Tag Archives: uber cost

8 Travel Tips to Plan Ahead of Time

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travel tips to plan ahead of time

Heading on a trip soon for an early Holiday excursion? Even if you’re not, we wanted to share a list of useful tips to use whenever you are traveling, even just for the weekend! Many people start their adventures without thinking about what to do before they leave to make the most of their time, and we are here to give you some helpful things to do before you hop on the plane.

travel tips to plan ahead of time

  1. Check into your flight ahead of time. Most Airlines will allow you to check into your flight before you get to the Airport, which can help you avoid some of the long lines once you get to the Airport.
    planning ahead for travel
  2. Staying in a hostel or Airbnb? Make sure you purchase travel size commodities ahead of time, and remember that you can bring up to 3 ounces on an airplane, so most travel sizes will fit! This will make it easier so you don’t have to find a convenience store once you get there (it may also be more expensive to purchase if you wait).travel tips
  3. If you’re going to a non-English speaking country, it’s important that you have at least basic knowledge and understanding of the language they speak so you are able to communicate at an elementary level when necessary. Purchasing a language book may also be helpful!planning travel ahead of time
  4. Purchase a nice, durable backpack to carry around with you at all times. This makes it easy to carry snacks, water, and additional clothes you may need while exploring the area you are traveling. With a organized packed backpack hopefully you won’t have to go back to your Airbnb the whole day and can focus on your adventures!
    planning a trip ahead of time
  5. This sounds old school, but printing out a map of the area you are going is always very useful in exploring a new city, especially if you won’t be able to use cell service! Let yourself get lost in exploring for a little while, but let the map guide your way back.
    schedule uber ahead of time
  6. Traveling to a destination without a vehicle? One of the most important things to arrange ahead of time is your transportation arrangements. You can even use our taxi fare calculator that will help you calculate the cost and duration of your taxi ahead of time. And if you’re looking for a comparison of different rideshare companies in the area, try out Ride Guru to relieve the stress that transportation can be.order money ahead of time
  7. Order Currency! Check with your credit card providers first to see if they charge any international fees (most do, usually 3%). If they don’t have a charge, you may not need to order currency ahead of time but it is a must if you will not be able to use your credit card without a fee. Go to your local bank to exchange money at the least expensive rate. Also, always check that you are receiving the correct currency amount based on the current exchange rate (available through Google or sites like x-rates).proactive travel tips
  8. Don’t forget to pack your passport and any other legal travel documents you need! If you’re going on an extended stay, make sure you have some type of insurance as well.

Oh, and one last thing, enjoy your trip! Make the most of your time spent and challenge yourself to adventure in places you never dreamed of exploring.

 

 

Help Us to Keep Rideshares Transparent!

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With the release of our new site, RideGuru, the TaxiFareFinder/RideGuru team has become passionate about bringing transparency to the ridesharing community. Rideshares, such as Uber and Lyft, have their benefits but they also can be hampered by a lack of transparency.

Take a look at the video below to see how RideGuru is helping to bring insight into the ridesharing industry and let us know your thoughts below!

Top 5 Places to Take a Taxi This Fall

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Summer is over and it’s no longer perfect weather for the beach. Have no fear, there are still so many places to go this fall! No matter what city you live in, there is a place for you to take your taxi. So hop into Fall and enjoy the ride!

apple-picking

  1. Apple Picking: ‘Tis the season of fresh crisp apples! Even if you’re from the city, there is bound to be an apple orchard nearby, and a taxi can always take you there! Enjoy the fruit, and don’t forget to grab a cider donut on your way out!hot-air-balloon
  2. Hot Air Balloon Ride: Although this is not your every-day fall activity, riding in a hot air balloon ride is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will want to try this fall. Make a day out of it and enjoy the beautiful view! tailgate
  3. Your local football game: Even if you’re not a sports fan, make sure to at least stop by your local football game and tailgate, if only for the food. This is a staple event of fall and a can’t-miss experience. potluck
  4. Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner: Come one, come all! A potluck dinner is an awesome event to have in the fall, so talk with your friends and plan a group gathering! And don’t worry about driving through the city with your mashed potatoes — grab a taxi for a no-worry drive!foliage2
  5. Foliage at the park: Last but not least, make sure you take some time to enjoy the changing scenery around you! Fall is everywhere, and it goes by quickly, so make sure you don’t miss it!

