Secaucus Taxi Service

Passenger Education: Round Trip Discounts

Discounts are only available on same-day round-trip non-local travel.  Passengers will pay the regular fare for the initial trip to their destination, the taxi will wait at the destination at $30/hr and then return the passenger to the pick up location. 

Let's use a trip from a location to JFK to drop off a family member and return home as an example.  Let's say the initial fare to the airport was $70 fare + $20 tolls = $90.  There is a one hour wait at $30 an hour and the taxi returns the passenger to the pick up location.  The total paid for the round-trip would be $120 plus tip and tax, in lieu of $160 plus tip and tax.

If it was a trip to the airport only with a return a few days or weeks later then the fare would be $90 plus tip and tax each way. 

Local round-trips are negotiable.

Passenger Education: When Does Wait-Time Start and How Much Is It?

We have had passengers call us to ask a few questions and the minute they say the words "wait-time" you could just about cue the music from the bathroom scene of Psycho complete with bloodcurdling scream.  From the horror stories we have heard, we can understand completely.

When it comes to airport pick ups, we disregard the "scheduled to land at" time and simply track the flight.  We will use the actual landing time and our wait time starts after the grace period ends.  We provide a grace period as a courtesy to passengers to arrive at the gate, wait for luggage and be processed through US Customs if necessary.  Our grace period for Domestic flights is a half hour (30 minutes) and one hour (1 hour) for International flights. 

No passenger emerges from the black hole of US Customs to find an astronomical bill awaiting on the other end and can be reassured that the taxi will be there as arranged.

Standard wait time is $30 an hour but we are flexible for budgets. 

Passenger Education: Why Round-Trip Tolls? The Taxi Is Going One Way.

Thank You for your question Lisa S.

Here is my attempt at complete clarification on payment of round trip tolls.

The taxi, or for-hire, company charges the customer a fare from one location to another.

The state charges a toll for use of a bridge, tunnel or highway that will be used to get the taxi, or for-hire car, to and from that destination.

These are two separate charges from two separate entities.  The passenger pays for the use of the car AND the use of the highway/bridge/tunnel.   Two separate bills.

Let's go a little off topic.  When you rent a car from a car rental agency you are required to return the car to it's base.  Same goes for a moving truck or even one of those special wet vacuums you rent from the supermarket.  Anything you borrow must be returned.  This concept works for taxis also. 

In other words, the passenger borrowed a taxi from the company to take to a destination and in order to return it tolls must be paid.

 

Example of Round-Trip tolls: 

Jersey City NJ to Times Square NY: 

To New York Toll=$12   Return to Jersey toll=$0    Round trip toll= $12

 

Secaucus NJ to JFK/LaGuardia Airport

To New York Tolls=$18.5  Return to Jersey tolls=$8.30  Round trip toll=$26.80

Passenger Education: I'm Already At the Airport, Can I Still Reserve a Taxi?

We accept last minute reservations as long as we receive your reservation, by telephone, before your flight departs.  Simply call and provide us with your flight information, your name and cellular number.  International cellular numbers are okay.  There is no need for anxiety about recognizing the taxi as the driver will be contacting you directly, by telephone, upon landing. 

If a cellular phone number is not available, pick up can be arranged by Meet & Greet service.  Passengers will be required to provide us with their name.  The driver will park the taxi and meet the passenger at baggage claim with a sign containing the passengers name.  There is a $12 fee for this service.

All flights will be tracked from take-off, through landing and gate arrival.  International passengers will receive one (1) hour free wait time to be processed through US Customs and baggage pick up.  Domestic passengers will receive thirty (30) minutes free wait time for baggage pick up.

Secaucus Taxi Service: Passenger Education: Tolls; how much and what are they?

We provide, quite possibly, thousands of quotes per day.  As a reply to the constant question "How much is the fare from point A to point B?" our reply is usually "Amount plus tolls"  The passenger reply is either "Plus what?" or "How much are the tolls?"

There seems to be a lot of confusion about what tolls are and who exactly is charging them.  The bottom line is; not us.  Tolls are charged by the state (or sometimes private entities) on certain highways, freeways, expressways and interstates.  This is how road, bridge and tunnel maintenance and repairs are funded.  We cannot discount or waive the tolls as we have no control over how much the state wants to charge you to get to the airport, train or bus terminal.  So far, we would have to say that PA is our favorite state, in the Tri-State, when it comes to tolls as their tolls are usually just $0.75 and the roads are smooth.  Makes you want to transplant them in Manhattan.

Tolls are charged round-trip by everyone.  From the NYC yellow cabs, airport shuttles and even your tour bus.   That means all tolls to your destination and any tolls to get back to base.  The round-trip tolls to JFK and La Guardia Airport from New Jersey are $19 plus whatever tolls from the NJ Turnpike or Garden State Parkway.

Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Toll Information
Lincoln Tunnel/George Washington Bridge/Holland Tunnel/Bayonne Bridge/Goethals Bridge/Outerbridge Crossing $8

New York MTA Toll Information
Robert F Kennedy Bridge (formerly Triboro)/Verrazano Bridge/ Brooklyn Battery Tunnel / Queens Midtown Tunnel/Throgs Neck Bridge/ Bronx Whitestone Bridge $11 Round trip

NJ Turnpike Toll Calculator:  Remember to multiply by 2 for the round trip toll

Passenger Education: Gratuity/TIps aka "Ouch! My wallet!"

