How to Hail a Cab in NYC Like a Boss: An Out-of-Towner’s Guide

Christina Szewczuk7/7/19New York City, the Big Apple, the City that Never Sleeps… no matter what you call it, it is one of the greatest cities in the USA to visit. Unique experiences and beautiful sights are plentiful in New York. The restaurants are amazing, the shows are fabulous, the landmarks, the architecture, and the sunset from the Top of the Rock … one thing is for sure, you will never be bored in New York!dSo, how do you get to all of these amazing things? Well, you can walk there, if you’re not too far and you can attempt navigate your way through the city using the trains/subway/metro. (Remember when we were talking about experiences?) Another one of your options is to hail a taxi! One of the most iconic things in New York City is their network of bright yellow taxi cabs. This can be an intimidating feat for someone not in the know. If you are from out of town where there are no taxi services or you’ve never been to a big city, you may never have had to hail a taxi before, and therefore, may be a little leery of doing so. You lucky world travelers are the reason for my blog! Here is a how-to guide to get you on your way and have you hailing cabs #likeaboss!Actually hailing the cab:

• Get in the cab in the direction you’re heading.
  • If you are heading North, get in the car the side the traffic is also heading North. If you get in on the South side of the street, the driver has to turn around. If you’re not used to the city, you may not be aware how long this can take. They can’t just bang a U-turn in the middle of Times Square. They have to go down to a street heading the way they need to go, then go around the block. With all the traffic, lights, construction, pedestrians, etc., it will cost you time and money as the fare clock is ticking the whole time.
• Look at the medallion lights.
  • You don’t want to be trying for a cab that can’t pick you up. Each taxi has a light at the top of it. Make sure the number in the middle is lit. If it’s off, the driver already has a fare in their car. If the Off Duty lights are on, the driver is off duty and may be heading home for the day.
• Be confident.
  • Put your arm out there, but you don’t need to wave it wildly. If they can pick you up, they’ll do it. Sometimes they can’t get over in time but have no fear there are more where that one came from.
• Make eye contact.
  • Just like any other communication, you want to make sure to make eye contact w the driver. They usually nod or something to let you know they see you and are coming to you.
• Step off the curb but not into the middle of the street.
  • The streets of NYC are crowded. You want it to be obvious that you are looking for a cab. Step to the side but don’t stand in the middle of the street. You WILL get hit this way. Use your judgment here.
• Don’t yell out “Taxi” like in the movies.
  • No one actually does this. You will be instantly recognized as a tourist. Not only can the cabbie not hear you, actual New Yorkers are giggling and silently (or not so silently…) judging you.

Once you’re in the cab:

• Know where you’re going and give cross streets.
  • Do yourself and the cab driver a favor and google where you’re going before getting in the cab. Find the closest cross street and give them the cross street. For example instead of saying, “Novotel Times Square, please.” Say “52^nd and Broadway – The Novotel. Thanks” New York City is a huge city and you can’t expect them to know the location of every single thing. Plus, depending on what you’re looking for there may be more than one of them.
• Get out on the sidewalk side.
  • When you get out of the cab, make sure not to open their door into oncoming traffic! Scoot over to the side closest to the curb and get out there. Arrive alive, everyone…

Paying for your ride: You can pay cash.Or….You can pay with a credit card using the Curb app. (It’s available in both the Apple app store and Google Play.) Now that you know about it, you can get it beforehand and set up your account before you get into the cab. This way you are ready to go. (And you will look like a seasoned taxi-taker!) Once in the cab, on the TV you can follow the directions and pair your phone to the car. You can select the tip amount at the bottom. (I usually do 15-20%) And then boom. Paid. No fumbling around with your wallet/purse.The Curb app is pretty cool. It’s available in many cities, so it’s a nice thing to have anyway. You can use it to pay a cab you just hailed off the street but you can also set up a pick up similar to Uber or Lyft. This may not be necessary in an area like Manhattan where cabs are plentiful, but in more residential areas where there aren’t as many cabs, this is a great feature. There is a small fee, but you’re not subject to those surge fees with Uber/Lyft when there is an event going on or it’s late or the many other reasons Uber/Lyft can up the pricing of your ride. (Not that there is anything wrong with them; you can use those also to get a ride in NYC.) You can see your cab coming on the app, again, similar to Uber/Lyft. Make sure to double-check the cab number before getting in! You don’t want to get into the wrong cab… or take someone else’s! (A major faux pas in NYC cab etiquette…) This app is also a nice option if you’re there on business because you can just screenshot your receipt and submit on expense report. It also sends you a receipt including a PDF.A FEW NOTES:

• You may see some Green Taxis. The green ones are known as “boro taxis.” You’ll generally see these in more sparsely populated areas. They service areas outside Manhattan and aren’t allowed to pick up in certain areas of the city or at airports. If a green one doesn’t stop for you, don’t be discouraged, it’s probably because it just dropped someone off and can’t pick up in that area. They also serve as “for hire” drivers and may be en route to do a pick up.
• If you are at the airport, you don’t hail a cab. You wait in the line at the Taxi Stand for your turn. It can take a while depending on when you’re coming in, so I suggest having your travel agent arrange your transfers ahead of time. It can cost more but it’ll save you in time and sanity.

So now that you have the basics down, you can go confidently to New York City, and hail that cab #likeaboss. Let me know how it went, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to email me at Christina@WishesFamilyTravel.com. For more travel tips and information or to just follow my travel adventures, follow me on my social media accounts!Www.facebook.com/cszewczuk.wftWww.insatagram.com/ChristinaatwishesWww.twitter.com/wisheschristinaWww.pinterest.com/christinaatwishes