b'66 SAN PASSENGER TRANSPORT When they reach the top of the virtual queue, they get a The dispatch board is now a thing of the past, but taxis still text notifying them that they need to be at the airport within aneed RFID tags because the airport uses them to track traffic and certain time.collect trip fees. Furthermore, SAN still posts customer-service Airports using eDispatch determine how much time to giverepresentatives at the curbside areas to assist passengers and taxi drivers to report to the airport. At SAN, for example, driversmake sure taxi operators are following the rules. must report within 20 minutes after theyre notified. They thenEliminating the need for a fixed dispatch board makes it easier can proceed directly to the terminal they were dispatched to. Iffor SAN to move its taxi lotsomething that has been particularly drivers dont arrive at the airport on time, officials can chooseimportant during a major building project. The $3.4 billion from several options, including eliminating them from the queueimprovement program, which is scheduled to continue into 2028, altogether or dropping them down a certain number of spaces.includes replacing Terminal 1 with a structure that includes 30 Because SANs dispatch queues are virtual, there is no limit toadditional gates, plus associated roadway improvements. how long they can be. Taxi lines are no longer constrained by theWe need to be extremely flexible with the hold lots location, physical space available at the airport, Anderson says. emphasizes Anderson. With all the construction going on right now, real estate at the airport has become even more scarce.Operational Efficiency & Flexibility Because we dont have a lot of space here, we have to do the Previously, SAN used a dispatch system that relied on radio- construction in phases. So well need to move the hold lot around frequency identification (RFID) tags. As each taxi entered the holdto accommodate the construction work. That wouldve been lot, the system read its tag and automatically placed the vehicle inmore difficult to do with a fixed board.a dispatch line. The smaller, more flexible hold lot also costs less to maintain, Drivers waited in the lot until it was their turn and an electronicadds Anderson. Because the lot doesnt receive as much traffic, dispatch board indicated which terminal they should report to.its portable restrooms now need servicing once a day instead of Occasionally, intermittent power disruptions rendered the dispatchtwice, and the interval for trash collection was extended. board inoperable and caused operational hiccups. This is a much more robust system that wont be subject toPre-Launch Prep Pays Offpower outages, Anderson contrasts.The airports digital dispatch system came online Jan. 12. Richardson reports that software installation took about an hour, though more time was required up front to determine its specific configurations. Weeks before the changeover, SAN held Time for a Systems Update two videoconferences for taxi drivers to explain how the new system works. The Making Roadways Work for Runways week before eDispatch went live, the airport stationed staffers at the hold lot to review the process and answer questions in person. Anderson reports that taxi drivers have thoroughly embraced the new system.Data-Enabled Roadway Monetization They love it, he says, noting that several drivers have asked him why the airport didnt switch to it years ago. They can stage themselves at other venues, such as hotels or special events, and keep working until Ultra-Ecient Ground Transportation their turn in line arrives. It allows them to use their time and their vehicles much more efficiently.Streamlined Curbside TNC Ops While the new system greatly improves operations for the airport and taxi drivers, it does not completely eliminate the need for a hold lot. Hands-Free Automated Parking Well always need a hold lot, says Anderson. But it will be a lot smaller than before. Thats significant, because were one of busiest airports in the United States (15.6 million passengers in 2021) with one of the smallest footprints (661 acres).May | June 2022AirportImprovement.com'