LAX Pickup Halted by Taxi-ish Services

Private rideshare services that compete with traditional taxi companies have been gaining traction in recent years. You've probably heard of one or more of them: Lyft, Uber, Sidecar. But if you were looking to one of these companies for a ride to LAX in the near future, you may be out of luck. Sidecar and Uber recently announced that they would no longer be picking passengers up from the airport.

The issue for these companies is the "aggressive" ticketing they accuse LAX authorities of engaging in while citizen-drivers wait to pick up passengers for the airport. Uber spokesman Andrew Noyes said the citations issued to Uber drivers constituted an "unwarranted action" during his announcement that they would temporarily suspend airport pickup by their citizen-drivers, who work under the uberX banner. UberBLACK and UberSUV, which both utilize licensed commercial drivers, will continue to provide LAX pickup services.

Meanwhile, Sidecar has advised its citizen-drivers to avoid making LAX pickups because of the increased enforcement.

Airport officials have denied singling out rideshare companies like Uber and Sidecar for special enforcement.

These companies work by connecting passengers with ordinary people willing to act as unlicensed cabbies. More and more people are turning to services like these over traditional cab companies. However, this recent issue with LAX pickup highlights the limitations of services like these.

This story makes us thankful to be able to provide our customers with free shuttle service to and from the airport. For our customers, there's no need to call, wait, or worry about your driver getting a ticket. Instead, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

LAX Transit Systems Remain a Question

Proposals for light-rail lines running to Los Angeles International Airport appear to be stalled again, according to a recent story in the Los Angeles Times. County transportation officials rejected four proposals to build light-rail stations underneath LAX’s terminals, a key component in getting people to use this transportation method. According to surveys, Angelenos would use the Metro to get to the airport if they had direct access to the terminals. Under current plans, the nearest rail stations would be at the southern end of the runways and about 1.5 miles east of the terminals.

Most people who need to get to the airport aren’t thrilled about the idea of taking a train that stops near the airport, but doesn’t allow them easy access to the terminal. The same survey also found that the number of transfers would affect how many people actually take the train. After all, getting to LAX should be as easy and hassle-free as possible. Even for those who already live along the Green Line (which currently has stops near the southern end of the LAX runways), getting to the terminals requires the use of a shuttle. And if you have to take a shuttle either way, why not just take your own car?

Public transportation only works when the convenience of riding the train greatly outweighs taking your own vehicle. Trains run on their own schedule, not the individual commuter’s, so they have to offer numerous advantages to make up for this difference. Trains that fail to take travelers to the LAX terminals are not convenient at all. And with the second light-rail line – which will have a station 1.5 miles away from the terminals – not scheduled for completion until 2019, it seems like those flying out of LAX will be left with few options for the time being, other than driving their own vehicles. On the plus side, taking your own car means you can leave and arrive according to your schedule.

Park and Fly Away: Factors to Consider to Safely Park Your Car as You Travel

As a frequent traveler, comfort is the most important priority of your journey. Comfort in this sense is not limited to securing a good seat in the plane alone but also includes your transit to the airport. This is why you prefer to drive your own car on the way to and from the airport instead of taking a cab that sometimes may overcharge you with your luggage.

Thankfully, you are spared from the inconvenience commuting to the airport may bring. While you are not totally spared from encountering technicalities as you leave your car in the airport, here are some tips to help you stay worry-free as you leave your car in the airport.

Secure Parking

Since you will be away for a couple of days to weeks, leaving your car in the streets is risky. Who knows, you may not be able to find your car the moment you come back from your trip. To avoid this major inconvenience, it is best to park your vehicle in a secure car park. This way, your car is housed safely away from the elements of nature as well as from the burglars. Security guards also roves around the parking area several times within the day to ensure that cars parked in their establishment are still there. While majority of the airports offer secure car parking, it is important to consider factors such as surveillance, frequency of patrolling and presence of fences before leaving your car in a particular parking slot.

