Ride-Sharing

An increasingly popular option is booking a car through one of the ride-share apps like Lyft, Uber, Juno, or Via, which match passengers with available drivers. After booking a car through one of their respective apps, you can trace its journey to you via GPS, and you get a notification once it has arrived. These services are sometimes cheaper than a taxi, but sometimes more expensive. Most of the services offer a car-pool option that allows passengers to share rides at a discounted fare. However, when "surge pricing" is in effect (when it's raining or at other high-demand times), ride-share rates can skyrocket. The apps do let you get an estimate on rates before you book, but Juno and Via offer fixed "surge-free" or ride-share discounted rates regardless of demand, weather, or traffic. Payment and tipping (if applicable) are also done via the apps. Unlike in some other cities, only licensed livery drivers are allowed to work for the ride-share companies in New York City (hence the sometimes higher rates).