Airport Ground Transportation Association Airport Taxi Regulatory Models Ray A. Mundy, Ph.D. Executive Director, AGTA University of Missouri – St. Louis IATR Conference September 20 th, 2010 – Chicago, Illinois

Agenda Introduction The Early Years Alternative Airport Taxi Dispatch Models Open Airport Limited Entry LAX Taxi Dispatch & Curb Mgt. Single Taxi Concessionaire Driver Representative Issues Summary

The Early Years  1950’s Single Taxi Co. operating rights to airport Single Taxi Co. operating rights to airport Taxi Co.’s often guarantee passengers Taxi Co.’s often guarantee passengers  1960’s – 1990’s Deregulation of taxi companies Deregulation of taxi companies Independent Contractors Independent Contractors New entries – non dispatched New entries – non dispatched Asset Light taxi companies Asset Light taxi companies Oversupply at airports Oversupply at airports

The Intervening Years 1990’s – ’s – 2000 Airport becomes “regulator”Airport becomes “regulator” Permitting, Inspections, Rules Permitting, Inspections, Rules Construction of facilities (club houses) Construction of facilities (club houses) Continuously poor services Continuously poor services Advent of “Minimum Fare” Advent of “Minimum Fare” Airport Administration “frustration)Airport Administration “frustration)

Alternative Airport Taxi Dispatch Models  Open Airport Every city permitted taxi Every city permitted taxi Waits of 2,3 or more hours Waits of 2,3 or more hours Drivers demand better conditions Drivers demand better conditions Miami & DFW International Airport Examples Miami & DFW International Airport Examples

Miami International Airport

DFW Open Taxi System

Airport Gate Fees  Difficult to compare Fees range from 50 cents to $5 Fees range from 50 cents to $5 It’s not the gross – it’s the net It’s not the gross – it’s the net Open airports extremely costly to manage Open airports extremely costly to manage Miami’s Ground Trans. Staff = > 150Miami’s Ground Trans. Staff = > 150 DFW’s ground personnel = 80DFW’s ground personnel = 80 Most open airports lose $ on taxisMost open airports lose $ on taxis

Service Complaints Airport Taxi Service: Why so poor? Airport Taxi Service: Why so poor? Lack of taxis at peak or holiday times Lack of taxis at peak or holiday times Taking the “long way” to downtown Taking the “long way” to downtown Excessive baggage & other charges Excessive baggage & other charges Arguments with curb side dispatchers Arguments with curb side dispatchers Dirty cars Dirty cars Older, polluting fleets Older, polluting fleets Rainbow collation of vehicle types/colors Rainbow collation of vehicle types/colors Harsh reality of why it is this way Harsh reality of why it is this way “ Because you designed it that way”!!!!“ Because you designed it that way”!!!! Movement away from open systems Movement away from open systems

Shared Entry  On demand taxis only Not an exclusive for all taxi services Not an exclusive for all taxi services Prearranged always have access Prearranged always have access As a rule….As a rule…. Examples: Examples: John Wayne AirportJohn Wayne Airport Tampa Int’l AirportTampa Int’l Airport Sea-Tac Intl’ AirportSea-Tac Intl’ Airport Dulles Int’l AirportDulles Int’l Airport

Limited Access  LAX Example: All city taxis participate All city taxis participate Taxis are permitted only 1 day in 5 Taxis are permitted only 1 day in 5 One of the busiest airports for taxis One of the busiest airports for taxis Often 6 to 7,000 taxi trips per dayOften 6 to 7,000 taxi trips per day A model process for large open entry airports A model process for large open entry airports

LAX Taxi Dispatch Taxis experience a 20 minute wait time in holding lot!

LAX Taxi Dispatch Driver has trip record, Copy is provided to passenger Taxi dispatch company Provides curb assistance For smooth passenger service

LAX Taxi Dispatch

Two Single Taxi Concessionaire Examples  RDU Airport  South West Florida International Airport

RDU Int’l Airport 17 different cab companies providing service at a cost to RDU of > $500,000 per year To a single concessionaire company which now pays 5% of revenue & assumes all dispatch costs

RDU Airport Taxis

Vehicles  Non-domed  Luxury sedan or van-style service  Average age of no greater than 4 years

Passenger With Disabilities at Airports  Stalemate between ground transportation industry and those with disabilities Operators consider the cost to be prohibitive Operators consider the cost to be prohibitive Disabled would like access like any other Disabled would like access like any other  Issue over approved ADA wheelchair accessible vehicles or nothing  Solutions may lead to combination of ADA and non ADA approved mechanisms  AGTA is considering “Mobility Seats”

Van Type Mobility Seat

Sedan Type Mobility Seat

Summary Changing taxi company configurations Changing taxi company configurations Deregulation/fragmentation of taxi companiesDeregulation/fragmentation of taxi companies Use of independent contractorsUse of independent contractors Use of owner – operatorUse of owner – operator Asset light taxi companiesAsset light taxi companies Has created vastly oversupplied airport taxi markets Has created vastly oversupplied airport taxi markets Which, in turn, has created airport taxi regulations Which, in turn, has created airport taxi regulations Airports moving to: Airports moving to: Limited accessLimited access Exclusive concessionairesExclusive concessionaires Politically difficult but: Politically difficult but: Driven by service concernsDriven by service concerns Driven by financial situationDriven by financial situation Just plain tired of hearing all the complaintsJust plain tired of hearing all the complaints Solutions for disabled users may be a combination of ADA approved wheelchair vehicles and wide-spread use of “Mobility Seats”. Solutions for disabled users may be a combination of ADA approved wheelchair vehicles and wide-spread use of “Mobility Seats”.