Thank heavens, you can finally take Uber and Lyft home from the airport! *wink*
Sure people already did it, but starting last Sunday Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport finally made using ride-sharing services legal to use for customers. The downside of that new regulation is the $3.85 ‘airport fee’ which includes the same $1.50 surcharge added to taxi bills as well as an additional $2.35 which will go to the airport itself in order to cover the maintenance, security, and other costs related to allowing the additional vehicles to swarm Hartsfield’s already-crowded roads.
Even with the added fees, prices are still much lower than what you’d expect when hailing a cab.
The Atlanta City Council voted last Fall to allow ride-sharing services to begin picking up customers from the airport. Already the city’s number one destination for drop-offs, drivers would have to pick up passengers clandestinely to avoid heavy fines from police. Despite the expected outcry from a taxi lobby that has been losing ground in this war faster than the French in World War II, ride sharing services and the city quickly came to an agreement that worked for both parties.
Per the agreement drivers will wait in a new specially designed lot before picking up passengers at designated curbs at both the domestic and international terminals. A new feature on the Uber and Lyft apps will help direct customers to the specific areas where pick-ups are legal.
Ride sharing companies did battle with their pro-taxi rivals last year during the legislative session, resulting in the passage of House Bill 225 which forced drivers to undergo more rigorous background checks and be properly insured before driving. That bill was seen as a win for Uber and Lyft, leaving the taxi lobby and their expensive medallions seething.
This move at the airport may be the death knell for Atlanta’s taxi companies, as the former cash cow that was a flat $30 fee to get downtown has now been usurped by an average ride cost of $15 on Uber. Half the cost for a cleaner car, easier payment, and (typically) friendlier driver? Looks like another bad year in Atlanta for big taxi.
