Taxis

Taxis are a decent value in New York, and with the basic information we provide you soon can ride like a native New Yorker. Taxi service, except at peak travel hours, generally seems to be the best way to get around town quickly and efficiently. However, you should prepare yourself for what may feel a bit like a carnival ride. Taxi drivers here are generally aggressive drivers, and it takes a little getting used to—though kids seem to love it!

Do note: it is against the law for a taxi cab driver to refuse a person based on race, disability, or a passenger's requested destination in New York City. A taxicab driver is required to drive a passenger to any destination in the five city boroughs. You can make a refusal complaint by calling 311. Just make sure you have the cab's medallion number. Do ask for and keep your printed receipt.

How much does a taxi trip cost? As you can imagine, that all depends how far you are traveling and what the traffic is like. On an average ride in Manhattan, expect to pay between $8 and $12. Do remember to tip 15% to 20% of the fare. To take the subway or the bus? If you have more than 2 people in your party, it usually makes good sense to just hail a taxi. Please note that the passenger limit is FOUR people (five including driver), although additional passenger must be accepted if such passenger is under the age of seven (7) and is held on the lap of an adult passenger seated in the rear. Please don’t ask the driver to ‘overlook’ additional people. The fines are quite high, and very few drivers will take that risk.

Call 311 with complaints, or fill out an on-line complaint using the form found at the official site.

What about service animals and pets? Taxicabs are required to welcome service animals. If the passenger states that the animal is a service animal, then the driver must, regardless of whether the animal is secured or not, allow them in the taxicab. If non-service animals are not in a secure kennel case, drivers may elect to transport or not transport them and the accompanying passenger.


For people with wheelchairs please note that drivers are required to fold up wheelchairs and place them in the trunk. Also, please note that a recently-passed rule now requires that drivers not engage the taximeter until a disabled passenger has been settled in, and the ride is about to commence.

Finally, would you like to request demand-responsive WHEELCHAIR- ACCESSIBLE service? In New York City it is your legal right to do so! Enacted in 2001, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) Rule 6-07(f) requires each For-Hire Vehicle base station (livery, black car and luxury limousine) to provide wheelchair-accessible service to persons with disabilities upon request, at an equivalent price and service level as non-wheelchair-accessible transportation. This also includes base stations located outside of New York City but licensed by the TLC.

Please feel free to contact any of the following TLC-licensed for-hire vehicle bases for accessible service upon request:

For Livery (Community) Car service, please call:

A Ride for All, LLC 41-10 24th Street Long Island City, New York 11101 (718) 706-7433

For Black Car service, please call:
Symphony Transportation, LLC 895 Mamaroneck Avenue Mamaroneck, New York 10543 (800) 253-1443

Vega Transportation Co., Inc. 89-18 Astoria Boulevard Flushing, New York 11369 (718) 507-0500

For Luxury Limousine service, please call:
Symphony Transportation, LLC 895 Mamaroneck Avenue Mamaroneck, New York 10543 (800) 253-1443

Bermuda Limousine Service, Inc. 537 West 20th Street New York, New York 10011 (212) 647-8400