We get plenty of calls from folks begging and pleading with us to please let them know how much to tip.  We feel your pain.  This must be why our response always comes as a shock to passengers.  The tip is not mandatory and completely up to the passenger/cardholder.  We truly mean that.

Tip systems can be abused by bad egg drivers.  I can see you nodding from here.  Yes, we have heard and seen the scenarios where there is an automatic tip included in the price, yet when the passenger asks the driver if the tip is included some Greedy Gus' say "Uh...No" with a smile.  It's called double dipping and it is not acceptable.  Other abuses include drivers who demand a tip or say that the passenger is legally obligated to tip.  Before you panic at the thought of armed S.W.A.T officers surrounding the cab demanding you give yourself up to the authorities, take a deep breath and remember that gratuity, which originally and still means "freely given" is a voluntary gift.

We have taken tips/gratuity back to basics where the passenger gives the driver a cash gift for service performed.  There is no room for improvement when bad service is rewarded.  Also, we thought the new system vaccinates any driver who might be susceptible to infection by Nasty Driver Syndrome.  We are sure everyone has met a driver who's been afflicted.  He growls, tosses luggage, and has you with one hand on the door lock.  Just in case, you know?  We have cured a few drivers of this terrible disease.  One of our drivers has become so sweet he sets our teeth on edge.

You, as the empowered passenger, must ask the important questions while booking and that includes the tip, tolls and taxes.

Tip Information
Secaucus Taxi                No mandatory tip. Passenger calculated.
NYC Yellow Cab              15% Suggested
Most Other NJ Taxis      15% Suggested (Automatic 20% if using credit/debit card)

The taxi fare, tolls and applicable taxes are the only thing the passenger is legally obligated to pay, unless the tip is included in the fare like they do with other services such as restaurants.  The taxi fare is for the use of the car to take you from point A to point B, or possibly A and a half to A and three quarters, if you have a stop or three.  It covers the driver percentage and company percentage.  The company's percentage goes towards maintenance, gasoline, repairs and other expenses.  Tolls are for the use of state highways, bridges, tunnels and their repair.  Sales tax is tax paid to the State as part of the State's revenue.

Gratuity is between the passenger and driver.  If you like the service you were provided, you give the driver the "gift" of a tip at the end of your trip.  If you do not like the service you were provided, do not tip.  It really is that simple. 

NYC, the Magic Pumpkin

Here's a little known fact about visiting New York while staying in New Jersey; it turns into a pumpkin at midnight.  No.  Really.  

Take your bus schedule and peruse closely.  You will see that most buses from the Port Authority in Manhattan stop service somewhere around 11pm and most trains from Penn Station stop running around 2am.  Service does not resume until between 4 and 6am the next day.  Your only option to avoid a short stint as a homeless person in Manhattan?  Take a cab or make it back before your coach turns into a pumpkin.  Where's a fairy god mother when you need one?

Just a small note about taking a cab back to New Jersey.  Yellow cabs in New York can refuse to take you anywhere in New Jersey other than Newark Airport.  Yes, yes, yes, our roads in New Jersey can be slightly....okay they're downright confusing for the uninitiated and U-turns can be hazardous to your sanity sometimes.  We can understand one of our yellow cabbie brothers and sisters refusing to take you anywhere.  That's where the New Jersey cabbie who brought you to New York, or who wished he did since you may have taken public transport, comes in.  Make a reservation for a return trip during your pick up or call at least an hour before you need the cab.

New Jersey cabbies, who do know where they are going in New Jersey and New York can pick you up in New York by reservation only.  Our New Jersey cabs are in New York all day long dropping off at the airports, upstate and the five boroughs.

The only reason I can state for New Jersey not having as massive a transit system as New York is that we actually like our grass, trees and flowers where they are....in the ground.  They don't call New Jersey the Garden State for nothing you know.

Tourist Help: Directions to the LaQuinta Inn ~ Secaucus Meadowlands

We are posting these after having to help guide several car loads of guests to this hotel.  I just hope no one felt too bad about getting lost, one of our new drivers got lost once from directions from the front desk too.  lol  That was about 5 years ago and we've since made sure we do the mapping personally.

Ahem.  The directions.  With Pictures

From the Lincoln Tunnel

1.  Stay in the second lane after leaving the Lincoln tunnel.

2.  When you can see the fork up ahead, move to the right lane and take the one that has the big 3 on it.

3.  Stay to the right and you will end up on the Rt 3 West service road.

4.  Go past the Raymour and Flannigan

5.  When you see the Hess gas station, stay in the right lane to exit.

6.  Exit between the Hess and the Exxon Gas stations

7.  Make a right at the light

8.  Hotel is on the left

With these directions, you will never again end up at the LaQuinta in Clifton or on the NJ Turnpike headed to parts unknown.

From Route 3 East

1.  Stay in the middle lane when passing Giant's stadium

2.  Pass the Meadowlands parkway exit and stay to the right to hop on the Route 3 East service road.

3.  Please stay in the 2nd lane and HEAD TOWARDS THE UNDERPASS

4.  The exit for Harmon Meadow Blvd is directly under the underpass, you will see the Gateway building (the one with the clock) right after it.

5.  Make a right to get onto Harmon Meadow Blvd

6.  Go through 3 lights and make a left

7.  Go over the bridge that crosses the NJ Turnpike.

8.  At the 2nd light make a left (you'll see the Bonefish Grill to your left)

9.  Hotel will be on the right.

Now you will never end up on the NJ Turnpike headed for parts unknown or wandering around Jersey City or in the Lincoln Tunnel.