Taxis in New York are yellow cars: they have a counter for invoicing passengers, a bulkhead in the cabin, and stickers attached to the windshield (they confirm the received licenses).
Features of ordering a taxi in New York
You can catch a taxi on the street, but in order to attract the driver's attention, tourists are advised to wave their arms vigorously.
You can use a taxi if a lantern is on on its roof. If not, and also if the "Ofduty" signal is displayed, then the driver will not take passengers.
It is worth noting that yellow taxis cannot be called by phone. Also, keep in mind that licensed taxis are not allowed to take more than 4 passengers.
Since New York taxi drivers do not like to travel between districts (there are 5 of them in the city) and are often well oriented only in one of some districts, then if, for example, you need to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn, it is advisable to plan your time with a reserve.
Chartered taxis (black limousines)
These cars can be ordered exclusively by phone (they are prohibited from picking up “voting” passengers on the street or at the airport) - payment is made not by the meter, but at fixed prices (you need to find out the cost before boarding).
You can order a taxi by calling: 212-777-7777, 212-666-6666, + 1-800-609-8731.
Important: unlicensed cars (“bombiles”) often ply at airports in search of passengers, but tourists are not recommended to use them. If necessary, the airport staff can help you find a taxi or their special taxi rank.
Since yellow taxis are quite difficult to catch in the outer areas, it is the registered taxis that will come to the rescue.
If you forget something in the taxi, you should call 311.
Taxi cost in New York
There is no need to rack your brains over how much a taxi costs in New York - the following tariff system will help you navigate the prices:
- boarding costs from $ 2.5;
- the cost of every 350 m of the route costs $ 0.5;
- the surcharge for peak hours is $ 1, the night surcharge and a minute of waiting is $ 0.5;
- For all tolls, taxi drivers charge passengers (some bridges and tunnels provide a toll crossing, for example, the Queens-Midtown Tunnel).
All New York taxis accept credit cards, but it is not uncommon for the terminals to be “broken,” so it makes sense to check with the driver before boarding if you can pay with a card (you should have cash with you just in case).
Since it is customary for drivers to leave “tea” in both yellow and registered taxis, 10% can be added to the fare.
Regardless of the distance you need to travel, it is worth using the services of a New York taxi - it is convenient and reliable.
