Hobby Airport has installed an accessible restroom in its rideshare parking area, shortening the trek for Uber driver Kevin Yackly. For months, he had to walk more than 100 yards with his cane to reach the nearest restroom. The new facility addresses that barrier, but a separate concern about disabled parking spaces remains.
In a follow-up report, Click2Houston quoted Yackly describing the new facility as “Wow and clean with toilet paper.” The outlet reported that Houston Airport System officials acted after the station's 2 Helps You team contacted Houston leadership and sought answers on his behalf.
The restroom change follows a parking reconfiguration described in the station's September 23 report. Click2Houston reported that taxi drivers could park nearer the restrooms, while rideshare drivers such as Yackly were directed to the other side of the lot. Yackly told the station the walk left him winded.
How the Restroom Access Dispute Emerged
Click2Houston's earlier reporting also described a discrepancy: airport leadership initially told the station that accessible restrooms were available in the rideshare lot, but the station said its reporting found none there. The new facility followed renewed attention to the access problem.
The station also reported that another rideshare driver raised concerns about the amount of space in disabled parking areas. Yackly said Uber drivers could not enter the taxi area where the restrooms were located, even with his Texas disabled parking license plate.
Parking Access Remains an Open Issue
The restroom installation does not resolve Yackly's separate concern about the disabled parking spaces: he said they do not leave him enough room to open his vehicle door comfortably. Click2Houston reported that designated disabled spaces in the rideshare area were empty when the station's team visited in September, despite the space constraints Yackly described.
Houston Airport System Aviation Director Jim Szcznesiak acknowledged the design problem and told the station, “So we will have this fixed ASAP.” Click2Houston's 2 Helps You team said it would monitor the issue and report back once the spaces are fixed.
What Federal Parking Guidance Can Establish
The U.S. Access Board's ADA parking guide says parking facilities separated by barriers, particularly when they serve different users, may be treated separately when determining accessible-parking requirements. The guide does not determine whether Hobby's specific spaces comply or what remedy the airport has promised.
Yackly said he was surprised the airport responded after he raised the issue and credited the station with listening to people who contact it, according to Click2Houston.
A Separate, Airportwide Bathroom Renovation
The rideshare-lot restroom is a local access fix, separate from a broader $30 million bathroom renovation underway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport. Restrooms have begun reopening as part of that project, according to Community Impact. The initiative followed a challenge from Houston Mayor John Whitmire in 2024 and is supported by $21.6 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants.
Community Impact reported that restrooms near gates A12, A25 and D7 at George Bush Intercontinental and gates 28-32 at Hobby reopened during the first five months of the year. The upgrades include expanded stalls, improved Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility, new flooring, lighting and fixtures, plus smart technology to alert staff about bathroom needs. Future phases are expected to add family rooms and changing rooms that can accommodate disabled travelers and their companions; the full renovation is set to continue through 2027.
Separately, Hobby Airport's own accessibility guidance notes that accessible parking spaces are available on all levels of its terminal parking garages and at all ecopark facilities, and that ecopark shuttles can accommodate wheelchairs, according to William P. Hobby Airport. For now, Yackly has one less obstacle to navigate on the job — even as he and other drivers wait to see whether the promised parking fix actually arrives.
