Taxi drivers at Philadelphia International Airport are being kicked out of their taxi pickup spot at the airport, replaced by a rideshare zone, writes Lizzy McLellan Ravitch for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania is suing the city to stop the zone change.

The proposal would move taxi pickups from Zone 5 just outside the baggage claim in Terminal A, to Zone 7, requiring travelers to cross the street bordering the terminal.

The move makes taxis less visible which is necessary for their livelihood since Uber and Lyft can use apps to connect with customers.

 “If we leave Zone 5 and go anywhere else at the airport, [we’ll be] out of sight, out of mind,” said Abdul Manan, a driver for seven years.

Rideshare and the COVID-19 pandemic have already wreaked havoc on traditional taxis. 

Before the pandemic hit, there were about 1,350 cabs in service. As of November 2022, there were 564.

 “This may be the nail in the coffin” for taxis,” Eli Gabay, the lawyer representing the alliance, said in an interview. “The airport is an aspect of keeping that industry alive.”

Read more about drivers losing their taxi pickup spot at the Philadelphia International Airport in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

A rideshare driver shows how to pick up passengers at Philadelphia International Airport.