Everything you need to know about taking a taxi in New York City 2019

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Lilly

Oh, New York! It’s not just America’s city, it’s the world’s city. People travel to New York City for work and for play from all over the world. It has captured the hearts of the millions who call it home and the millions more who have been there. The New York appeal is so prevalent people fall in love with it from pictures, through the television, or from stories. From the Empire State Building to Broadway to Time Square to the Statue of Liberty to Central Park, there is so much to love and see in the City of Dreams. Yellow cabs are an iconic part of the New York cityscape. Uber and other rideshare platforms have been changing how people get around all over the world, but Taxis still remain a strong industry in New York City.

Uber has taken over the transportation scene all over the world. However, hailing a yellow cab in New York City is still easier than waiting on an Uber. All you have to do is walk outside and raise your hand to summon a taxi and with the thousands of taxis that traverse the NYC grid, you are bound to get one very quickly.

The argument many people make for taking Uber is the pricing. Prices are often much lower for Uber than traditional taxis. However, in New York City this is not the case as the two services have very similar pricing and during busier times Taxis usually end up being even cheaper than Uber. For every taxi ride, there is a base fare of $2.50. During the hours of 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm, there is an additional $1 surcharge. Between the hours of 8:00 pm and 6:00 am, it is an additional $.50. For every ⅕ of a mile after it is $.50 going above six mph. Going under six mph or at a stand still there is a $.50 charge for every two minutes. There is no per person or luggage charge, but if you do go through a toll, you are responsible for that fee. Taxis accept credit cards, but it may be easier to simply pay in cash. However, keep in mind that most drivers do not accept bills over a $20 bill. Just like Uber drivers, bartenders, waitresses, and bellhops, you should tip your taxi driver. They are hard workers and a 15% tip is the industry average.

The Big Apple has so much to offer. It is a city people love around the world. The yellow cabs are a part of what makes the city so special. With prices between Ubers and taxis being so similar, why not hop in an iconic yellow cab? You can always find a taxi fare estimate at TaxiFareFinder.com to see how much it will cost or use RideGuru to compare the cost of an Uber to a taxi for your journey!

Taxi Cabs at Frankfurt Airport 2019

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Lilly

Frankfurt is an international financial hub and the fifth largest city in Germany. It is also a huge tourist attraction with the Goethe Museum, the Christmas Market, Altstadt, and so much more. Germany is a beautiful place to visit for the culture, history, scenery, food, and more. People are always flying in and out of Frankfurt airport on business or pleasure, so the Frankfurt airport sees quite a bit of comings and goings every day. With all the people at the airport, there has to be some options for transportation because not everyone has a friend who can pick them up or drop them off. Luckily, there are several options to get to and to take from Frankfurt airport.

From the airport to downtown Frankfurt, it is 12 km or about 7.5 miles, which will take you about 20 minutes by taxi. If you’re already at the airport, you can find the taxis outside on the first level of Terminal 1 or on the ground level of Terminal 2. The taxis are available 24 hours a day, so you’ll never be without transportation. Taxi service is heavily regulated in Germany. Taxi meters are mandatory with tariffs set by the local authorities, which means all the taxis will have the same pricing scale. For a trip from the airport to the city center or vice versa it will be about €30. There are four taxi services operating in Frankfurt: Frankfurt Airport Taxi, Rhein Main Taxi Service, Taxi 33 Echo Funk, and Frankfurt’s Taxi Ruf. If you don’t want to wait for a taxi, you can always download and use the MyTaxi app. It is an app which you can use to hail or book a taxi; this is perfect for the chilly winters when you don’t want to stand outside.

Taxis are a great option at the airport, but they’re not the only option. Uber and BlablaCar are apps you can use to get around Frankfurt and the surrounding areas. Uber works the same in Frankfurt as anywhere else. Uber is not legal in most of Germany, but it does operate in Frankfurt – and three other cities Munich, Berlin, and Dusseldorf. BlablaCar is a carpooling app allowing people to ride together to cut the cost of the trip. These are great taxi alternatives if you’re looking to go straight to your destination.

