Last year, my wife and I stepped off a 26-hour gate-to-gate flight from Kazakhstan and emerged from Tom Bradley Terminal tired and jet-lagged. We looked for the pillar where the LAX-it shuttle buses stop to take passengers to the LAX-it (pronounced LAX exit) rideshare and taxi zone. A crowd of angsty passengers was already there. One shuttle bus stopped, but as it was full already, it could only take a few passengers. Moans went up from those who couldn’t get on — including us. Another LAX-it shuttle bus, empty this time, inexplicably drove right past. More moans. A third shuttle bus arrived, but was packed and couldn’t stop for more passengers. The number of people waiting for the LAX-it shuttle bus increased, making the odds of getting on one look worse by the moment.
At this point, my wife and I had been waiting for more than 30 minutes and were frustrated. I found an LAX employee nearby and asked her if there was another way to get to the rideshare area. She said, “Just walk to the left of Bradley terminal, past terminals 3, 2, and 1, cross the street and you’ll be there. Just 10 minutes away.” “Are there crosswalks and stoplights so that the walk is safe?” “Yes,” she said cheerfully, “there’s no need to wait for the LAX-it shuttle bus.”
So we walked 10 minutes and sure enough we were there at the rideshare and taxi zone and got a Lyft home. On subsequent trips to LAX, we’ve walked the 10 or so minutes to the LAX-it rideshare zone from wherever we were in LAX, and it was easy, stress-free, no lifting of heavy bags onto and off of buses. No dealing with crowds of tired, jet-lagged passengers who understandably want to get home or to their hotel. And best of all, it’s nice to stretch your legs after a long flight on cramped seats.
There are no signs showing you how to walk to the LAX-it rideshare area, but you can always ask an LAX employee. (It would be helpful if the airport would provide signage for walkers.) It’s just across the street after Terminal 1 at the beginning of the airport.
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