PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Dozens of taxis surrounded Philadelphia City Hall Monday as drivers protested a new policy at Philadelphia International Airport that they say favors ride-hailing vehicles.
Taxi drivers already carry the burden of vehicle costs, gas prices, regulations and fees. Now, a new waiting zone at the airport will eliminate their visibility and thus reduce their business, according to driver Frank Justice.
“They want to push us out of the airport,” he said. “They’re suffocating us. They’re killing us.”
Drivers say the new pickup zone is farther away from airport doors. Adding insult to injury, they say, ride-hailing cars — which have already decimated their business — will now get plum space that taxis are being pushed out of.
“Anybody with any sense that’s truthful to themselves know that Uber and Lyft operate a taxi service, yet they don’t abide by the same rules,” added Justice.
Related
The drivers sued to stop the new rules but withdrew the suit last month for unclear reasons. In a statement, Philadelphia International Airport said the rules are solely for the safety of passengers who, until now, have had to cross the road to get to a ride-hailing vehicle.
An airport spokesperson said this shouldn’t impact taxi service, and taxis will still be dispatched as travelers request them.
Driver Mohsin Mahmud still feels threatened. He said ride-hailing cars have been given access to the few remaining taxi zones at the airport.
“They’re going to kill our business,” he said. “They want to get rid of, completely from the airport, the taxi cab.”
Related
