Grapevine Police have confirmed that drivers waiting along the highway shoulder near DFW International Airport are not permitted to park there unless they are experiencing an emergency or temporary vehicle maintenance issue.
The confirmation follows The Dallas Express’ continued investigation into why dozens of rideshare drivers are lining the shoulder of a roadway near DFW Airport amid complaints that Uber’s airport queue is not sending ride requests to drivers waiting in designated staging areas and allegations that some drivers may be receiving airport trips outside the normal queue.
The investigation began after an anonymous veteran Uber driver provided DX with video showing a long line of vehicles, primarily black SUVs, stopped along the shoulder near the airport.
The driver, whose identity DX is withholding because he fears retaliation affecting his rideshare income, previously assisted The Dallas Express with its investigation into alleged rideshare queue manipulation at DFW Airport.
During DX’s visit to the area, multiple individuals identified themselves as Uber drivers. Several said they were waiting along the roadway because they were having difficulty receiving airport ride requests through Uber’s designated queue.
Grapevine Police has now confirmed the department is aware of the roadside activity.
“The shoulder of a highway should be used for emergency purposes only,” Grapevine Police told The Dallas Express. “Parking on the shoulder absent an emergency or temporary vehicle maintenance issues is not allowed.”
Police also confirmed that the department has received complaints about the activity and has taken enforcement action.
“The department has received some complaints and has taken appropriate law enforcement action, including issuing citations when applicable,” the department said.
The confirmation adds a public safety and enforcement dimension to DX’s investigation. Several drivers interviewed by DX had already acknowledged that waiting along the roadway was dangerous.
“It’s dangerous on the side,” one driver previously told DX.
Another said drivers did not want to wait there but blamed problems with Uber’s airport queue.
“Nobody like it,” the driver said.
One driver, who said he had worked for Uber for 12 years, claimed approximately 400 Black SUV drivers had signed a complaint and submitted it to Uber over problems receiving ride requests through the designated queue. The Dallas Express has not independently verified the existence or contents of that complaint.
Grapevine Police said rideshare operations themselves generally do not fall under the department’s jurisdiction.
“Rideshare activity in general is not handled by the police department as it is not a criminal offense,” the department told DX.
However, police confirmed that the roadside staging presents a safety concern.
“Yes, our agency takes all safety concerns seriously,” the department said when asked whether it considered the activity a traffic safety concern.
The police response confirms that at least some of the behavior documented by DX has resulted in law enforcement action. It does not, however, resolve the central question surrounding the rideshare operation: why drivers waiting in designated airport staging areas report receiving few or no requests while other drivers say they receive requests while waiting along the highway.
The Dallas Express has reached out to Uber and DFW Airport officials regarding the roadside activity and allegations surrounding the airport queue. A response was not provided by the time of publication.