Lighting

Secure a well-lit spot for your vehicle. This reduces the chances of your car being stolen while you are out on a trip. Remember that cars parked in dark areas are the favorite of thieves as they can easily steal a car without getting noticed.

Distance

The distance between the airport and the parking area should also be considered. As much as possible, secure a parking slot that is not only secure but also has close proximity to the terminal. Although you may shell out a little bit more when you get a parking slot near the airport terminal, this is a lot convenient rather than walking for a few blocks or riding a shuttle bus just to get to your vehicle.

Reservation

With the large volume of travelers going in and out of your city, parking spaces in the airport can easily get full, forcing you to look around for other parking spaces for your vehicle. Prevent this from happening by reserving a slot for your car. This way, you are guaranteed of a parking slot and you get to avoid the stress that finding a parking space under the nick of time can bring.

LA Parking Meters, Not as Convenient We Think

Despite Los Angeles parking revenue shooting up to over $300 million a year, there is a continuing increase in parking meters storming through the city. As of late, parking apps are available on your smartphones, but it may only be another plot to generate more cash for parking spaces. Don’t allow the city to rack up all your hard earned work searching for an expensive parking space, covered parking in LAX is at your service to watch your car at affordable rates.

Recently parking meters increased fees from 25 cents an hour to a dollar, and in upscale areas the spot shoots up to $2 an hour or more. The price to park may be simple for someone making loads of money, but out-of-towners, struggling locals and minimum wage workers may be taking a bigger bite out of their piggy banks than expected.

The unforgiving parking tickets even plague our holiday cheer this time of year. In an effort to make parking easier without being slammed by parking tickets, Mayor Eric Garcetti launched a new parking enforcement website that lists areas where parking tickets will not be dispersed. For instance, certain days street sweeping services may be canceled and people will not have to continue searching for parking elsewhere. Does everyone have the time to look up this information for parking? Not everyone has a smartphone with blazing Internet speed to search for safe parking zones, so the alternative is LAX Valet parking.

Park Safe LA, a new app that is hoping to shed light for motorists about the posted parking signs is another solution to help motorists avoid tickets. It is an effort to help everyone understand where it is legal to park and understand what multiple signs in certain areas mean.

Rules of Parking at Meters

Certain L.A. meters accept coins, dollar bills, even credit cards, but many of them come with a cost the motorist risks in parking at an unattended area. Many of the new smart meters offer warnings of what hours are not allowed to park or when the meter is not in service, but there are still many unwritten rules even local drivers are unaware of. Here are some common issues people can look out for:

• Parking at a broken meter is allowed, L.A. will not ticket motorists as of July 31, 2013.
• Contradicting parking signs and parking meter signs are conflicting rules, the City will not ticket for the misguided information, as long as the motorist documents this.
• It is never allowed to park under a No Parking sign, however unloading or loading passengers for 5 minutes is allowed.

According to the LADOT program, L.A. transportation agency, parking meters and time limits are enforced to encourage turnover to allow more people to park in areas where parking is in high demand. However, parking in an undesignated  area can lead to an average parking citation of $68 or more, which goes to county and state fees and to the city’s general fund for municipal services, such as police and fire departments.

To avoid the parking frenzy and make your life easier in L.A. it is best to keep your car safe with LAX Hilton Parking. Shuttle services and transportation are available to help you get where you need to be. Since parking meters continue to increase in fees and unclear parking signs make it difficult to park on public lots, save yourself the ticket and enjoy the services of LAX Hilton Parking.

Keeping Your Car Safe on the Holidays

Parking is hard to come by anywhere in Los Angeles, no matter what time of the year it is. Around the holidays parking your car can be an even larger ordeal, especially if you are from out of town. This is why we suggest to reserve your parking spot early before making your visit with LAX Hilton Parking.

There are thousands of more commuters, tourists and attractions to consider when visiting Los Angeles, so it is better to keep your car safe and secure. Parking thieves hit the streets often while travelers park in unfamiliar and unattended territory, so why add more fuel to the fire? Keep your trip stress-free and reserve your parking spot with L.A.’s best parking service.

