How do I know if a cab is available in NYC?

A taxi in NYC has three basic light signs on the roof of the car:
  1. If only the numbers in the middle are lit, then that cab is waiting for you to flag it down.
  2. If only the outer lights are lit, then that cab is off-duty and headed back to the depot for a shift change, but it may still be possible to get a short ride.




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How to get a taxi in New York City
  1. Dial 7: +1 212 777 7777.
  2. Brooklyn Taxi & Limo: +1 917 999 9396.
  3. Queens Medallion Leasing (NYC Taxi Yellow Cab Company): +1 718 784 9292.


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No matter where you need to go, Curb can get you there with a licensed, professional driver. Book your cab or black car for now, reserve for later, or pay for a ride you hailed with your hand, all with the Curb app!

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Look for the flag or light. If you've never ridden in a taxi, you might not know how to tell an occupied cab from an available one. Look for the flag or light. If you see a raised flag on the cab, then the taxi is empty.

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If the driver asks for cash, is it OK to use my card instead? Yes. Every taxi in NYC is required by law to take card, so if your driver says they don't have a machine or that it's broken, it's a ruse. Persist, and victory will be yours.

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You can either directly hail one off the streets or simply book your taxi online, in advance and let your driver do the rest.

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Are NYC Yellow Cabs cheaper than Uber? She found that without tips or surge pricing, hailing a cab was always less expensive than an UberX or a standard Lyft. Cab prices averaged 35-83% less than a ride-share.

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While both will cost more during peak times, taxis charge a flat rate for designated “rush hours” (4-8 p.m. weekdays, excluding holidays). On the other hand, Uber's price increases are not based on designated hours. Rather, Uber's rates increase based on the demand for Ubers at the time of your request.

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$3.00 initial charge. Plus 70 cents per 1/5 mile when traveling above 12mph or per 60 seconds in slow traffic or when the vehicle is stopped. Plus 50 cents MTA State Surcharge for all trips that end in New York City or Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange or Putnam Counties.

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Tips are big business in New York, as they are in the rest of the US. But sadly you'll be expected to pay over the odds in the Big Apple. 20% of the fee is the recommended amount. If you're paying with card instead of cold hard cash, the amount of gratuity will automatically be added to the charge.

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Transportation Tipping Cab driver: 15 percent to 20 percent tip of the fare. (Find out ahead of time if your cabbie accepts a credit card. If he or she doesn't, make sure you have enough cash for both fare and tip.)

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Payment and Tipping – NYC taxis accept both cash and card payments, and tipping is expected.

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Estimating your fare. NYC taxis do NOT charge by the person. NYC taxis do NOT charge you for baggage.

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The expressions are largely equivalent, with 'take' / 'get' being delexical verbs (largely bleached of meaning, but used because some verb is needed). The US preference is for 'take', the UK 'get' (or even 'catch' for a bus).

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