Rideshare passengers will soon have to pay a couple more dollars for trips to or from Logan Airport.
Massachusetts Port Authority board members voted unanimously Thursday morning on a series of fee hikes affecting apps like Uber and Lyft, as well as limos, taxis and parking for passengers and employees.
Starting in July, the per-trip fee for ride-hailing apps will rise from $3.25 to $5.50.
The move marks a win for Uber and Lyft, who were opposed to initial plans that called for an eventual per-trip charge of $7.50 or more. The final number was announced as part of a deal with the ride-hailing companies on Wednesday ahead of the vote. Under the agreement, Uber and Lyft will make efforts to increase shared rides with more than one passenger and develop new HOV services.
Fees for taxis are similarly set to rise from $2.25 to $5.50 by 2028, and rates for limos will go up from $3.25 to $7.50. Massport also plans to hike parking rates for travelers and Logan employees in the coming years.
The rate hikes are intended to fund infrastructure upgrades to ease traffic at the airport and in surrounding communities. According to Massport officials, expected bumps in the number of people traveling out of Logan, combined with a spike in demand for ride-hailing apps, is set to make congestion even worse in the coming years.
“Nobody on this board wants to raise fees,” said board member John Nucci. “But to do nothing right now could be a disaster waiting to happen. I know firsthand living in East Boston what it’s like. And the same thing is true for people in other surrounding communities.”
Uber and Lyft drivers were critical of the vote, alleging that they were left out of negotiations between the airport and ride-hailing companies.
“It’s unfair,” said Celtus Awah, a driver for both Uber and Lyft. “It seems like everyone but us is making millions in profits, fees and taxes off of our work.”
Awah and other drivers expressed concern that the higher fees will turn off riders and hurt business.
