I recently flew into Newark Liberty International Airport. Arriving fairly late in the evening, I came out from baggage claim (where unlicensed transportation operators were hawking rides illegally - though with no interference from airport personnel) with two options - call a Lyft or Uber to take me to Nutley, or grab a yellow cab from the taxi stand that had no waiting. I thought it would be good to support the taxi drivers at the airport, so I went over to the stand. Besides, it was raining, and I thought I could wait for a while for a ride-share.
To make a long story short, I made the wrong choice. The taxi company ripped me off and the ride cost me double what it should have. I'm not just saying that either. I looked at every online cost estimator for taxi and ride-share services using the exact address of my destination. In some instances, the ride cost me more than double what it would have with a ride-share company. In addition, I ran the cost by the people at my destination, who go regularly to and from Newark's airport, and they found it to be nearly three times what they usually pay.
I appealed for a fare adjustment through the correct channels, including a copy of my receipt, and waited for a response. The website said they responded within two to three days. They ignored my email.
So, I get it. The taxi companies are operating like old school crooks in New Jersey, and they think that's going to work for them. Well, it only works once, and then they get me writing about it to warn others, and writing reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and elsewhere, all warning travelers to avoid the Newark Liberty International Airport taxi stand and the crooks who run it.
My recommendation is simple - avoid being ripped off. Lyft and Uber regularly work the airport and will charge you a fair fee for your ride. Avoid the taxis and the hawkers at the airport. Why the airport allows this to continue is a mystery, but they do, so watch out for yourself.
