San Francisco Airport Cutting 75% of Shuttles

If you use airporter type shuttle vans at San Francisco airport, the airport commission wants to change this business radically.

Today – eleven companies offer airport shuttle service at San Francisco airport (SFO). In December 2008, the airport commission proposed eliminating the permit for seven of these companies, leaving you only four to choose from.

This would likely mean higher prices from less competition, and less competition bringing lower service quality. We aren’t big political activists, but this plan concerns us and the need to ensure that visitors to San Francisco can get economical, good door-to-door service outside of the primary BART transit lines. We use the San Francisco airport shuttles, and recommend them highly to our readers – a cut of 75% of the permitted companies would radically change pricing and service levels.

Hey Dude! Want to split my taxi fare? Going green in San Francisco…

A new business expanding from New York to San Francisco allows airport riders to be matched with companions for their airport shuttle to SFO. The company promises two benefits:

1.) You’ll save money by splitting the fare.
2.) Two in a cab or limo saves carbon emissions and helps the earth.

It’s a clever concept, but it has some risks. First off – you may just not like who you are paired with. Even the most easy going person when randomly matched with “anyone” may find out they just aren’t a good match.

Second – what if the gal is a flake? Now you’ve paid for a San Francisco taxi or limo and are footing the entire – not half the cost. If you view the second rider as a “bonus” – you’re ok, but the assumption of a 2nd rider may have influenced your choice of transit.

The transit match service Hitchsters - has a business model of a revenue share of San Francisco limousine and town car airport shuttles. By referring you to a specific limo or towncar — they take a cut of your fare. We applaud the clever idea and hope it catches on to some degree. But its in no way a magic 50% off sale — it comes with both risks and potential.