September 17, 2024

NYC Taxi Tips & Rideshare Hacks + Mistakes to Avoid

20 minutes

An iconic piece of traveling in New York City is hailing a classic yellow taxi cab.

While sometimes it can be cheaper to take Lyft/Uber, hailing a taxi can be cheaper and easier if you get one right away.

Main Tip: Know the Cross Streets, Not Just an Address

The most important note for getting in a cab is to know the cross streets of your destination. If you’re going to a major landmark (Empire State Building, the Met, etc.) you may be fine just saying the name of the place, but for anything else, you will want the cross streets.

Here are some more general tips for taxis in New York City:

If the light on top of the cab is on, the cab is available)

If coming out of a busy area like a museum or Broadway show, consider going an avenue over where you’ll be competing with fewer people for a ride Walk against traffic, even if away from your destination, to get “above” other people trying to hail cabs if you don’t want to walk to a new avenue

Visibility is everything when trying to hail a cab. If the cab can’t see you, he won’t stop. If you put yourself in a position where the cab can see you ahead of time and has enough space to pull over and pick you up, that increases your odds of getting a ride quickly. The easier you make it on the driver, the easier it will be to get rides.

The vast majority of taxis take card or cash, and most take apply pay, etc. but it’s always good to ask as you get in.

Make sure the cab driver starts the meter when you get in. There will always be an initial charge when the ride starts so don’t worry about that. Just make sure you see a meter that’s in use. If the meter is not being used, it’s not a legal taxi. They should also have their taxi license number visible to you as a passenger.

Go to main avenues (6th Ave, Madison Ave, etc.) and go on the side of the street where the taxi can stop, you’re less likely to get as many cabs passing on cross streets (48th St, etc.)

This Episode's You'll Have to Check It Out Segment - Jasper's Taphouse & Kitchen

Jasper's is a phenomenal bar and restaurant in Hell's Kitchen with an extensive happy hour, friendly staff, and delicious bar-style entrees and appetizers.

They also have beer towers! Roughly 88oz of beer for only $30 during happy hour!

Plus, the music isn't too loud and there's sports on the TVs. What more can you ask for?

Check out Jasper's Taphouse & Kitchen here.

Rideshare Hacks

Prices for Lyft/Uber fluctuate highly depending on the weather (rain drives up prices), time of day (rush hour drives up prices), and your location.

Here are some general tips for using Lyft/Uber in NYC:

It’s a good idea to check both apps against each other to compare prices. Your experience will vary, but one is almost always a significant amount cheaper than the other.
Always confirm the license plate of the car you’re getting into, again it’s about safety

It’s often best to set your pickup location at a main avenue if possible, but it’s not completely necessary
Wait & save can save you 5-15%, so use that if you’re flexible on getting to your next destination. Most of the time, the wait ends up being slightly shorter than what the app will say

If you plan on using rideshare apps frequently while in New York City, it can be worth signing up for Lyft Pink or Uber One. The monthly cost can be offset with 3-5 rides.

We’ve loved our experience with Lyft Pink and have found it to be cheaper than Uber in most cases. Lyft Pink is $9.99/month or $99/year. So if you plan on using Lyft more than 3-4 times on your trip, the cost is likely worth it.

Lyft Pink also includes extra perks like:

Free Priority Pickup upgrades Member-exclusive pricing

12 free bike or scooter unlocks a year

Relaxed ride cancellations and lost & found fees Free Grubhub+ for a year

Never used Lyft before? Sign up via our referral link to get ride credits.

Show Notes:

Taxi Medallion Deep Dive

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By Ashley and Devin Stagg from Better Together Here

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