BOSTON (WHDH) - Massachusetts Port Authority officials are proposing a new plan aimed at alleviating the traffic congestion around Logan Airport by creating a designated pick-up and drop-off area for Uber and Lyft customers.
The area in the Central Garage would include check-in kiosks and baggage checks but would be a five-minute walk away from the terminals. The airport would lose a thousand parking spaces in the garage.
But Massport says the loss would be well worth it because Uber and Lyft rides to the airport are up 30 percent in the last year.
“We need to move more people in less vehicles. our goal is to reduce congestion to benefit all passengers, and we can do that and still provide great customer service,” Massport’s Acting CEO John Pranckevicius said.
The plan would also hike the fees for rideshare pick-ups from $3.25 to $5 while also setting up a new $5 fee for drop-offs.
But rideshare companies are pushing back, saying the plan unfairly targets them as it does not apply to taxis.
Uber officials say they offered Massport a counter-proposal that would raise revenues and cut down on congestion all without forcing customers to be picked up and dropped off in a distant parking lot.
Lyft also weighed in on the proposal, saying, “Not only does this mean that Logan would be the only airport that does not allow for curbside drop-offs, but this change would further inconvenience travelers at the airport.”
Passengers had mixed reactions on Monday.
Many say they will still use their preferred rideshare service as long as they know where to go.
“As long as it is well marked, I would rather not walk after walking through the airport and getting the luggage and everything,” one passenger said.
Others say this change should have been made a long time ago.
Massport board members are expected to vote on the proposal on April 25.
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