Germany also has a great network of public transportation. There is a regional train station in the basement of Terminal 1 called the S-Bahn, which will take you to the central train station or Haupthahnhof. The train will only take 15 minutes to reach the city center, which is almost always faster than by car. Not only is it faster, it is considerably cheaper at €4,95 or €9,65 for a day pass, which covers all public transportation to anywhere locally.

Getting to and from the airport in Frankfurt is not difficult. Taxis are by far the most direct option, and you can always find your exact fare by using TaxiFareFinder or RideGuru.

Taking a Taxi or Uber with Young Children, a 2019 Guide

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Lilly

Traveling with young children comes with a whole new set of challenges but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t throw in the towel! It will take a little bit more research but the reward of seeing your little one explore the world is well worth it. Today we wanted to answer one of the most popular questions we receive, “How do I take a taxi with a baby or toddler?”. “Do I need a car seat?”. “Are their any ride services that are family friendly?”.

These questions are very important but also difficult to answer as car seat and for hire vehicle laws can change from region to region. To start, most cities require that a child is secured in a car seat in taxis or rideshares but in two major cities, New York City and Las Vegas, taxi cabs are currently exempt from the car seat law. This makes it legal for children to ride in taxi cabs without a car seat (please note, we do not condone this and still strongly encourage parents to bring their own car seat to secure into the back of the taxi cab). Even in regions where a car seat is not mandatory most taxi companies will have car seats on hand if you call and reserve the car ahead of time and ask for a car seat. While this takes some extra planning, you will thank yourself when you do not have to lug a car seat around all day!

Uber and Lyft on the other hand always require children who are of car seat age to be safely secured in an age appropriate seat. You are allowed to bring your own child seat if you wish or you can order Uber’s family friendly option, Uber Car Seat (also know as Uber Family). Uber Car Seat will bring you a car already equipped with a forward facing car seat. These car seats can accommodate children who are at least 1 years old and are between 22 and 48 pounds and 31 and 52 inches. If your child is younger than this or under the height/weight requirements you will need to bring your own carseat. Unfortunately, Uber Car Seat is only available in a few cities and be aware that a $10 surcharge will be added to your ride.

Currently Uber Car Seat is available in Philadelphia, NYC, Washington DC, Baltimore, Orlando, Istanbul Turkey, and Cluj and Bucharest Romania.

Lyft also offers car seat rides but only in NYC (and through their Disney Minnie Van Program). The Lyft car seat requirements for height, weight, and age are the exact same as Uber’s, however, the surcharge is slightly less at $8.98

Finally, there are other services that cater specifically to families traveling with young children. These service will always provide car seats and booster seats without you having to book ahead. To see if there is a child-friendly rideshare service in your area check out this article here.

Ready to start planning your trip? We suggest you look up your estimates fares in advance to find out which car service is cheapest for your family on RideGuru.

Which is Cheaper, a Van Taxi or an Uber XL?

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Lilly

Planning logistics when traveling with a larger party can be quite frustrating and time consuming. Not to mention expensive! Our friends over at RideGuru did some research on whether a traditional Van Taxi or an Uber is cheaper for a group of 5 to 6 people. Keep reading to see their analysis.

First, what is a Van Taxi? A van taxi or minivan taxi is still a traditional yellow cab but instead of a sedan that can only seat up to 4 passengers, the car is a minivan that can seat up to 5 or 6 passengers. Uber XL is Uber’s version of a van taxi, an Uber XL is also a minivan car with seating for up to 6 people.

It is important to note that in most cities van taxis are the same price as sedan taxis so for this comparison RideGuru used traditional taxi price estimates to compare with Uber XL estimates.

The first comparison RideGuru completed was in New York City from Grand Central Station to Lower Manhattan and Taxi (same as Taxi Van) came out cheaper. As you can see below, the estimated price for a van taxi for this trip is $17.21 vs Uber XL which is $20.43 plus the potential for surge pricing. For longer routes these two prices would only get farther apart as Uber XL’s metered per mile fee is more than a Van Taxi Cabs.

