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Originally Posted by Letitride3c
As native NY's - we would almost never taxi to EWR, but lately I've read on the cruise forums of about $100 for a one-way trip from Manhattan as typical. When not using mass transit, pre-booked car service to the airport or pier (Dial7 or Carmel - would get our $$) is the preferred way to go. A clean & comfortable sedan ride would run about $55 without discount + tolls for the NJ Turnpike, and a 20% tip or $12 - for a total of about $70, cash or CC, receipt given.
Searched for TLC's Rate Code 3 rate tables but failed to find it
- online taxi fares estimated cost from midtown West/Times Sq. area to be about $55 plus a mandatory $17.50 surcharge - and by law, the passengers paying for all round-trip tolls to/from NJ (as the NY-licensed taxi CANNOT pickup a fare from EWR on her/his return trip to NYC.) Toll is less leaving NY and higher.
While the taxi driver incorrectly quoted a flat rate charge of $85, it's almost "correct", and some drivers do get "lost" going to EWR & making it worst for the FT's. (My fuzzy math = $55 metered fare + $13 cash toll for tunnel trip on the return trip without passenger + $7 cash toll for NJ Turnpike, a total of $75 before tips plus the $17.50 surcharge) It would be lowered by a few dollars if driver was using EZ-Pass.
Car service would not be collecting the surcharge and they would only collect one-way tolls as paid, and it would be on the receipt. Not defending the driver at all as s/he wasn't using the correct formula - but, the total costs for the FT's who needed to get prompty to EWR wasn't exactly a "ripoff"
Did I miss anything else ?
"Did I miss anything else ?"
Maybe.
1. The OP did not indicate whether the $85 flat rate he quoted included the tip.
2. It's about 15 miles from the Westin to EWR. Without traffic or traffic-light delays, the taxi meter should ring up $39.50 ($4.50 for the 1st mile + $35.00 for the next 14) + the $17.50 surcharge, or $57 total, plus roundtrip tolls and tip. Medallion taxis are required to use E-Z Pass. Roundtrip tolls would be $13.30: $4.30 for the NJ Turnpike, and $9.00 for the inbound Lincoln Tunnel, if paid by 11:00 AM, when the off-peak toll rate ends. So we're up to ~ $71, before tip.
3. Why would a cabbie risk his hack license if the flat rate being proposed yielded no more than the authorized metered rate?