Get A Lift From Lyft At Salt Lake Airport

Photo: Gephardt Daily/ Kurt Walter

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – September 10, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – Ride-hailing company Lyft will start operating from Salt Lake International Airport this week.

Officials detailed how passengers will be able to request a Lyft ride upon landing, retrieve their bags, then be picked up immediately at the curb.

The addition of Lyft is part of a $1.8-billion overhaul at the airport.

Mayor Ralph Becker, Salt Lake City International Airport Director Maureen Riley and representatives from transportation network company Lyft announced the changes to the City’s airport ground transportation options at the airport Thursday morning.

Following City Council actions late last year, much has changed in the realm of ground transportation options for residents of Salt Lake City and particularly for visitors and residents seeking transport to/from the airport. Salt Lake City, like cities across the country, has also experienced the advent of new, share economy transportation companies like Lyft and Uber, which have challenged the effectiveness of previous regulatory models.

Under the direction of Mayor Becker, Salt Lake City has implemented a one-year pilot program to permit new, online-enabled companies to operate at the airport the same as other ground transportation providers, in response to the changes in the industry and the varied ground transportation needs of residents and visitors.

Mayor Becker said: “The two areas that have been advancing most rapidly of late are in transportation and communications. We have begun an expansive airport project to make sure our city is keeping up with the demands of a new world.

“I remember when Lyft and it’s primary competitor began to show up in Salt Lake City and people were saying ‘What do we do? This is not part of our regulatory system we have for ground transportation.’ We conferred quickly and our direction was, we need to figure out how to accommodate it. So by updating our ground local transportation regulations to create a level playing field for all of our providers, we not only supply the options that our residents and visitors want to engage, but we also continue to cultivate a community that embraces innovative thinking and new ways of doing business.”

Riley, the airport director whom Becker called the mastermind behind the airport renovation, said: “Change is all around us at the airport as we are poised to enter into this $1.8 billion redevelopment program. Very soon we’ll be in full construction mode, but today we are here to welcome Lyft to our family of ground transportation providers at the airport.

“Lyft will be commencing operations this week and other transportation network companies are also welcome at the airport. Drivers are required to complete special airport training which includes background checks, meeting insurance requirements and some other regulatory requirements.

“Our goal is to provide the best customer service for all of our passengers and other airport users too.”

 

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