Next RideGuru tested out the fares in Boston, MA by completing a route from Logan Airport to Fenway Stadium. Again Traditional Taxi Cabs came out cheaper than Uber XL by about $3. And remember once again, this was without any Surge Pricing that Uber could activate at any time.

Lastly, RideGuru compared Van Taxis and Uber XL in Chicago, Seattle, and Detroit and each time Taxi won over Uber XL.

Though, this isn’t always the case. In Miami and San Francisco RideGuru found that Uber XL was actually cheaper than a Van Taxi!

Test out your route on RideGuru to see if taking a Van Taxi is more economical than Uber in your city, it may save you some travel cash!

*note: Some cities do charge a per person surcharge for each passenger after the first. Normally this per person surcharge does not exceed $1 per person, so the amount is fairly minimal but as Uber XL does not charge an per person fee it is important to note.

Should I take a taxi or call an ambulance?

Posted on June 11, 2019 by Lilly

It is a natural reaction to immediately reach for your phone and call for an ambulance when you or a loved one is hurt. The safety and security that an ambulance provides can offer some reassurance that everything will be ok, or at least comfort in knowing that you will be taken care of properly.

But, unfortunately, an ambulance can also cost over a thousand dollars, even if you have insurance! For a ride that may be as quicker than 15-minutes, this is hard price to swallow. If you’re not in critical condition, there may be a better option for you. Calling for a taxi or rideshare ride instead can be a great alternative, and will likely cost closer to only $20 for a 15-minute drive.

There is a lot of information out there telling people to NOT call a taxi when they are injured but in our opinion, if you are not in a life threatening or critical condition calling for a taxi may truly be the best option for you.

If you think about it, the time it takes for an Uber or taxi to arrive in a busy city is probably a less than calling for an ambulance anyways, so it could actually get you to the hospital faster!

Another benefit for taking a taxi for non life threatening injuries is that you are “freeing” up the ambulances for people who truly do need immediate medical assistance or treatment.

With a taxi or rideshare vehicle you get more power over your situation as well. Often times when calling an ambulance, they will transport you to the nearest hospital without giving you a choice as to which you would prefer. With a taxi you can request where the driver takes you.

Please keep in mind that many taxi companies and both Uber and Lyft have stated that they should not be used as an alternative to calling 911 (likely for liability reasons). Some of cases where a person most definitely should not use a taxi over an ambulance includes when a person is having trouble breathing, pregnancy-related complications, signs of stroke, heart-attack, an asthma attack, and anything that results in severe pain. This also might be obvious, but if you are experiencing discomfort that results in your bodily fluids not being under control, you also should NOT be taking a taxi or Uber!

Finally, be aware that some rideshare and taxi drivers may also choose to cancel the ride once they arrive if you look as though you are in critical condition. No one wants to be responsible for your health, so use your judgement when deciding between a taxi and an ambulance and if you still are unsure which to use then stay safe and call the ambulance!

Taxi Vs. Uber: A study on what travelers prefer

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Lilly

Which is better, a traditional taxi or a rideshare like Uber?

Recently, the rideshare and taxi comparison website, RideGuru, released results to a comprehensive rideshare survey detailing how our society views rideshares, taxis, and other methods of ground transportation.

The results were fascinating and more specifically the outcome of rider perception on the ever present “taxi vs. Uber” debate was quite surprising. It seems with all the talk and hoopla surrounding rideshares that taxis, sadly, are becoming a thing of the past, however, 53% of travelers claim to have zero preference between a taxi or rideshare company.

According to a follow up survey, participants revealed that the three main reasons they continuously switch between various taxi and rideshare companies is 1. price, 2. availability, and 3. customer support.

While rideshares tend to be cheaper than taxis, they can be problematic during busy times when few cars are available. Riders have to either wait until demand has died down or pay extreme surge prices, many times paying more than they would with a traditional taxi.

It is also no secret, that Uber’s customer support is not all that helpful. For those riders who value good customer support and the security of knowing their ride will be available when they need it, a good old taxi is the much safer option.

Which do you prefer Uber or Taxi? Comment below!

What is Cargo? The new service that puts extra cash in the hands of drivers.

