By Vincent Campagna, PTMP
At airports across the country, rideshare operations are essential – but increasingly difficult to manage. Limited curb space and high passenger volumes—especially during peak travel times—often lead to severe congestion, roadway backups, and long wait times for travelers. Without proper planning and infrastructure, rideshare pickups can quickly turn into a logistical headache for both airports and guests.
At Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), we encountered many of the same operational challenges faced by many airports. Limited curb space made it difficult to efficiently manage the volume of rideshare pickups, drivers often misused designated areas and passengers frequently congregated near the Baggage Claim exit doors, creating significant chokepoints for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. During peak periods, the line of rideshare vehicles waiting to pick up passengers would extend so far that it obstructed incoming traffic on the airport roadway. It was clear the current operation wasn’t functioning at its full potential, but it was operating “well enough” to get by.
The Republican National Convention: A High-Stakes Test
When Milwaukee was selected to host the 2024 Republican National Convention (RNC), it was clear that MKE would play a critical role in managing the influx of visitors. With an estimated 50,000 additional guests expected—many relying on ground transportation—the Parking and Ground Transportation team at MKE was tasked with finding a solution. We knew that if we maintained the status quo, the results would be disastrous: massive traffic backups, rideshare wait times doubling or even tripling, and an overall experience so poor that travelers might think twice about flying through MKE in the future.
In preparation for the RNC, we launched weekly planning meetings for several months, bringing in key stakeholders—including our rideshare partners, Uber and Lyft—to collaboratively develop solutions. Our goals were clear:
- Expand the usable curb space (where possible)
- Reduce passenger confusion, crowding and congestion near Baggage Claim doorways
- Improve passenger flow and pickup efficiency
- Increase the availability of rideshare drivers to meet the surge in demand
After extensive coordination and planning, we proposed and implemented the following strategies:
1.Created Color Coded & Numbered Pickup Zones
- What we did: Introduced three clearly marked curbside pickup zones (Zone 1/2/3), each assigned a distinct color and labeled with 5-foot-tall signage.
- Why it worked: Allowed rideshare apps to use their algorithms to distribute guests more evenly across zones, reducing overcrowding at any one location.
- Result: Easier navigation for passengers and more efficient driver-passenger matching.
