Agenda Item No.: 11a_attach2
Meeting Date: December 13, 2022

MOTION 2019-03:
A MOTION OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION
establishing a two-year pilot program for on-demand
taxi/flat-rate for-hire service at Seattle-Tacoma
International Airport.
AMENDED AND ADOPTED
MAY 28, 2019
INTRODUCTION
The Port of Seattle has utilized exclusive agreements to provide on-demand taxi and for-hire
ground transportation services at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for many years. The
current agreement with the exclusive provider expires September 30, 2019. Port staff has
explored new options for service and recommend a pilot program based on the policy
framework of guiding principles for ground transportation services at Sea-Tac. These guiding
principles are to support customer choice; provide social equity; ensure accessibility; and
generate revenue for a sustainable airport, while reducing environmental impact and roadway
congestion.
The recommended approach balances equity issues, existing environmental and congestion
relief goals, and a minimum level of revenue to the port. During the two-year pilot program,
port staff will further study a broad-based program across all surface transportation modes at
the airport.
The Port of Seattle Commission is committed to making Sea-Tac the most accessible airport in
the nation. With continued passenger growth at Sea-Tac, increasing population in the county,
and an aging population, the Port of Seattle must ensure reliable, predictable, and high-quality
wheelchair accessible services at Sea-Tac.
To support this new relationship with the industry, the commission finds that both the port and
the on-demand taxi/flat-rate for-hire owner and operator community will benefit from a
facilitated relationship that highlights driver voices and establishes direct and regular
communication and consultation on operation of the on-demand transportation system. The
input received can help resolve the day-to-day issues that arise and inform the development
and outcomes of the pilot project.

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TEXT OF THE MOTION
The Port Commission hereby directs the Executive Director to establish a two-year pilot
program for on-demand taxi/flat-rate for-hire service at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to
include the following elements:
(1)

Vehicle owners currently offering on-demand taxi and flat-rate for-hire services will
be retained during the pilot program through September 30, 2021.

(2)

The number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles shall be increased from 18 to 23.
Additional wheelchair-vehicle operators will be chosen by lottery. The total number
of vehicles will be limited to no more than 410.

(3)

Permits for every medallion will be issued by the Port of Seattle and will not be
transferable. Prior to issuance of permits, the Port will obtain, maintain, and update
complete vehicle ownership information on every vehicle.

(4)

Owners may associate with any dispatch company.

(5)

The port will collect an all-inclusive, per-trip fee of $6/trip.

(6)

The port will contract separately for curb management services, which includes
passenger loading assistance, holding lot and queue management, equal access to
rotation of shifts among on-demand operators as outlined in current operating
procedures, and oversight of adherence to vehicle and operating rules and
requirements by owners/drivers.

(7)

The Executive Director shall report to the commission within 30 days of adoption of
this motion on airport signage, physical accessibility and wayfinding (both digital and
print formats) to ground-transportation services for disabled passengers, and the
status of implementation of the primary recommendations of the 2017 Open Doors
report. Full implementation of the 2017 Open Doors Primary Recommendations of
pages 70-71 of the report shall be made a high priority for completion within 18
months from adoption of this motion.

(8)

The port shall develop a reporting system with the ground-transportation curbside
manager to compile records of complaints and other service comments for
operations within the airport, including information on actions taken in response to
complaints and comments.

(9)

The port will work with King County to install signage in vehicles operating in the
airport on-demand fleet that lists contact information for reporting of complaints
and other service comments directly to the port and assure that all complaints are
reported to the Port of Seattle.

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(10) There shall be quarterly outreach to owners and drivers for feedback and input on
the pilot program.
(11) The curbside manager will track and maintain records of the following:
(a) Wait time sampling of vehicle pick-ups
(b) Number of accessible trips and wait times
(c) Number of trips per operator
(d) Complaints lodged against operators and disposition
(e) Passenger service comments
(12) The Executive Director shall report to the commission on the operation of the pilot
program, including customer service and provision of accessible services, outreach
to people with disabilities and the general public, and any recommendations for
revisions, in one year from adoption of this motion.
(13) To improve accessible services, the port will develop a plan for wheelchair-accessible
transportation services at the airport to increase awareness and use of the ondemand fleet and conduct research on potential improvements of accessible
transportation services to and from the airport, including collection of data on prearranged airport transportation services.
(14) The commission directs the Port of Seattle Executive Director to engage with the ondemand taxi/flat-rate for-hire owner and operator community at Seattle-Tacoma
International Airport to develop an agreement or memorandum of understanding
that will recognize a voluntary organization with at least five years of experience as a
not-for-profit organization operating in the state of Washington, that has an
established process for worker involvement in decision making, and that can
demonstrate support of at least 60 percent of operators included in the pilot
project.
(15) The voluntary organization and the port, along with other interested drivers and
owners, will explore the development of a process, available to all drivers and
owners, for input on the pilot program on items such as performance of the permit
relationship between the port, its curbside manager, and the owner/driver
community, including scheduling, compliance, dispute resolution, and other issues
related to management of the system.
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION
The port has extensively researched options for on-demand systems at the airport. The port
conducted and participated in three major multi-year, consultant-supported ground
transportation studies from 2015-2018 (Leigh Fisher – 2015, Transportation Research Board –
2015, Ricondo – 2017/2018). The Leigh Fisher and Ricondo work were supported by significant
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stakeholder outreach and identified best practices for ground transportation models across the
country and included recommendations for Sea-Tac Airport.
The port also held three public presentations on October 25, 2018, and two public
presentations on February 15 and one on February 28, 2019. Stakeholder representation
included multiple owner-operators, drivers, transportation network companies (TNCs, or
rideshares), dispatch companies, Teamsters, and other industry representatives.

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