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Lilly

As Taxi or Rideshare Driver, we know you’re invested in finding the best ways to increase your earnings while on the road. One of our favorite ways to easily boost driver income is through Cargo, a platform that helps you earn more money by providing small products to your passengers.

Think of it as a free store inside your car that allows you to earn around an extra $100 per month!

Cargo is 100% free for drivers.
Cargo helps you increase ratings and tips.
Cargo works with all rideshare companies.
Cargo drivers earn an extra $100 on average.
Top 10% of Cargo drivers earn $300+

Cargo’s system is easy for drivers, sending new products automatically when you run low. Products range from snacks, small electronic accessories, personal care, energy, and beauty products that keep your riders comfortable throughout their trip.

How does Cargo work?

Riders scan the QR code, or go to cargo.menu on their browser, to start shopping. Once they decide what they would like, the rider checkouts through the app, and then the driver hands over the purchased items when it is safe to do so. Simple as that!

Driver Testimonials

Here are some testimonials from drivers on the RideGuru community forum:

“When passengers see the box, they get super excited. It’s been a great way to engage with riders and start a conversation. Passengers are really surprised and excited when they realize they can get free items.”
“I’m making an extra $20-$50 extra a week that I didn’t have before Cargo. I’ve used this money to treat myself to things I wouldn’t normally buy.”

Drivers receive payouts from Cargo every week and if you receive any tips through Cargo, they are 100% yours. It’s a great way to make some extra cash with very little extra work and no extra time out of your day!

Try Cargo today!

Auto Insurance Options for Rideshare and Taxi Drivers

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Lilly

Where can I get rideshare insurance? Do I need special auto insurance as a taxi driver? If you are a driver and you find yourself asking these questions, take a moment to read this article from RideGuru and understand what rideshare insurance covers and why it is important.

In most cases, if you drive a personal vehicle for a ridesharing application such as Uber or Lyft, the insurance policies provided by the rideshare companies will not cover you fully in case of an accident.

Luckily, as the ridesharing market has boomed in popularity, auto insurance carriers have developed unique insurance plans that will cover you for both your personal driving and for the periods of time you are picking and dropping off passengers.

Before we get into different policies, it is important to understand the 4 coverage periods that a typical driver will find themselves in.

Rideshare Insurance Coverage Periods

Period 0: App is off; you are not rideshare driving.

Daily routine trips that have nothing to do with ridesharing. Your personal policy covers you.

Period 1: App is on and you’re waiting for a ride request.

Period 1, when a driver has logged into the app and is waiting for a ride request, is when drivers are the most vulnerable for an insurance gap. Your personal policy doesn’t cover this period and Uber and Lyft insurance is limited to a small amount of liability coverage.

Period 2: You’ve accepted a request and are en route to pick up your passenger.

The rideshare company’s policy will cover most expenses during this period.

Period 3: You’ve picked up your passengers.

You are fully covered by the rideshare company’s policy.

Why do drivers need rideshare insurance?

Rideshare insurance has gaps. As highlighted above, rideshare insurance coverage only applies after you have accepted a ride request but will not cover you while you wait for a ride.

Not only is your personal insurance unlikely to cover any incidents while your rideshare drivers app in on, you could even find yourself with a completely cancelled policy if you haven’t disclosed your side hustle to your carrier.

Not all insurance companies offer rideshare insurance policies. If yours doesn’t, it’s time to look elsewhere, who knows you may even find a better rate! RideGuru’s rideshare insurance finder can help you easily find a quote in seconds.

How Much Does Rideshare Insurance Cost?

Like personal auto insurance, rideshare insurance costs depend on multiple factors such as your location, driving record, the amount of coverage you desire, the number of miles you drive your car, etc. Typically we see the add-on of rideshare insurance to be about $5 – $18 extra per month but depending on which insurance carrier you go with, you may be able to reduce your insurance cost altogether.

FAQs

I got in an accident without Rideshare Insurance. What should I do?

Hopefully you never find yourself in this situation as the ramifications for getting into an accident without the proper insurance coverage can be very costly. If you are in this situation and your personal insurance carrier will not cover you, the coverage from your rideshare company should take away some of the burden, however, it may be a relatively small amount depending on when (what period) you had your accident.

