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Board approves Uber and Lyft MOUs at Bakersfield airport, increases per‑trip fees
Summary
Supervisors approved separate memoranda of understanding allowing Uber and Lyft to operate ride‑share pickups and drop‑offs at William M. Thomas Terminal; the county raised per‑passenger pickup and drop‑off fees to $3 each.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on June 17 to authorize memoranda of understanding with Uber Technologies and Lyft to permit ride‑share pickups and drop‑offs at the William M. Thomas Terminal.
Michael Muska, interim airport director, told supervisors the new agreements raise per‑passenger fees from the prior $2 pickup fee to $3 per pickup and $3 per drop‑off, and that Lyft’s annual revenue to the airport had previously been roughly $23,000 — a small fraction of the airport’s approximately $1.3 million annual parking revenue. Muska said the new arrangements will increase revenue and meet passenger demand for ride‑share services.
Why it matters: The airport’s updated pricing reflects ride‑share usage patterns and is intended to increase convenience for travelers while boosting modest airport revenue. Muska said passengers and the public had asked for ride‑share options and that the agreements respond to that consumer demand.
Board action: The board considered items 9 and 10 jointly and voted separately to approve the Uber and Lyft MOUs. Staff said each MOU will return to appropriate operational steps with the airport for implementation.
Ending: Supervisors expressed support for the airport staff’s work to modernize passenger options and noted the changes were in line with other airports adopting ride‑share pickup and drop‑off management.
