Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing services that are just like taxis but without all that pesky regulation are cleared for pick-ups at LAX, making Los Angeles the biggest city in the nation to allow them at its airport. The Los Angeles City Council today failed to overturn a previous decision by the Board of Airport Commissioners to grant pick-up permits to the companies, despite arguments that they lack the fairness and safety requirements of standard taxis. Still, they did vote to ask the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates the services, to require fingerprinting as part of their background checks for drivers (and to look into making a city requirement, failing that), reports the LA Times. (Last week, district attorneys in LA and San Francisco revealed they've found 25 Uber drivers in California who have "serious criminal records, including murder, assault and driving under the influence.") Now all that's left is for Uber and Lyft to finalize their contracts with the city; Mayor Eric Garcetti, who pushed the measure, hopes they'll be up and running to LAX in a few weeks.
· Los Angeles lawmakers approve plan to allow Uber, Lyft pickups at LAX [LAT]
· Uber and Lyft Will be Allowed to Pick Up Travelers at LAX [Curbed LA]
· Powerful LA City Council Wants to Halt Plan to Let Uber and Lyft Make Pick-Ups at LAX [Curbed LA]
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