Is Rideshare Insurance Available in my State?

There are some states that currently do not offer rideshare insurance. Check to see if your state is one of these and if so, contact your insurance provider to get advice on what you should do.

Do I need Rideshare Insurance to drive for Lyft or Uber?

In short, yes. Many states require rideshare insurance if you are driving customers for money, regardless of the application.

Looking for more information, check out this Rideshare Insurance Thread on RideGuru’s Forum and discuss options with other drivers.

RideGuru iPhone App, a Travelers Best Companion

Posted on August 22, 2017 by TaxiFareFinder

Want to compare the cost of taxis, limos, Uber, Lyft and others while on the go? Wish there was one app that could hail any taxi or rideshare for you? Check out the new RideGuru iPhone app, the search engine for all rideshares.

The RideGuru iPhone and iPad application compares rideshare and taxi rates across hundreds of services (Uber, Lyft, Ola, Didi Kauidi, Fasten, traditional taxis, limo networks, etc) in thousands of cities worldwide to bring you the best deals no matter where you are traveling.

Not only does RideGuru save you money, it also saves travelers time by allowing users to quickly filter their results to find a car that fits their specifications. Once the perfect ride has been found, simply hail or dispatch your desired ride straight from the RideGuru app.

According to the Press Release released today, “RideGuru is known to be the most robust rideshare comparison tool in the world. Through its vast support of all rideshare, taxi, and limo companies worldwide, users will feel secure in finding a local ride even if their destination is off the beaten track.”

If you plan on using rideshares or taxis during your upcoming travels, download RideGuru and travel with confidence!

To learn more about the RideGuru mobile app click here.

To view the Press Release please click here.

To view a Text Only Press Release please see below.

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Rideshare Aggregator, RideGuru, Now Available on App Store

Boston, MA, August 22, 2017

Calling all travelers! This innovative rideshare search engine saves you time, money, and energy.

RideGuru, the rideshare comparison app, is now available for iPhone and iPad users. Powered by the popular travel website, RideGuru, the RideGuru mobile app is a search engine for rideshares and other on-demand ground transportation services. Users can compare costs of various rideshares and taxi services worldwide, then hail their desired car straight from the app.

Since RideGuru’s release in September 2016, the site has stood out as the aggregator of taxis, limos, and rideshares. Not only does RideGuru compare large on-demand car services such as Uber and Lyft, it also scours rates from hundreds of smaller services to bring the user an array of travel options. Through its vast support of all rideshare, taxi, and limo companies worldwide, users will feel secure in finding a local ride even if their destination is off the beaten track.

Ippei Takahashi, the CEO/President of Unleashed, LLC, states, “Thanks to the adoption of on-demand economy, there has never been so many ride options available. There are great offerings out there, but unfortunately, the consumers are either not aware of them or lack the visibility into the services they have access to. That’s what we are trying to fix with RideGuru: provide visibility to the users and encourage competition between the providers.”

Lillien Kenyon, the business and operations lead at RideGuru, adds “Most travelers compare the costs of airfares, hotels, and car rentals. We want to bring the same philosophy to rideshares, saving travelers both time and money.”

The RideGuru app supports more than 100 rideshare services from companies such as Uber, Lyft, Juno, Grab, Curb, Fasten, Wingz, and Zum. Users can filter the choices, by entering number of passengers, car type, accommodations, and other specialty features, such as rideshares for women and children or “shared rides” like UberPool and Lyft Line.

Once users have made their selection, they can dispatch the ride from Uber or Lyft directly, with similar dispatch support coming soon for other rideshare companies.

RideGuru is known to be the most robust rideshare comparison tool in the world. To learn more about RideGuru’s groundbreaking fare comparison technology visit RideGuru.

About RideGuru
RideGuru, a product of Unleashed, LLC, is an all-inclusive rideshare and taxi information source. RideGuru is not another transportation service, instead, it is a search engine to help you find the best ride from point A to point B. It scours rates from hundreds of services worldwide to bring you the best deals.