Wherever you go this fall, know that TaxiFareFinder is there as a resource.  Find your fare on our website and enjoy!

Everything You Need to Know About Uber

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the uber storyEverything you need to know about Uber, including where they got funding, what cities they operate in, their competitors, and what services they offer.

Are we missing anything? Comment below!

Do You Tip Your Uber Driver?

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Uber has been making headlines recently for settling a class action lawsuit brought forth by Uber’s very own drivers. The claim was based on unfair wage and labor practices, and Uber ended up paying for it to the tune of $100 million dollars. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the settlement also demanded that Uber clarify their stance on tipping, or in other words give drivers the go ahead to solicit tips. This is where things get interesting.

For those of you who are familiar with the rideshare giant, you may understand why this is a surprising move by Uber. For years now, Uber has been conditioning their riders – and the general public – to forget about tips. According to Uber, tipping was never part of their business plan and in a recent blog post, the company stated, “When we started Uber six years ago, we thought long and hard about whether to build a tipping option into the app. In the end, we decided against including one because we felt it would be better for riders and drivers to know for sure what they would pay or earn on each trip  —  without the uncertainty of tipping. That’s still the case today. Tipping is not included, nor is it expected or required.”

So on one hand Uber is telling the general public (through their settlement) that they will now allow drivers to solicit tips, yet on the other hand they are still stating that “Tipping is not included, nor is it expected or required.”. Furthermore, Uber wont be introducing a way for passengers to tip via the app, meaning those riders who wish to tip will have to carry good old fashioned cash.

Clearly, Uber’s faux pas stance on tipping is confusing! In order to bring some clarity to the situation, we asked our readers to participate in a poll titled “Do You Tip Your Uber Driver?” and we got an overwhelming number of responses.

So far we have received 138 responses from our readers regarding the question, “Do You Tip Your Uber Driver?” and here is how the results played out.

Preview of your graph

49% of participants stated NO, 33% stated YES, and 18% stated SOMETIMES. Seems like the public is pretty fairly divided on whether or not you are supposed to tip your Uber driver, furthering the point that Uber’s tipping stance is just downright confusing.

This seems, to us, to give Uber’s rival Lyft a pretty distinct advantage, as Lyft has always included an in-app tipping feature, making it clear to riders that they can add a few extra dollars if they wish. This simple show of a confidence on tipping procedure could end up pulling some customers away from the rideshare giant Uber, and garner the underdog Lyft some momentum within the industry. It will certainly be interesting to see!

Uber: How to Download and Use the Uber App

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  1. Download the Uber app from the app store on your smartphone. Uber is available for download on: iPhone (iOS 7 or newer), Android (Jelly Bean or newer), BlackBerry (BB OS 7 only), Windows Phone 8.
  2. Create an account. Once you have downloaded the Uber app, you will be asked to create an account. Enter your name, email address, phone number, and credit or debit card information. Be sure to enable location services when the option appears, as this will allow for more accurate GPS capabilities when requesting a ride. Once you have filled in your account details read Uber’s terms and conditions to make sure that you are OK with Uber’s terms and privacy policy before continuing on with the service.
  3. Click the Sign Up button. Once you have filled in your account details and read over the terms of service, click the sign up button. Your account will be created and you will be sent an email confirming your new Uber account. You’re now ready to start using Uber.
  4. Fill in the details for your first ride. Once you have completed your account creation, you are ready to take your first ride! You will need to set your pickup location; an address will be auto-populated based on your GPS location but double check to make sure that it is accurate. You can input an address manually if it is incorrect. Next, you will need to choose which level of service you want. Uber offers several types of services based on vehicle type, size, and cost. For the full list of Uber services with descriptions please click here.
  5. Request your ride. Once you submit your request, a nearby Uber driver will be notified of your pickup location. A time estimate will be provided and you will be able to watch your Uber car arrive utilizing the driver’s GPS location. All details surrounding your driver and ride will be provided, including: driver photo, contact information, vehicle make, and license plate number. If you need to give your driver any additional details, you can contact your driver at this stage!
  6. Enter your end destination. Input the address of your final destination while you wait for your ride to arrive. This will save time and provide a route ahead of time.
  7. Enjoy your ride. Once you see your Uber ride approaching your pick up location on your Uber app, start looking out for your Uber car. Once you locate your ride, simply hop in the vehicle. The GPS will provide the driver with a route, but you are able to suggest a better way if you wish. Once you arrive at your destination, simply exit the vehicle. The trip cost will be taken out of your debit or credit card automatically. If you wish to tip, you may do so in cash. Once your ride is over your will receive a receipt via email with a breakdown of the ride, including fare and route explanation.
  8. Rate your experience. Once your ride is marked as complete, you will be prompted to rate your Uber drive. The rating is out of 5 stars, keep in mind Uber drivers must maintain a 4.6 rating in order to be eligible to drive for Uber.

