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Baja California federal congressman Fausto Gallardo García has submitted a proposed amendment to Mexico’s Airport Law that would require all airport terminals to create designated pickup and drop-off zones for app-based rideshare services like Uber and DiDi.
Gallardo García, who represents the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM), filed the measure with Mexico’s Congress. The amendment would mandate formal infrastructure for passengers using digital transportation platforms at airports nationwide, including Tijuana’s General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport.
A Familiar Problem for Travelers in Baja
Mexican airports currently lack standardized zones for rideshare pickups. Passengers who land in Tijuana or fly through other Mexican airports and try to call an Uber often face confusion about where to meet their driver. In many cases, rideshare drivers must pick up passengers outside airport grounds or in unmarked areas to avoid confrontations with licensed taxi operators who hold exclusive concessions inside terminal zones.
The tension between traditional taxi unions and rideshare platforms has been a recurring issue at Mexican airports for years. Taxi concessionaires at airports like Tijuana’s typically charge fixed, higher rates compared to app-based alternatives. Travelers unfamiliar with these dynamics can find themselves caught between competing services with no clear signage or designated areas.
What the Amendment Would Change
If approved, the amendment would legally require airport operators to set aside clearly marked zones where rideshare vehicles can pick up and drop off passengers. This would bring Mexican airports closer to the model now standard at U.S. airports, where dedicated rideshare lots with signage and wayfinding are the norm.
The proposal is still in its early legislative stages. It would need to pass through congressional committees and receive a full vote before becoming law. No timeline for a committee hearing has been announced.
Uber currently operates in Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, and La Paz, among other Baja cities. DiDi, a Chinese-owned rideshare app, also serves several of these markets. Both platforms are widely used by foreign visitors who prefer the price transparency and GPS tracking that apps provide over negotiating fares with airport taxi operators.
The proposal was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.