About Unleashed, LLC
Unleashed, LLC is a Boston-based technology company that specializes in creating websites and smartphone applications to provide users with the information they need for daily decisions. The company is best known for creating the popular travel site TaxiFareFinder.com. TaxiFareFinder, released in 2007, is an online resource for all things related to taxis and rideshares. TaxiFareFinder is best recognized for its groundbreaking, location based, taxi and rideshare fare calculators.

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Calculate your UberPool or Lyft Line Ride with RideGuru

Posted on July 25, 2017 by TaxiFareFinder

RideGuru, a fare comparison calculator, just announced that they are now supporting UberPool, Lyft Line, and Ola Share rides! With many of these shared rides costing between 20-40% less than traditional services like Uber X or Lyft, it will be interesting to see how many people choose savings over comfort.

According to this blog post by Uber, in the first two years after releasing UberPool, riders requested more than 250 million UberPool rides and globally 20% of all Uber rides completed are through UberPool. Now that travelers have an easy way to compare the cost of various shared rides with other standard services, we wonder if that number will increase further.

Apart from adding shared rides, RideGuru also added a number of smaller rideshare companies to their site to give users more options when selecting a ride. Many of these smaller rideshare companies also help to fill certain niches like women only, airport rides, or rides specially designed for kids.

To learn more view the full Press Release here.

To view a Text Only Press Release please see below.

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BOSTON, MA, June 25, 2017

RideGuru took on a major expansion, adding more than 50 rideshare companies to their site. RideGuru’s mission has always been to bring transparency to the rideshare market by providing reliable fare estimates for rideshare and taxi companies around the globe.

With the recent boom of smaller, more niche rideshare companies, this transparency is more important than ever. Consumers now have multiple choices for ground transportation travel in almost every city around the world. RideGuru helps to cut through the chaos by bringing a fair and equal voice to the smaller companies.

Lillien Kenyon, the business and operations lead at RideGuru, expands on RideGuru’s mission saying, “We have always wanted to create a fair platform for all rideshare companies, big and small. With a few big players dominating the rideshare scene, it can be difficult for some of the smaller companies to be seen, even if they have competitive pricing or fill a unique niche. Through our addition of many of these smaller rideshare services, customers can get an unbiased look at the current marketplace and choose the transportation company that best suits their needs”

Not only is the rideshare market booming with new companies, it is also seeing a shift toward shared rides. Consumers are willing to share rides with strangers if it means a cheaper fare. RideGuru, to accommodate this trend, has added UberPool, Lyft Line, and Ola Share estimates in their Fare Comparison Calculator. With this new addition, users are able to see how much they can save by taking a shared ride over an Uber X or traditional Lyft.

Ippei Takahashi, the CEO/President of Unleashed, LLC, states, “This feature has been one of the biggest asks from our users, as the pricing rules for shared rides are very cryptic and difficult to estimate. While these offerings by Uber and Lyft are still unproven, this can be a very promising option for users to save money. Are users willing to take longer trips and sacrifice comfort for cheaper fares? We are thinking yes, but it may be limited to certain demographics.”

Takahashi also adds, “At RideGuru, we strive to be the most reliable and comprehensive resource for people who utilize on-demand ground transportation. Supporting UberPool, Lyft Line, and many of the smaller ‘challengers’ shows our commitment to this mission.”

For a full list of the companies that are currently supported on RideGuru click here.

About RideGuru

RideGuru, a product of Unleashed, LLC, is an all-inclusive rideshare and taxi information source.

RideGuru is not another transportation service, instead, it is a free search engine to help you find the best ride from point A to point B. It scours rates from hundreds of services worldwide to bring you the best deals.

About Unleashed, LLC

Unleashed, LLC is a Boston-based technology company that specializes in creating websites and smartphone applications to provide users with the information they need for daily decisions. The company is best known for creating the popular travel site TaxiFareFinder.com. TaxiFareFinder, released in 2007, is an online resource for all things related to taxis and rideshares. TaxiFareFinder is best recognized for its groundbreaking, location based, taxi and rideshare fare calculators.