Lyft becomes first ride-hailing company to operate legally at McCarran
Lyft became the first ride-hailing company to begin operating legally at McCarran International Airport on Monday.
The San Francisco-based transportation network company, best known for its pink mustache logo, worked through all the technology, insurance and legal logistics in less than a week to begin providing rides to and from the Las Vegas airport.
Lyft is giving customers $5 off two separate rides either to or from the airport through April 20 to mark the kickoff of the service, made possible last week when the Clark County Commission voted unanimously to immediately issue temporary business licenses to companies operating within the county.
Commissioners are expected to enact permanent licensing provisions in an ordinance expected to be considered in November.
Customers wanting the $5 discount must use the code FLYLAS when hailing the ride.
McCarran officials have placed some temporary signage at the airport and have information staff available to help guide Lyft customers to designated pickup locations in the parking garage.
Lyft customers arriving at the airport have the option of being dropped off at the departures curb nearest airline ticket counters or at the passenger pickup location on Level 1.
Customers will meet their drivers once a hail has been requested and confirmed at a designated pickup zone on the north end of the parking garage on Level 2M.
"We're proud to be the first ridesharing partner of McCarran International Airport," said Lyft spokeswoman Chelsea Wilson. "Lyft's launch in Vegas was one of our biggest yet and collaborating with key stakeholders like LAS is an important part of continuing to grow the Lyft Las Vegas community."
Uber, the larger of two ride-hailing companies operating in Nevada, is in talks with McCarran officials and is expected to issue a statement on the status of its airport operations later Monday.
"Uber is dedicated to serving riders and drivers at McCarran and to continuing a thorough process with airport officials," said Jason Radisson, general manager of Uber Nevada.
"Our priority is to reach a resolution that ensures rider and driver safety along with the best user experience, as quickly as possible," he said.
One of the final hurdles Lyft had to clear was to coordinate with McCarran's "geofence" technology that senses when a Lyft vehicle enters airport property, either at Terminal 1, Terminal 3 or the McCarran Rent-A-Car facility south of the airport.
Transportation network companies are assessed a $2.45 fee every time they drop off or pick up a passenger at McCarran. Taxi companies are only assessed when they pick up a passenger.
The reason ride-hailing companies are charged twice is that there is additional property use, signage, upkeep and maintenance required of those companies. The companies could have been assessed one larger fee, but for accounting purposes, both requested just being charged a smaller fee twice.
Contact reporter Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find @RickVelotta on Twitter.
McCarran International Airport passengers wanting to hail a Lyft ride will be able to find their drivers at parking garages adjacent to Terminals 1 and 3.
Lyft and McCarran officials recommended:
-- Hail a ride after picking up suitcases at the baggage claim carousels.
-- At Terminal 1, take the elevator to Level 2. Exit to the bridge to the parking garage elevators. Take the elevator up to Level 2M.
-- The Lyft pickup spot is on the north end (the Strip side) of the parking garage on Level 2M.
-- An alternative route: Exit the terminal at baggage claim (Level 1) and walk across the bridge to the parking garage elevators and go up to Level 2M. Taking that route forces you to cross two streets of vehicle traffic, the taxi lane adjacent to the building and the passenger pickup lane at the parking garage.
-- At Terminal 3, after claiming baggage, take the elevator to Level 1 to cross the bridge to parking garage and then up to Level 2 in the parking garage elevator. The Lyft pickup zone is on the west side of the garage (to the left, closest to Terminal 1).
-- Lyft customers will be directed to a numbered parking slot, but customers also will have the photo of the driver and a description of the vehicle.
-- Lyft recommends that customers who can’t find their rides call the driver directly on the phone number provided when the hail is accepted.
-- McCarran has temporary signage and help personnel to guide customers to the Lyft area. Airport and Lyft officials say the operation is a work in progress with more signage and better wayfinding planned in the weeks ahead.
