For many residents and visitors to the city, taking a taxi in New York is convenient and – especially if traveling with numerous people – can be fairly inexpensive.
There are over 12,000 cabs in New York. The only kind of taxi cabs that are permitted to pick up passengers hailing in the street are the yellow Medallion cabs. When the taxi’s medallion number is lit up, it is open for business and will pick you up. If the side lamps next to the numbers are lit or nothing is lit at all, then the cab is currently unavailable for pick up.
There are various different charges that come with taking a taxi in New York depending on factors such as the time of day you’re traveling. The minimum you’re charged though is $2.50 just for stepping in the cab.
An interesting note, New York is the only major international city where you cannot call ahead to prearrange a pick up from a cab. To do that, you must call a private car or limo service.
Taking a taxi in New York is convenient for a lot of people. You are taken directly to your destination and there’s no waiting around for a train or bus to arrive.
