Nyc Cab Fare Calculator

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NYC Yellow Taxi Fare Calculator

Standard (6 AM – 4 PM) Rush Hour (Weekdays 4 PM – 8 PM) Night Surcharge (8 PM – 6 AM)
Applies to trips south of 96th Street.
Standard Metered Fare JFK to Manhattan (Flat Rate $70) Newark Airport (Metered + $20 Surcharge)

Estimated Total Fare

$0.00

Includes Base Fare, MTA Tax, Improvement Surcharge, and Selected Fees.
Note: Does not include bridge/tunnel tolls or optional tips (typically 15-20%).

How to Calculate NYC Taxi Fares

Navigating the streets of New York City in a yellow cab requires an understanding of the complex NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) rate structure. Unlike ride-sharing apps that offer upfront pricing, yellow cabs use a calibrated taximeter based on distance and time.

Standard Rate Breakdown

  • Base Fare: $3.00 (The moment you step in).
  • MTA State Tax: $0.50 per trip.
  • Improvement Surcharge: $1.00 per trip.
  • Distance Rate: $0.70 per 1/5 mile (approx. $3.50 per mile).
  • Waiting Rate: $0.70 per 60 seconds (when the cab is moving under 12mph or stopped).

Mandatory Surcharges

Depending on when and where you travel, various surcharges apply to every NYC taxi ride:

  • Rush Hour: A $2.50 surcharge is added between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM on weekdays (Monday through Friday).
  • Night Surcharge: A $1.00 surcharge is applied daily between 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
  • Manhattan Congestion Surcharge: A $2.50 fee is added for all trips that begin, end, or pass through Manhattan south of 96th Street.

Airport Trip Rules

Traveling to and from NYC airports has specific pricing rules:

  1. JFK to Manhattan: This is a flat rate of $70.00 plus applicable surcharges (Rush Hour/Congestion) and tolls.
  2. Newark Airport (EWR): This is a metered trip, but there is a mandatory $20.00 surcharge for all trips to Newark from NYC.
  3. LaGuardia (LGA): This remains a standard metered trip unless a specific flat rate is negotiated for long distances outside the city.

Real-World Fare Example

If you take a 3-mile trip in Midtown Manhattan at 5:30 PM on a Tuesday, with 10 minutes of traffic delay, your calculation would look like this:

  • Base + MTA + Improvement: $4.50
  • 3 Miles ($3.50/mile): $10.50
  • 10 Minutes Wait Time ($0.70/min): $7.00
  • Rush Hour Surcharge: $2.50
  • Congestion Surcharge: $2.50
  • Total Estimated Cost: $27.00 (plus tolls/tip)
function calculateCabFare() { // Basic Inputs var distance = parseFloat(document.getElementById('tripDistance').value) || 0; var waitTime = parseFloat(document.getElementById('waitTime').value) || 0; var timeSurcharge = parseFloat(document.getElementById('timeSurcharge').value) || 0; var isCongested = document.getElementById('congestionFee').checked; var tripType = document.getElementById('airportTrip').value; // Constants var baseFare = 3.00; var mtaTax = 0.50; var improvementSurcharge = 1.00; var congestionFeeValue = 2.50; var perMileRate = 3.50; // $0.70 per 1/5 mile var perMinuteRate = 0.70; var total = 0; if (tripType === 'jfk') { // Flat Rate Logic total = 70.00; total += mtaTax; total += improvementSurcharge; // Congestion fee still applies to flat rates if entering/exiting zone if (isCongested) { total += congestionFeeValue; } // Rush hour applies to JFK flat rate (4pm-8pm weekdays) if (timeSurcharge === 2.50) { total += 2.50; } } else { // Metered Logic total = baseFare + mtaTax + improvementSurcharge; // Add distance and time total += (distance * perMileRate); total += (waitTime * perMinuteRate); // Add surcharges total += timeSurcharge; if (isCongested) { total += congestionFeeValue; } // Newark Surcharge if (tripType === 'newark') { total += 20.00; } } // Output formatting document.getElementById('fareResults').style.display = 'block'; document.getElementById('finalFare').innerHTML = '$' + total.toFixed(2); // Scroll to result for mobile users document.getElementById('fareResults').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' }); }

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