There are numerous options for getting a New York taxi. Yellow and green taxicabs can be found all over the five boroughs. However, it’s important to note that yellow taxicabs don’t stop at any single location. Instead, they pick up passengers from any location in the five boroughs. If you want to avoid using a yellow cab, use a green one. Both are equally reliable. These are the most common taxicabs in New York City.
Uber
The arrival of Uber in the New York City taxi industry has sparked some debate. Until recently, yellow taxis ruled the streets. Medallions cost $1 million, and the taxi industry was notorious for corruption. Uber has long derided the taxi industry as a “cartel” and corrupt, and it accuses the taxi industry of ruining the livelihood of taxi drivers. Despite these complaints, Uber has now teamed up with two taxi companies – Curb and CMT – to list their cabs on the Uber app.
Via
The Via taxi app is a popular alternative to traditional cabs in the Big Apple. Its algorithms match multiple passengers headed in the same direction to provide the most efficient route. Currently, it serves 15 million customers in three markets. If you are planning to use this service, make sure to check out our FAQ page to find out more. The Via app is available on both iOS and Android devices, so you can use it with both services.
Juno
If you’ve been thinking of driving a taxi in New York City, you may want to check out Juno. This taxi service is currently in beta mode and offers 35 percent off rides to new users. It also offers an option to specify your needs to your driver. The company calls its surge pricing scheme “high-demand pricing”: it raises its base fare to meet the demand for rides and a shortage of drivers.
Gett
If you’re looking for a taxi in New York City but don’t want to spend too much, try the Gett, a service that runs a fleet of licensed private livery cars. Its fixed rate system takes away the resentment surrounding surge pricing, and it can be convenient to book a ride with an app that makes it easy to make reservations for any trip. On the downside, the service doesn’t always run fast, and sometimes there are no cars available.
Uber vs. Lyft
Both Uber and Lyft offer innovative alternatives to the long-established taxi and private transportation industry. They both offer an easy-to-use app that allows users to request and pay for rides. However, their services are different, with Uber using independent contractors and Lyft drivers using their own vehicles. In addition, Lyft now provides food delivery services as well as a few other services. The two companies filed to go public in March, and their stock is now trading on the Nasdaq.
Cost of hailing a taxi
If you’re new to New York City, it may be surprising to learn that hailing a cab in New York can cost upwards of $10. It used to be that a taxi could cost $5 or $7, depending on the destination. Today, the base fare is $2.50, with additional surcharges based on the day of the week and time of day. Additionally, passengers are responsible for paying tolls and surcharges if they’re going outside the city.
Overcharging
A new report says that more than $8.3 million in passenger fares was illegally charged by New York City taxis in the past two years. The Taxi and Limousine Commission said that at least 1.8 million trips were wrongly charged at a rate twice as high as what is permitted within the city. The study found that out of 48,300 licensed cabbies, 35,558 drivers illegally overcharged at least one rider. More than 3,000 of those drivers had doubled the meter rate more than once.
Safety
Many people are worried about the safety of New York taxis. Despite the lack of regulation, the industry continues to experience a high rate of assaults on drivers and passengers. According to the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission, there were 802 medallion taxis involved in crashes in 2021 as of September. In those accidents, 374 people were injured, including three critically. One fatality was also reported. But accidents can happen in any vehicle.