New York City Taxi

Seems like there are a million taxi cabs in New York City.

Taxi Advice

All official New York City taxi cabs are yellow and have: a metal seal on the hood ("medallion"); a light with taxi number on the roof; meter for billing; special taxi license plates; and a divider in the car.

If only the medallion number on the roof is lit, the taxi is available for hire. If the medallion number on the roof is not lit or the off-duty sign on the roof is lit, the taxi is not available for hire.

The meter starts at $2.50, and then $.40 for each 1/5 mile afterwards. There is a night surcharge of $0.50 (8 PM to 6 AM) and a rush hour surcharge of $1.00
(4 PM to 8 PM M-F).

A tip of 10-20% is expected and passengers must pay all tolls.

Credit card acceptance is being phased in, but, currently, very few accept credit or debit cards. Expect to pay cash.

Livery or Black Car (limousines) Known as limousines or limos, these cars may only be called by phone, for a trip and are flat rate rather than metered (ask for the fare before getting in), and are not allowed to cruise the street or airports for fares.

Since yellow cabs are hard to come by during rush hours, limos are particularly useful for getting to the airport (your hotel can arrange one or look up the yellow pages). In some areas, livery cabs can be flagged on the street. Though this is technically illegal, it is useful in upper Manhattan and is accepted practise.

Negotiate the fare before you get inside a limousine. A tip of 10-20% is expected and passengers must pay all tolls.

Be wary of unlicensed cars (known as 'gypsy cabs') cruising for passengers, especially near the airports. While drivers may claim to offer you a cheaper rate than an actual taxi, your chances of actually getting this rate (not to mention getting to your destination safely and quickly) are slim. If you are in doubt, ask an airport staffer for help finding a cab.