October 17, 2005

NewYorkology Basics: Taxi cabs

(Updated March 2007)

There are more than 12,000 licensed yellow cab drivers in New York City. Additionally, there are thousands of limo and car service company drivers, who are only allowed to pick up passengers who call for a pick-up, rather than wrangling them at the airport or stopping when hailed on the street.

Cab drivers are basically honest and can be trusted to know the best routes in Manhattan and to the airports. But if your destination is in an outer borough, you'll most likely need directions for your driver.

There is no additional charge for luggage, though there are automatic surcharges for night service, rush hours, bridge and tunnel tolls and any trips to Newark Airport.

To determine if a cab is available, look on top of the roof and you will see the cab's registration number and text that says "not in service." If only the cab's numbers are lit, that means he's available. If the lights are completely off it means he already has a passenger and cannot take you. If only the "not in service" lights are lit, it means he doesn't have to take you. However, some cabbies may still take you if they happen to be at the end of their shift and your destination is on the way to where they're headed.

How to hail a cab: Stand at a corner, the edge of the curb, just out in the street or between parked cars – any spot that is safe but still a good spot for the cabbies to see you. Raise your hand immediately for a cab even if no cabs are coming. This marks your territory like a junkyard dog. If someone is already waiting for a cab there, at minimum you should cross to another corner or go at least half a block or a block away. Be courteous but competitive. Most of the time all you need to do is raise your hand and you'll get a cab.

Tipping is pretty much required. Tip at least a dollar or two per ride and closer to $10 for an airport trip. Pay in cash, though credit card machines are coming. When you get out of the cab, be sure to look around on the seat and floor. Ask for your receipt at the end of the ride and you'll have the cab number, making it possible to retrieve items you forgot in the cab.

More taxi tips can be found at the official New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission passenger guide.

Elsewhere on NewYorkology:
Stuck-in-traffic taxi rates rise Nov. 30; and $45 to JFK
Pricing a cab ride from LaGuardia to Manhattan
NewYorkology Basics: From the airport to Manhattan

October 17, 2005 03:41 PM in Basic NYC Guide

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