Ubering to Logan Airport Might Get More Expensive and Less Convenient
Massport proposed some big changes to reduce traffic.
Photo via iStock/SPO123
Your Uber home from the airport could be getting more expensive and less convenient, thanks to a new Massport proposal.
The plan, meant to alleviate traffic congestion in pickup and drop-off areas at Logan Airport, was rolled out Thursday. The Massachusetts Port Authority is targeting empty vehicles coming to and from the airport without riders, and what better place to start than with ridesharing, which sends hundreds of cars on one-way trips to the airport every day.
Uber & Lyft rides to Logan Airport could change soon. @Massport unveiled a new plan to mitigate traffic at the airport, including moving paid rides from dropping off at the terminal, to dropping off in the garages.
— WBZ NewsRadio (@wbznewsradio) March 22, 2019
Now, the passenger fee for catching an app ride from Logan is $3.25. The proposal would raise the fee to $5 per pickup or $2.50 if the ride is shared, in an effort to encourage travelers to split a ride. Riders getting dropped off at departures would also pay the fee.
Massport also proposed moving both drop-off and pickup locations from terminal curbs to the central parking garage. There would be two designated areas, one for terminals A and E and the other for B and C.
Say goodbye to hopping out of your Lyft right outside bag drop—soon you may be lugging that luggage a sizable distance before even getting inside.
Moving pickups/dropoffs for Uber/Lyft to Central Parking garage at Logan. It’s a proposal by Massport. I can see it reducing congestion. BUT I can also see it being confusing for visitors just arriving <ahem, like my parents> @KThompson_WCVB has more on the Eye #wcvb pic.twitter.com/8WTkhAqCya
— antoinette antonio (@antoinetteA) March 22, 2019
Boston has recently been outed for its nation-leading chronic traffic problems, and it turns out that the East Boston hub is no exception. Officials hope these moves will alleviate traffic during peak hours at Logan, since ridesharing cars account for about 40 percent of vehicles at the airport during these times, according to Massport.
These measures aren’t meant to make Uber and Lyft a little extra cash from rider fees or to make drivers’ jobs easier by moving their destinations to somewhere slightly less hectic. They aim to discourage traveling Bostonians from using ride-sharing apps at the airport, hopefully directing people instead towards options like good old public transit and expanded Logan Express bus service.
