themicah

D'oh. I saw the first mention of NYC rates applying and clicked the link to the NYC page without scrolling to the bottom of the NJ page where that is in the fine print. Thanks for pointing it out. They should probably put it on the NYC page as well, though.

I guess the $20 covers the cost of the trans-Hudson toll and any return Turnpike tolls, with a little extra to compensate drivers for potential time stuck in traffic (when NJ Uber first launched, I remember reading on an Uber driver forum that drivers hated trips into the city because the wait time rates were less than minimum wage). It seems like it creates an incentive for drivers to use the Port Authority Carpool Plan whenever they have more than one passenger, though, which could waste a lot of passenger time.

SJC AA

It is there too. https://www.uber.com/cities/new-york

CMK10

Apparently it doesn't cover all the costs of tolls as they charged me another couple of bucks for a NJTP toll.

themicah

D'oh again. I searched the page for "Newark" and "EWR" but not "New Jersey."

ijgordon

That seems totally reasonable to me. Not sure about where you're from, but here in NYC, Uber usually costs more than a yellow cab, at least IME. The inexpensive car services are also in the ~$70 range to EWR (or maybe a tad less) when you add in tolls and stuff.

PsiFighter37

I don't see the issue. If you are taking a car from EWR to Manhattan (or vice versa), Uber comes in the $65-70 range, which I feel is quite reasonable. Taking a taxi will not be any cheaper (it certainly could be more expensive, depending on traffic), and most car services will be more expensive. The only time I've gotten cheaper was taking a Chinatown car service early morning from Manhattan to EWR for ~$50 before tip...which, depending on your generosity, works out to almost the same level. And it was cash only.

Yes, it's definitely more expensive than Uber from SF to SFO, but it's not really out of line compared to what car companies charge to take you to the NYC-area airports.

lavedder

I took Uber from EWR to Greenwich Village last month.
My breakdown was
EWR to Manhattan Airport Fare 45.00
Subtotal $45.00
NJ Surcharge HT? 20.00
NJ Turnpike Exit 14 to 14C? 2.45
Safe Rides Fee? 1.00
Total is $68.45

Your charge was about the same as mine since midtown is a bit further up north than GW.

stimpy

I'm looking at car services and see options like Lincoln Town car at $59 per hour or a Merc S550 at $90 per hour. Prices all inclusive. For a family of 3, probably a nicer overall experience than Uber or a taxi I guess?

This would be leaving EWR around 5:30pm on Saturday. Given it's August, I'm guessing less than an hour and a half to 55th St? Or is there a lot of traffic heading into the city at that time?

themicah

Which car services are you considering? Googling the prices you mentioned, I come up with a company called Alexa Transportation, which I've never heard of (although there are some positive comments on tripadvisor about them). I'll bet that their hourly pricing doesn't apply to EWR pickups.

Most car services that advertise hourly rates specify the rates are applicable to intra-Manhattan rides only and they typically have a 2+ hour minimum. Almost all car services have fixed prices for rides between the airports and various parts of Manhattan.

stimpy

Yes it was Alexa that I saw. I would certainly call before to make sure those prices are right.

Another one is http://strusserslimousineservice.com which has fixed rate including waiting time, even from EWR.

mysterym

Just noticed all my Uber NYC-NJ fares have the $20 surcharge. Does anyone know if there would be any reason for an Uber to be prohibited from picking up a fare outside of NYC (in NJ) - like the NYC Yellow Cabs? I thought it was the other way around with Uber - they need the extra "Diamond" to be able to pick up fares in NYC but can pickup pretty much anywhere else without it. To me, the charge would be OK if for some reason they could not get a fare after dropping in NJ but if they are able to get a fare thats $20 for "tolls" when the toll was free leaving Manhattan into NJ. I emailed them for an explanation.

themicah

My understanding is that traditional NYC TLC-licensed livery cars can pick up a dispatched ride (but not a street hail) in NJ as long as they are returning to NYC (similarly, a NJ-licensed taxi or livery car can pick up a dispatched ride in NYC as long as the ride ends in NJ).

NYC taxis can't pick up in NJ because they can't pick up dispatched rides (they are strictly street hail only).

Uber falls somewhere between a traditional dispatched NYC livery car and a traditional street hailed NYC taxi. I suspect they may not be able to pick up in NJ, however, because Uber's system doesn't require a destination before dispatching.

mysterym

I asked Uber for an explanation:

"For my edification, can you please explain why NYC Uber drivers cannot pick up in NJ? I thought NYC required the Diamond to pick up in NYC but Uber can pick up generally anywhere else (ie. NJ) without anything additional like Diamond. "

Their reply:

"As per policy, please click this link [FAQ that states NJ drivers can pickup in NJ or CT not NY - does not answer my question about NY drivers picking up in NJ]. I'm sorry that I can't help further with regards to this particular trip. If I can help with anything else please let me know and I'll be happy to."

Pretty lame response. I sent another follow-up. Will report back if I get an answer.

Mary2e

My husband needs to get from our area of central NJ to southern brooklyn (not south brooklyn) and I checked uber. The rates were decent - about $110 + the $20 surcharge. We decided to use a local car service instead at $180 because we're concerned he won't find a driver willing to do the drive at 7am. That's an issue for us - we can't reserve a car in advance (or I missed the ability).

However, I do wish they would put the total cost, including their surcharges, in the origianal estimate. It's not like the price to cost the river is going to change that often.

Often1

There is no avoiding the $20 fee for the EWR pickup. It does not cover tolls. It's just a fee.

UberX is generally a slightly better deal than a taxi and the cars are OK as compared to filthy Newark cabs.

If you want to book a car, use Elite or Dial7. You can call when you are picking up your luggage and a car will pull up by the time you make it out to the pickup lane. You can reserve in advance and also pay $15 extra to be met at baggage claim. I don't advise that because EWR doesn't allow the driver to park close enough.

Avoid car services which charge by the hour. Usually at least a 2-hour minimum + tolls + $20 fee + tip. Not saying you can't go upscale. But, the upscale prices typically have fixed airport prices too.