Commercial Ground Transportation at Airports: Best Practices (2015)

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17 Expectations of Customers, Airport Management, Providers, and Other Stakeholders This chapter describes the expectations of those using, pro- viding, and regulating commercial ground transportation, as well as those of other stakeholders. In general each of these groups desires to enhance the experience of the airport cus- tomer by (1) providing safe, secure, and efficient commercial ground transportation, (2) ensuring the use of well-maintained and properly licensed vehicles, and (3) affording customers a choice of ground transportation services available at a range of costs and levels of convenience. However, these groups have differing expectations and priorities. The following paragraphs describe the typical expectations of each group. Expectations of the Customers The airport customers include airline passengers, airport visitors, and employees working at the airport, all of whom are potential customers for commercial ground transportation. These customers may take transportation safety and security for granted, but they are keenly aware of the convenience and costs of the services available. With respect to commercial ground transportation, convenience implies: Conveniently located boarding and alighting areas. Customers expect that they will be dropped off and picked up within a short walk and on the same level as their ticket counters/baggage claim areas. Passengers at a large hub airport expect to have to walk further and encounter more level changes than do those at a small or non-hub airport. Clear signage. Customers expect to be provided clear signs guiding them from their aircraft gate to the point where they board their selected commercial ground transportation service. They expect to find information listing the hotel/motels provid- ing courtesy service, the fares and destinations served by sched- uled services, and examples of taxicab fares. Minimum waiting time. Regardless of the hour of the day, the weather conditions, or ongoing events/conferences, deplaning passengers expect to find taxicabs waiting at the curbside. Passengers using scheduled service expect the vehi- cle to be on time and to exit the airport immediately after they board it. Customers who regularly travel through large airports expect the same level of convenience at small airports, despite the potential inability of the ground transportation providers at smaller airports to financially support equivalent service levels. Choice of transportation options. Airline passengers prefer to have a range of commercial ground transportation service options available and be able to easily find accurate information about the fares, schedules, and destinations served by each of these transportation service options. Weather protection. Waiting customers, especially those waiting for scheduled ground transportation services and courtesy vehicles, desire weather protection and a tempera- ture controlled environment, preferably in an enclosure hav- ing seating and providing a view of the boarding area and waiting vehicles. Clean, modern vehicles. Customers expect that their vehicle will be clean (i.e., free of ripped or stained seats, debris on the floor or in the baggage storage area). They expect the vehicle to be free of odors or fumes. They expect to find tech- nologies for accepting credit cards in a secure manner and for providing the driver with directions to their destination if they are unfamiliar with the area. When boarding buses, passengers prefer low-floor vehicles with wide doors. Well-trained drivers. Customers expect their drivers to present a professional appearance, be able to clearly commu- nicate with their customers, and be familiar with the local street network and the communities surrounding the airport. They expect the driver to charge them the correct fare and to provide a receipt if requested. C H A P T E R 3

