A New York City taxi ride is akin to a high speed
car chase like those found in the movies. Taxi cab drivers try to
get as many fares as they can, so they want to get you where
you're going as fast as humanly possible. Cabbies are professional
drivers, so don't panic at frequent lane changes or driving on two
wheels- it's part of the experience. Cabbies are also great
sources of information, so don't be afraid to ask them questions.
However, you might want to wait until you near your destination,
as unscrupulous cabbies might try to take you for another
ride.
The standard rate is $2 plus
30 cents for each fifth of a mile. Thirty more
cents are added for every 75 seconds in slow or stopped traffic,
all tolls are paid by the passenger, and a fifteen percent tip is
expected.
Don't be rooked by drivers of any cabs other
than the yellow ones; they're the only ones licensed by the state.
If you're not sure how to hail a cab, simply do the following.
Stand on the corner of a street and wave your hand around as one
approaches, just like they do in the movies. If the light on top
of the cab is lit, then you're golden; no light means no ride for
you. Cabbies don't allow more than four people in one car, but
sharing is a great idea.
TAXI RIDER'S BILL OF RIGHTS
As a taxi rider, you have the right to:
- Direct the destination and route used;
- Travel to any destination in the five boroughs of the City
of New York;
- A courteous, English-speaking driver who knows the streets
in Manhattan and the way to major destinations in other
boroughs;
- A driver who knows and obeys all traffic laws;
- Air-conditioning on demand;
- A radio-free (silent) trip;
- Smoke and incense-free air;
- A clean passenger seat area;
- A clean trunk
- A driver who uses the horn only when necessary to warn of
danger
Refuse to tip, if the above are not complied with.
Trips Beyond the City
For a trip beyond the limits of the City of New
York, except for the Counties of Westchester or Nassau, or the
facilities of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey at
Newark Airport, the fare shall be a flat rate (a flat rate is a
definite amount fixed between the driver and the passenger at the
start of the trip).
For a trip to the Counties of Westchester or
Nassau the fare shall be:
the amount shown on the taximeter for that
portion of the trip that is inside city limits, plus twice the
amount shown on the meter for that portion of the trip that is
outside the city limits; and all necessary tolls to and from the
destination shall be paid by the passenger.
For a trip to Newark Airport the fare shall be:
the amount shown on the taximeter plus a
surcharge of $10.00; and all necessary tolls to and from the
destination shall be paid by the passenger.
Any continuous trip where the point of origin
and the destination are both within the limits of the City of New
York shall not be considered a trip beyond the City limits, even
though the shortest and most direct route requires traveling
outside such limits but within contiguous counties. For such a
trip the meter must be kept in the recording position throughout.
