LAX To Increase Size Of Uber, Lyft, Taxi Pickup Lot Amid Long Wait Times And Angry Passengers
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Amid angry passengers and disgruntled drivers, Los Angeles International Airport officials announced Monday the LAX-it remote pickup lot for taxis and rideshare services will expand by 50% beginning Wednesday morning.
The proposed expansions would move Lyft pickups to the new lot, while Uber and taxis would remain in place.
A statement from Los Angeles World Airports said in part, "Beginning Wednesday morning, Lyft's operations will move entirely to this new LAX-it expansion lot while Uber will add the former Lyft space to its current operating space...Taxis will also receive additional space for passenger and car queuing."
The LAX-it lot opened last Tuesday to mixed reviews with some people reporting long wait times and higher-than-average surge prices.
Airport officials implemented the new pick-up system to move taxi, Uber, and Lyft pickups out of the airport's Central Terminal Area to relieve congestion during construction projects.
Some riders told reporters CBSLA they waited over an hour to get their ride through the new system, citing long lines and vehicles trying to enter the lot.
Taxi drivers have also complained about the long waits simply to enter the area.
Airport officials said they were working to improve the system by tweaking traffic patterns in the terminal area, adding traffic-control officers, posting more employees, and adding more shuttle buses.
The announcement about the expansion comes a day before LAWA officials are expected to testify before the Los Angeles City Council's Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee about the lot's operation and efforts to improve wait times.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
