trevorhayden
Active Member
Just the logical consequence of the gig economy for taxis.
The foolishness came about because of the foolish behaviour of ride share drivers. They were taking up spaces in the paid parking zone restricting others from parking. You abuse it you lose it.According to this Reddit thread https://www.reddit.com/r/Edmonton/s/XTmICL9yLa the pickup point for Ubers has now been mandated to the pickup road on the other side of the parking garage. I have been really frustrated with this change at YEG pushing this distant arrivals pickup area which is a bad look for folks arriving in our city and I don’t know of any airports that push such a distant walk (including up and down ramps/stairs). I really hope they’ll reconsider this foolish approach.
Unfortunately though in the meantime they’ve created an awful experience for others now with this decision. Agree with all sentiments that the far pickup is bush league and just shouldn’t be used,The foolishness came about because of the foolish behaviour of ride share drivers. They were taking up spaces in the paid parking zone restricting others from parking. You abuse it you lose it.
Rideshares in Mexico City allowed to "pick up" at any door - and there are many ride-share companies. Most apps address this by a welcome to MEX maps showing you where you are and highlight all the doors but give you a quit path to the nearest door. You select it and it arrives curbside. Taxi ranks have their lines at several points if you want that service. I agree YEG is backward pandering to taxi companies and not serving the public well. If EIA is privatized that will change to meet demand that the current admin at EIA are failing to do. I hope it is privatized.Well from personal experience the idea of having Uber pick up on the far side of the parkade is the most hick town, stupid idea they have had so far. Uber's can wait down the road but pick up should be as close to the terminal as possible.
I arrived back in town from my trip to the Philippines on the evening of March 13. I had heard of this plan due to this forum but had to see it to believe it. By the time I got out of the terminal it was about 1am but yet Uber still had the far location as a pick up point. Now if at least the pathway and location were closed off from the cold and the wind then maybe I wouldn't have as much issue, but no everything was open to the elements as if we are living in a trpical country. So me, my 86 year old mother and my two daughters had to make the long trek to the pick up point. Now again it wasn't the distance, I walked much further in the Hong Kong or Taipei airports, it was the fact that there is no regards to any passengers for how cold it may be outside. I timed it pretty good to arrive within a minute of the Uber arrival, but traveller unfamiliar with the airport layout could be left waiting in the freezing cold a whole lot longer.
On a side note, what I find funny in the stupid way. I witnessed ride shares at LAX (Los Angeles) MNL (Manila's Aquino Airport), CEB (Cebu International) HKG (Hong Kong International) and NAR (Narita International, Tokyo) all have their ride shares pick up as close to the terminal as possible. I guess Edmonton International thinks they know better than all of those much busier airports.
EIA is a self-funded private entity that leases land from the federal government. If you mean for-profit, then that's a different thing.Rideshares in Mexico City allowed to "pick up" at any door - and there are many ride-share companies. Most apps address this by a welcome to MEX maps showing you where you are and highlight all the doors but give you a quit path to the nearest door. You select it and it arrives curbside. Taxi ranks have their lines at several points if you want that service. I agree YEG is backward pandering to taxi companies and not serving the public well. If EIA is privatized that will change to meet demand that the current admin at EIA are failing to do. I hope it is privatized.
ChatGTP: (and yes I mean privately owned not publicly owner or publicly operated.EIA is a self-funded private entity that leases land from the federal government. If you mean for-profit, then that's a different thing.




