LAX has required some lanes to be closed, which has made congestion even worse. The airport plans to reconfigure its lower level to give shuttle buses unimpeded access around the central terminal loop. Officials believe the trip to the new pickup location should take no longer than 15 minutes. Other pick up services such as SuperShuttle will continue its curbside pickup. Hopefully the designated pick up area plan does help with congestion at the airport.