 

Extra help articles on Uber:

Please click here to learn about Uber’s Surge Pricing

Please click here to learn how to calculate the price of your Uber ride.

Find your Uber Fare with UberFareFinder (Video)

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New to Uber? Need an Uber estimate? Want to avoid Surge Pricing? Check out UberFareFinder.com!

With UberFareFinder.com, you can easily find the price of your Uber ride whether you are riding in an UberX, UberXL, Uber Black, Uber SUV, and so on! UberFareFinder will estimate the price of your ride for every Uber car service available and will even display real-time surge pricing so you can better decide which ride is right for you. Once you have chosen your Uber car choice, you can even dispatch your ride straight from UberFareFinder.

To learn more about UberFareFinder.com, check out this helpful tutorial!

Our YouTube Channel

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When you are looking for advice or help it is always nice to have a plethora of helpful articles right at your fingertips but sometimes you may not have time to read through multiple articles, searching for the answer to your question. Our team here at TaxiFareFinder, knows how valuable your time is and while we love creating various articles to help answer any and every rideshare and taxi question imaginable we also created a YouTube channel for those seeking fast information.

We have videos on “What is Ridesharing”, “How to use our RideGuru tool”, “How to Order an Uber or Lyft “, and more! Check it out today and let us know what other videos you would like to see in the comments below!

Click Here to Visit Our YouTube Channel.

 

 

Ride Comparison: East Coast Edition

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The price of transportation can vary significantly from city to city, but have you ever wondered how they vary in different areas of the United States? We are breaking down the costs of UberX, Lyft, and traditional taxis across the country based on location. Our series of infographics looks at the costs of transportation across the 5 largest cities by population on the West Coast, East Coast, Midwest, and Southwest.

Uber, Disney World, & a Little Pixie Dust!

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Spring break is just around the corner and many families are getting ready to take a trip to most magical place on earth, Disney World. While it is easy to dream about filling your Disney days with pixie dust, fairy-tales, and magical memories, the reality is that planning a Disney trip takes, well, a LOT of planning. Luckily, our team is here to give you the ultimate guide on using Uber and Lyft at Walt Disney World resorts, so you can go ahead and cross “transportation” right off your to do list!

First, if you haven’t heard of or used Uber before, check out this helpful article here or watch this video to get started!

Now that you are an expert on Uber, let’s talk about using Uber for airport transportation, park to park transportation, and general Orlando transportation.

 

Airport to Disney

If you are flying into Orlando International Airport, it is important to note that, only Uber Black (The luxury Uber option) and Uber Family (Designed for families, car is equipped with at least 1 car seat), are allowed to pick up passengers at this airport. The regular Uber services, such as UberX and UberXL currently do not have permission to pick up passengers here. While you can take an Uber Black or an Uber Family, be aware that prices will be much more expensive. If you are trying to keep to a budget, we would recommend still using an UberX from the airport, via one of the two ways outlined below.

  • Find an off-site parking shuttle that you can hop on at the airport, it doesn’t matter where you go! Once you are off airport grounds (an airport parking lot, close by hotel, etc), you can easily call an Uber car to come pick you up.
  •  If you would rather not deal with taking a shuttle, some Uber passengers recommend “dropping” your location pin in your Uber app outside of the airport and then immediately calling your Uber driver to let them know that you are actually at the airport. If you decide to go this route, the best method is to do a pickup at the departures drop-off area. Keep in mind that while most drivers will be happy to accommodate this “gray-area” hack, some drivers will not.