Here are a few of the many reasons why travelers should avoid commuting in the city, and explore options with comfortable public transportation.

When Lost, You Cannot Just Park Anywhere to Retrace Your Steps

There are hundreds of California parking laws and prohibitions which leave many travelers confused. Parking on intersections and crosswalks are always prohibited, public and private driveways, sidewalks, or in front of fire hydrants are other common prohibitions.

Many times we are lost and forced to get off the highway to look for directions. This can lead to disaster for commuters stopping through unsafe neighborhoods. Leaving your car for a brief stop can result to a break in or tow away if you are not parked in a safe area.

Save Big and Avoid Parking Fees and Ticket Violations

Take the bus, train, taxi or private town car services instead of spending hundreds of holiday funds on parking garage fees and possible parking violations. Affordable passes and vouchers are available online for public buses and trains. Taxis and personal drivers are more expensive, but available when there is no other alternative.

According to the LADOT program, an L.A. transportation agency, parking enforcement officers issue approximately 2.6 million citations per year. Don’t add on to the problem by parking in unfamiliar territory, keep your car parked with us.

Holiday Shoppers On the Prowl in Parking Lots

Black Friday may be behind us, but there are still millions of holiday shoppers combing malls, retail stores, and high-end boutiques. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that 20 percent of all claims for car damage involve parking lot collisions, the holiday season alone makes up a vast amount of claims.

This means that in order to keep cars safe, shoppers have to park their cars at a much farther distance than other times of the year. That can also increase the likelihood of car theft and break-ins especially when tucked away from plain site.

If you are traveling to the L.A. area make a reservation and have your car parked with LAX Hilton Parking. Holiday shuttle services are available for transportation to and from the airport for your convenience. Reserve your parking spot and avoid the frenzy of parking in L.A. Your car will be much safer than parking in dangerous areas and unattended parking lots. Enjoy your holiday season with LAX Hilton Parking.

Travelling with Ease

Being in Los Angeles will surely be one of your most unforgettable travels, whether it’s for business or pleasure. Aside from Hollywood, Los Angeles also houses what’s said to be "happiest place in the world", which is Disneyland. But, travelling in this city for the first time could be difficult especially when it comes to directions and transportation. It is always best to settle not just with your bookings for your flight and hotel accommodations, but it is also important to consider transportation once you reach the city in advance.

Here are some of the means of transportation available for you once you reach the city:

LAX Shuttle Service

This mode of transportation requires you to book in advance. Many transportation companies in Los Angeles offer this service, which means you have the option to choose which one you want to avail of. That way, you will be able to compare prices and the difference between the services they offer.

You also have to consider the number of persons you are going to be with in your travel as well as the size of the vehicle you want. You must let your transportation provider know what your plans are so they will be able to prepare and so that it would result in less hassle for both parties. You must let them know the destinations that you are planning to reach since they do have different arrangements per destination.

Public Transportation

If you want to save on transportation, Los Angeles also has several public vehicles. To get to Hollywood, you may choose to ride the LAX Fly Away Shuttle to Union Station. This means of transportation is cheaper, but, requires some patience. There are lots of people who would also prefer to ride this, so expect a very long line to get to the bus. But on the brighter side, it will only cost you about $7.

Taxi Cab

If you can't afford falling in line and waiting for minutes (or even hours), taxi cab is one of the best options for you. But, you also have to prepare pretty much a big amount for it. It will cost you around $70-$80 for the whole trip. That is usually inclusive of the tip. One advantage that it can give you is that the directions will be easier since drivers are already familiar to the place.

Town Car Service

This is another pricey way for you to have the most convenient and easiest mode of transportation. This will cost you around $80-$95. There are also a number of companies you can compare for this. One of the biggest advantages of this is that you will have your personal driver who will meet and greet you once you arrive at the airport. This is known to be the most comfortable and the safest transportation but again, it is quite pricey.

In every travel, you have to make sure that you have settled everything before you leave. It is best to be sure than experience delays which could ultimately ruin the whole trip.