18 Reasonable prices. Customers expect to find ground transportation options that are reasonably priced for the level of service offered. For example, they expect an individual trip in a taxicab to cost more than a trip in a shared-ride van that makes multiple stops enroute to the passenger’s destination and requires the customer to share the vehicle with strangers. Direct routes. Passengers expect to be transported to their destinations using the most direct route. If sharing a vehicle, customers expect the other passengers to be going to similar geographic locations and for the driver to use the most efficient route to reach all destinations. They expect the driver to make only prescribed stops. Though customers may take safety and security for granted, airport managers seek to deliver safe and secure commer- cial ground transportation by ensuring that only authorized commercial ground transportation businesses pick up airline passengers. Expectations of Airport Management Airport management, including the staff responsible for day-to-day control of commercial ground transportation, expect the providers of commercial ground transportation to operate in a business-like and professional manner includ- ing (1) providing an adequate supply of properly maintained and licensed vehicles, (2) assuring their drivers are properly licensed and have been trained in safe driving, airport regu- lations and operations, and customer service, and (3) timely payment of airport fees and submission of required insurance certificates and other information. They expect these compa- nies to provide fair wages for their employees and opportu- nities for owner/operator subcontractors to earn a fair wage. They also expect these companies to oversee and control the service provided by their employees and representatives, and to take appropriate actions when the expectations of their customers and airport management are not met. At many airports, some commercial ground transportation providers do not operate in a business-like and professional manner. The effort airport management must devote to over- seeing and controlling these few providers is out of proportion to the volume of airline passengers they transport or their con- tributions to the airport. However, airport management recog- nize that this effort must be made, as a customer’s perception of the airport can be damaged by a few poor quality ground transportation providers. Airport management also seek to ensure that all commer- cial ground transportation companies picking up airline pas- sengers agree to obey airport rules and regulations, including using licensed vehicles and drivers, maintaining their vehicles properly, maintaining required insurance, and paying air- port fees. This is because, to the extent that one company or ground transportation service avoids the costs of operating properly, it obtains an unfair advantage over its competi- tors, thus encouraging its competitors to operate in a similar manner (e.g., avoiding the costs of maintaining its vehicles properly or purchasing insurance). For this reason airports seek to prevent the illegal solicitation of airline passengers, particularly by unlicensed drivers. Expectations of Local Elected Officials/Airport Commissions and Board Members The expectations of local elected officials and board mem- bers vary widely region by region, and by size of the airport. However, generally they expect customers of the airport to be offered high quality, convenient, comfortable, safe, and reason- ably priced ground transportation services. Thus many of their expectations are similar to those of the airline passengers. They may be more sensitive to quality of service provided by taxi- cabs and limousines as many of these officials/board members and the persons they encounter on a day-to-day basis are more likely to use these forms of airport transportation services than scheduled buses/vans or shared-ride vans. Local elected officials expect that commercial ground trans- portation providers and drivers be treated professionally with minimal interference, unless these companies and drivers are shown to be providing the airport customers with unaccept- able service or hindering their drivers’ ability to earn a fair wage and receive expected benefits. In particular they are likely to listen to the operator’s concerns about the costs of doing business on the airport and ability to access their customers. For example, board members are likely to be sensitive to the operator’s complaints about airport fees, airport established vehicle standards, or their pickup/drop-off areas. Board mem- bers are also sensitive to complaints from drivers, who may be recent immigrants to the United States. For example, board members are likely to be sensitive to the driver’s or owner/ operator’s complaints about their ability to earn a fair wage, the hours they must work or limitations on the days they may work, or how they are perceived by (their relationships with) airport operations staff and enforcement officers. If elected officials understand the concerns of airport staff and legitimate ground transportation operators with the improper solicita- tion of airline passengers, they are likely to support legislation prohibiting these acts. Expectations of Ground Transportation Service Providers The providers of commercial ground transportation ser- vices at airports expect to be able to earn a fair return on their investment. Many commercial ground transportation

19 cerns about their ability to earn a fair income since their wages are not based on the number of passengers they transport. Their primary concerns are the ability to assist their customers, the amount of curb space available, their ability to maneuver into and out of the allocated curb space, and having access to waiting areas/hold lots. The group of commercial vehicle drivers with the greatest concerns with airport operations are those employee and independent owner/operator drivers working for taxicab and shared-ride van companies, who derive most if not all of their income from their airport trips. Drivers consider themselves to be professionals and expect to be treated as professionals by the airport enforcement officers and the airport staff who interact with them. Drivers expect all ground transportation providers to be treated fairly and express con- cerns when they perceive that other drivers are receiving an advantage (e.g., more lucrative trips) or being favored by air- port staff, dispatchers, or airport enforcement officers. They expect to be able to operate independently, working the hours they prefer with little interference from the company owners or airport staff. In an effort to maximize their income they expect to be able to pass on to passengers any increases in fuel costs, airport fees, or other charges. When waiting in airport hold lots they expect to find clean restrooms and, depending on the length of their wait and the location of the airport, a driver’s lounge. Expectations of Other Stakeholders The operators of local hotel/motel and visitor/conven- tion bureaus expect the airport ground transportation ser- vices to create a positive impression of their communities. Regional transportation and environmental planners expect that airport ground transportation services will be operated and provided in a manner that is consistent with the region’s transportation, environmental, and sustainability goals. providers (and drivers) derive most of their customers and much of their revenues from airports, leading to intense com- petition both among companies offering the same or compa- rable services at similar fares, and among the drivers of these services whose incomes rely upon fares or tips. To increase their market shares and revenues, ground transportation providers compete aggressively for curb space, visibility, direct access to customers, and other factors that provide a competitive advantage. As a result of this competitive attitude, ground transporta- tion service providers expect airport management to provide a “level playing field” and not favor certain companies. They expect airport management to offer all authorized compa- nies the same access to airline passengers as their competitors, whether their competitors are providing the same service or similar service (e.g., shared-ride van companies view not only other van companies but also taxicabs as competitors). They expect to have unimpeded access to the airline passengers, including being able to remain at the curbside for extended periods. They expect the airport to (1) charge them minimal fees (or fees which they believe are justified), (2) provide the curbside pickup areas, ticket counters, vehicle hold lots, and other facilities needed to conduct their business, (3) control illegal or improper solicitation of customers, and (4) not interfere with their business relationships with their owner/ operator drivers or employees (e.g., not regulate lease rates/ gate fees or other charges, or require that they provide health insurance or other benefits). Expectations of Commercial Vehicle Drivers Drivers of commercial ground transportation services expect to be able to earn a fair income. Drivers working for businesses providing courtesy vehicles, scheduled buses/vans, or charter buses who are typically employees have fewer con-