RDU International Airport has reached a formal agreement with ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft that spells out how they can pick up and drop off riders.
The RDU Airport Authority board endorsed the agreement on Thursday.
“Our goal with this agreement is to ensure that all of our passengers can access transportation to and from the airport with ease, so we work continually with service providers to ensure we have safe, reliable transportation options and that passenger loading and unloading areas operate as seamlessly as possible,” said Michael Landguth, CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, in a statement.
Access by ride-sharing services has been a contentious issue between the airport and the companies for months.
Uber and Lyft drivers must still drop off and pick up passengers in what the Authority describes as “pre-arranged services” zones.
The zones are available in front of both RDU terminals at designated commercial curbs.
The agreement also means that “individual drivers are no longer required to register individually with the Airport Authority,” RDU said.
However, drivers must display a a 7×7-inch company identification sticker on the passenger side of the front windshield.
Also, the “staging lot” for Ubert and Lyft drivers is less than 5 minutes from the commercial zones, the Authority said.
Uber hailed the agreement.
“We are thrilled to add Raleigh–Durham International to the growing list of airports that have embraced innovation and greater consumer choice through the Uber app,” said Uber North Carolina General Manager Arthi Mehrotra. “We very much appreciate the hard work and dedication of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority in reaching this agreement.”
The agreement follows the passage of a North Carolina law in September that regulates how ride-sharing services may operate in the state. RDU noted that the law also “authorizes airport authorities to regulate the way these ride-sharing companies operate on airport property.”
RDU does charge the ride-sharing companies a $1 fee for every vehicle with five or fewer passengers or $1.50 for vehicles than can carry six to 11 passengers.