Overall the cost of an UberX for Orlando International Airport to Walt Disney World resorts should only be $15 – $25 depending on where you are staying. If you would like to take a tried and true yellow cab, you might end up paying a little more but you will be able to easily grab one at the airport taxi stand and you know you are getting a licensed professional driver!

Pro Tip: If you are flying into Sanford Airport, you can request any level of Uber service to pick you up at the airport, even UberX!

 

Park to Park Transportation

While Disney has a wonderful transit system full of buses, ferries, and monorails, sometimes it is just easier to quickly hop in a car rather than wait in the hot sun for a bus that may be a bit behind schedule. Using Uber can help you and your family to navigate the parks more efficiently. Keep in mind, we are not suggesting that you use Uber for all your Disney transportation, but more as a complimentary add-on to the vast array of transportation provided to you by Disney. See below for our top suggested times on when it may be more helpful to order an Uber than to take Disney transit.

 

When to Use Uber for Park to Park Transit:

  • Traveling between resorts to visit family, friends, or for a little sight-seeing. Disney doesn’t provide transportation between most resorts so this saves a lot of time.
  • Early morning reservations. Although Disney will provide early transportation to most things (such as early dining reservations in the parks), the buses don’t run as frequently. You can often save quite a bit of time by using Uber.
  • Whenever, it is “rush hour” at Disney, this includes park openings and closings, we would recommend using Uber as it is never fun to spend the beginning or end of your day in long bus lines! Watch out for Uber Surge Pricing at these times as many other park-goers may have the same idea.

 

 

Just like it is difficult to get an Uber from Orlando International Airport, there are also a few spots in Disney where it can be difficult to order an Uber.

  • Magic Kingdom; at the moment only Disney buses/monorails/ferries are allowed on Magic Kingdom grounds. However, you can walk to The Contemporary Resort and get an Uber from there, though during busy times the security guards at The Contemporary may not allow this.
  • The Casitas at Coronado Springs Resort. You can get an Uber at the main building at Coronado Springs Resort, just not in the Casitas sections themselves.
  • Disney Springs; you can currently use Uber in Disney Springs, but will most likely have to coordinate a pickup spot with your driver and that could be the parking garage, a valet area, bus stop, etc., and not necessarily where you’re located due to the extensive construction.
  • There may be more areas within the Disney properties where you will have trouble ordering an Uber. Usually, if you walk to a “less frequented” area nearby you will be able to order your Uber just fine. Meanwhile, keep us updated on any areas you had trouble ordering an Uber in while in Disney by commenting below. We will continue to update this article!

Pro Tip: It is always a good idea to contact your Uber driver either via text message or phone call to let them know exactly where you are located. Sometimes the Uber app can be a bit finicky and send drivers on a round-about route to pick you up or perhaps it may send them to a close-by but wrong pick-up location. To avoid any stress simply communicate with your driver as soon as you request your ride

 

Disney to Universal

Quite possibly the best use for Uber while you are at Disney world is for taking day trips to other nearby attractions such as Universal Studios. By using Uber for your off-site transportation, you can save on rental car and parking costs at other parks. A typical Uber price from Walt Disney World resorts to Universal studios is only about $15-$25, depending on which resort you are staying at.

 

When Not to Use Uber

While integrating Uber rides into your Disney vacation might seem like a no-brainer there are a few situations where you might not want to use Uber.

  • If you have children 5 and under, it might be more of a pain to use Uber, as well as more expensive. Florida law requires children 5 and under to be in car seats at all times and unfortunately, those are not always available in Ubers, unless you use UberFamily, which is more expensive. You could also bring your own car seat but then you would be lugging it around the parks all day!
  • When the surge pricing is too high to make an Uber ride worth it. Sometimes Uber surge prices can get out of hand and a $9 Uber ride will end up costing you over $30. In these instances it is probably better to brave the bus lines and wait for your free magical Disney transportation.

 

Want a quick and easy way to estimate how much Uber will cost you for your Disney trip? Check out UberFareFinder.com to estimate your Uber ride, check in on surge pricing, and order your Uber straight from the site!