# SeaTac Citation



## Nick Starr (Feb 12, 2015)

I was dropping off an UberX drive at SeaTac Airport today and as I've always done I turn on Lyft the second the PAX is gone. Stroll down departures as slowly as I can with my phone in my lap, and do the lap outside and back around to arrivals. I get a Lyft ping and they are only 2 exit doors away. I stopped and they came over, I helped their luggage into the back and they got in. 

As I was about to pull out an airport official (I don't believe he was a cop) comes over to my window and asks what company I work for. I was hesitant to tell him and he asked if I was picking up at the airport. With the PAX already loaded he let me leave, but wrote down my license (temp b/c the car is only 4 days old) plate and said I'd receive a citation in the mail. 

From what I've seen on here they are upwards of $1,000 and I was lucky they didn't impound my vehicle. I tweeted about it and Lyft told me to contact the Critical Response Line. They took down all the details and said they would be getting back in contact with me soon, and said to contact them ASAP if I get anything in the mail and to document everything. They made mention that they would forward everything to their legal department. I pray they'll pick up the fine if there is one assessed, but I am not picking up from SEA anymore!


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## berserk42 (Apr 24, 2015)

I was talking with a full time uber driver on my way to the airport once (he figured out I was a driver too due to my 3 digit rating). He said the police do not enforce the no uberx/lyft pickups policy. It's literally one non-police inspector. You were unlucky that he spotted you!


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## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

With the dealer plates on the only way you could get anything in the mail is if they got your VIN #. or U gave them ur addy.


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## leroy jenkins (May 27, 2015)

nothing personal, but if it's illegal to do pick-ups at the local airport (dunno about SeaTac), don't pick up anyone.

Holy Buddha, a $20 fare isn't worth getting a ticket or impoundment.

You lucked out cuz you didn't get you're car impounded. don't be surprised if you're SOL with Lyft.


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## Nick Starr (Feb 12, 2015)

*Lyft loophole allows illegal pickups at Seattle airport, puts drivers at risk of citations
BY TAYLOR SOPER on July 14, 2015 at 12:52 pm
http://www.geekwire.com/2015/lyft-l...le-airport-puts-drivers-at-risk-of-citations/

Sea-Tac airport may allow Uber, Lyft and Sidecar to start picking up passengers if new rules are passed, but for now, they're not allowed. (Image via Shutterstock)








Nick Starr
Lyft driver Nick Starr was waiting for a ride request on Monday when he received a notification from a passenger needing a pick-up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Starr made his way to the terminal, found his customer, helped put luggage in the trunk, and began to drive away.

That's when Starr says an airport official stopped his vehicle and asked him if he was working for uberX or Lyft. Starr confirmed he was a Lyft driver. The official took down Starr's license plate number, noting that he was also going to send him a citation.

This situation could change, with Port of Seattle considering new rules. But for now, existing taxi regulations prevent services like Lyft and uberX - Uber's cheaper offering - from making pick-ups at Sea-Tac. Uber created a geo-fence around the airport on its app to prevent uberX passengers from hailing rides there, but Lyft still lets customers call a driver from the terminal.









You can request a Lyft ride from Sea-Tac, even though it's not allowed by the airport.
This creates a problem for drivers like Starr, who said he was "sort of aware that there might be restrictions against picking up at Sea-Tac, but have never read anything official on the matter."

Starr explained that if he does not accept a ride from a passenger - including ones at Sea-Tac - his "acceptance percentage" will drop. That number is included in weekly summaries for Lyft drivers and Starr called it "daunting" because drivers will get kicked off the platform if the percentage is too low.

"I fear picking up anyone from there anymore - so much so that I turn off my Lyft app anytime I'm anywhere near Sea-Tac," Starr said. "If I did get another ping there I'd feel obligated to accept it, otherwise my percentage will go down. But I fear the $1,000 fine and citation as well. It sucks that Lyft is putting drivers in this situation if the law or Sea-Tac policy or whatever says that they aren't allowed there."

Starr, who also drives for Uber, said he contacted Lyft after being stopped by the Sea-Tac official. The company had Starr describe what happened and asked him to email photos of the citation.

"They said to send any information I receive at all about this and to document everything," Starr said. "They mentioned their lawyers dealing with the citation, but didn't say anything concrete."









The uberX option disappears when passengers try to hail a ride from Sea-Tac.
When we contacted Lyft about passengers hailing rides from Sea-Tac last month despite the regulations, the company said "we're working collaboratively with airport staff and are confident we will find a way forward that preserve's Lyft's safe, affordable rides for Sea-Tac visitors."

We followed up with Lyft today on this latest development and will update this post if we hear back.

Services like uberX and Lyft - otherwise known as Transportation Network Companies, or TNCs - are allowed to drop off passengers at Sea-Tac, but due to the airport's exclusive agreement with Seattle Yellow Cab, they cannot do pickups.

However, as we reported in June, officials may soon allow uberX and Lyft to pick up passengers. An exclusive 5-year contract with Yellow Cab expires this October and before taking request-for-proposals on a new contract - either from Yellow Cab or other for-hire transportation companies - the Port wants to see how TNC pick-ups will affect demand and supply.

The Port Commission asked for a 90-day review last month to gather more information from stakeholders for ground transportation at the airport. Five "outreach" meetings are scheduled for July, while the Port of Seattle hired a consulting firm to examine best practices for airport ground transportation.

Originally, officials said a decision could come as soon as this month. But now the process is not expected to be done until September or later.

*


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## Ryle2013 (Jun 10, 2015)

I was just messing around with the Uber pax app. It would let me request an Uber x from seatac. It made me confirm terminal and door number


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## Nick Starr (Feb 12, 2015)

On iOS it shows no cars


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## berserk42 (Apr 24, 2015)

Seems you caught them testing it live?! I see same as Nick Starr in iOS.


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## BlackDog (Sep 5, 2015)

I noticed it was blacked out last week...


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## Renaldow (Jul 17, 2015)

Amsoil Uber Connect said:


> With the dealer plates on the only way you could get anything in the mail is if they got your VIN #. or U gave them ur addy.


I was just going to post this. That temp tag saved you from a citation. The only place that knows your address is a book locked away in the dealer's office. Airport Dude will submit the ticket, the port authority will check it with DMV records, DMV will come back and say that's a temp tag, fools. Stop wasting our time. Port authority will shrug its shoulders and go back to picking at their bald spot.


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## Nick Starr (Feb 12, 2015)

There is a message to PAX that Lyft is not allowed to pickup at the airport, but I just tried and the app still allows for you to request a pickup on Arrivals Drive.


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## Chicago-uber (Jun 18, 2014)

Do not pick up at airports!!! You're at risk of a huge fine and or impoundment. Is it worth the $20 fare? Also you're taking away business from taxis and liveries who pay a lot of money to operate legally at airports.


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## berserk42 (Apr 24, 2015)

Chicago-uber said:


> Do not pick up at airports!!! You're at risk of a huge fine and or impoundment. Is it worth the $20 fare? Also you're taking away business from taxis and liveries who pay a lot of money to operate legally at airports.


Given that all Seattle TNC cars are supposed to have stickers now (barcoded and marking your car as a TNC vehicle, not just the trade dress), it's a big fool's errand now. "For Hire" cars are currently allowed to pickup at airport and apparently one of those is working X for Uber right now. Annnd, the current exclusive taxi pick-up contract is in Seattle Yellow Cab's hands, but that expires shortly. Interesting to see what will happen.


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