Rideshare drivers who don’t respect pickup and drop-off rules in the Arlington Entertainment District might be hit with a $500 fine.
Arlington City Council approved the fines Tuesday in a series of changes meant to discourage breaking the city’s rules on where rideshare can and cannot go. The council approved the fines unanimously as part of the consent agenda. Council member Andrew Piel, who represents District 4, was not present.
The city updated the rideshare areas in December, updating street names and adding prohibited areas for the first time since Globe Life Field was constructed. Police told KERA News in an emailed statement that the goal is to keep people safe, keep traffic flowing and make trips through the area smoother.
“Whenever we host a Cowboys game, Rangers game, or other major event, one of our primary goals is to get the thousands of visitors who attend those events in and out of the Entertainment District as safely and efficiently as possible,” police wrote in the statement.
Having rules that prohibit drivers from stopping in the road to drop off or load passengers means fewer people being let out at unsafe places and less chance a stopping car will disrupt traffic, police said.
The new fines will give law enforcement a way to enforce these rules. Drivers who violate the pickup and drop-off rules could be cited with the $500 fine.
The stadiums in the entertainment district do have dedicated areas for rideshare pickup and drop-off, though. Uber, Lyft, Via and other rideshare services can stop at Lot C for Globe Life Field events and Lot 15 for trips to and from AT&T Stadium.
“Following events, we often have traffic control measures in place such as lane closures and one-way roadways to help facilitate the mass exit of fans from the entertainment district,” police told KERA. “As a result, a rideshare driver may not be able to navigate to where their rider is if that rider is at a non-designated location around the stadiums.”
That can be confusing and cause delays for rideshare drivers and frustrating for passengers, police said. Having pickup and drop-off in designated areas also makes it easier for authorities to keep an eye on things, increasing safety in the area.
Restrictions on rideshare locations aren’t new or uncommon. Cities across Dallas-Fort Worth have adopted similar rules in high-traffic areas in recent years, such as rules about where rideshare drivers can stop in Fort Worth’s West 7th entertainment district.
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