Let’s start at Flatbush Avenue and Eight Avenue and go to three destinations: 1) to 7th St. and Third Ave. in Gowanus, 2) to N. 6th St. and Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg and 3) to JFK Airport. We called each car service below in the early afternoon and we asked about wait times, credit cards and if pets are allowed. We also compared rates with those of a metered yellow cab. We tried to control for what variables we could, but still, our methodology may be less than exact science. Here’s what we found:
Eastern Car Service, 222 15th St., 866-499-7177
To Gowanus: $8
To Williamsburg: $16
To JFK: $35
Wait time: 5 minutes
Credit Card: $15 minimum
Pets: Yes, but please tell them beforehand.
Park Slope Car Service, 262 Fourth Ave., 718-788-5106
To Gowanus: $8
To Williamsburg: $16
To JFK: $35
Wait time: 5 minutes
Credit Cards: $20 minimum
Pets: Yes, but please tell them beforehand.
Continental Car Services, 313 9th St., 718-499-0909
To Gowanus: $7
To Williamsburg: $17
To JFK: $35
Wait time: Didn’t specify
Credit Cards: Yes, but didn’t specify
Pets: Hung up on us!
11th St. Car Services, 475 Fifth Ave., 718-499-3800
To Gowanus: $7
To Williamsburg: $16
To JFK: $35
Wait time: 5 minutes
Credit Cards: $12 minimum
Pets: Yes, but tell them beforehand.
Seventh Ave. Car Services, 307 Seventh Ave., 718-965-4242
To Gowanus: $8 + sales tax (sales tax?)
To Williamsburg: $19 + sales tax
To JFK: $38 + sales tax
Wait time: 5 minutes
Credit Cards: Yes, but depends where you are going.
Pets: Yes, but tell them beforehand.
Arecibo Car Service, 170 Fifth Ave., 718-783-6465
To Gowanus: $6
To Williamsburg: $16
To JFK: $38
Wait time: 5 minutes.
Credit Cards: $10.80 minimum
Pets: Yes, but tell them beforehand.
Yellow cab (off-peak hours)
To Gowanus: $6.90 + tip
To Williamsburg: $14.50 + tip
To JFK: $44.90 + tip
View Comments (18)
from park slope to JFK its only $30 (at least last time I went) with Church Ave Car service (718) 633-4444
Nikki Jo, I've worked as a car service driver for Eastern Car Service, and always tried to be fair with the customer, and often worked out a reasonable price if the customer felt the price wasn't right. I know that there are some drivers who attempt to get over on occasion, but what many don't know is that customers also try to get over on the driver. Many people have done as you have advised, and the driver is left feeling taken advantage of. Drivers are robbed, physically, and verbally abused, and have often been killed after chasing a customer who ripped them off, perhaps thats why they never say anytrhing. A few dollars isn't worth their safety. I hope you're proud of yourself Nikki Jo.
@indio - I hear where you are coming from but I highly doubt I am coming off as a severe threat to any car service driver. I am a 5'1 female and I have always been alone when I paid the drivers what I felt was a fair practice. Is it '100% right'?? No, probably not.. Do I feel horrible for having done it in the past? Definitely not. - If the car service drivers and dispatchers want to have a better hold on the process, they should institute a better process for recording the fares/advising the customer of the cost when you call to get a car.
If upon calling to reserve my car I was told my fare was $15, I'd have no problem forking up the $15... But, if it's left up to me to decide and the driver doesn't request a particular amount, I have no qualms about giving what I feel is a fair amount for the trip.
arecibo - "5 minutes 5 minutes"
@nikki- What's wrong with calling and asking for the price, and then paying the amount that is stated? If you have an issue with the price then take it up with the dispatcher before hand. Come to an agreement over the pricing, and then pay the amount agreed upon, or find alternate means to get to your destination if the price isn't suitable for you. Don't take advantage of a driver who is trying to make an honest living. I understand that the dispatchers may not provide you with the pricing initially, but you can always ask for it anytime prior to, or during your trip.
Speaking from experience I know that the system they use to calculate prices is pretty cumbersome, and it would be too time consuming to provide every call with an initial price, especially when they are being flooded with thousands of calls each day. I'm sorry, but I just feel that you can handle the situation differently.
"Car services that I have found this most successful for are Monchito, Arecibo, Latino Mix, and La Mega.. If you notice, when you call to request a car they almost never ask where you’re going, that said, the dispatcher has no way of knowing where the driver is going and how much he is expected to charge you."
-This sounds as if you're purposely targeting minority businesses and deceiving the drivers and dispatchers. Perhaps your taking advantage of them because you assume they aren't as smart as you, or perhaps I'm the one making assumptions now.
i fly EVERY week for work and my average taxi (yellow cab) from jfk to bay ridge(home) or sunset park(parents house) is 55-60 bucks with tip (i leave 20%). on my way to the airport i always take mega. its 35 bucks to jfk. i leave the guy 45.
arecibo es los mejor de brooklyn
Just paid $56 plus tip from JFK to Park Slope, bahhhh. We knew better, we got a black car on the way there and paid $48 including tip. Damn it.
im always using GoCar to park slope $16 and im getting great service 718-387-7777
Ive been using Jupiter Car Service. They charge $38 to JFK from south slope and their cars are always clean, smoke-free and very friendly reliable drivers. I rather fork up the extra $3 any day for a clean non smoking driver in a shiny car. Kudos Jupiter 718-499-2222 or ive also reserved online at http://www.jupitercarservice.com