Choosing a car service in New York

[GTJ]

There seems to be an inordinate amount of concern and some confusion over the selection of “car services” that might be used to address transportation needs in New York. Much of this concern and confusion appears to arise from a misunderstanding of the business of these companies and mistaken beliefs as to the services provided.

 

“Car services,” as the term is popularly used, are what would more precisely be called dispatch services, or in the vernacular of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, “bases” or “base stations.” These car service companies do not provide transportation. They are middlemen, or brokers, who exist to connect persons who desire transportation with transportation providers. Persons who provide transportation are not employed by these car services. These persons own (or lease) and maintain their own vehicles. They “affiliate” with one or more bases as a means of obtaining referrals for the provision of transportation. They may not provide transportation in the absence of being affiliated with a base.

 

By being affiliated with a base, a transportation provider is not a subsidiary of, or employed by, the base. The means of providing transportation are controlled by the transportation provider, not by the base. When transportation is provided, the transportation contract runs between the passenger and the transportation provider, and the base is generally not liable (at least unless the base has exercised excessive control over the transportation provider).

 

So what is the business of a car service? What do these companies do, and how do they compete for business? Fundamentally, car service companies provide a telephone number, website, and/or smartphone app. They provide customer service, including the handling of billing on behalf of the transportation providers. They nominally exercise discretion over the transportation providers who seek to affiliate with the car service, though this is typically limited to making certain that the transportation provider’s legal papers are in order (e.g., license, insurance). In some cases a car service will refer transportation providers to lessors of vehicles that could be used by them.

 

Car services could become vicariously liable for the transportation provided if they exercise excessive control over the means by which the transportation providers deliver their services. So while business goals might tempt car services to control how transportation is provided, the car service lawyers will push back on management to avoid exercising control and defend against claims on that ground of no control.

 

The same transportation provider responding to dispatches from one base today might respond to dispatches from another base the next day. Same driver, same vehicle, same service, but with a different car service label. The transportation service provided is largely beyond the control of individual car service companies, and service is generally not a reliable indicator of car services to be used or avoided. That there was a “good driver” who was dispatched by one car service is not an indicator that all drivers dispatched by that car service are similar, or that similar drivers are not dispatched by other car services.

 

So how does one decide among car services? Carmel, Dial 7, Uber, Lyft, others? One should decide based on the services actually provided by the car services themselves. That is, the interface (e.g., ease of using their telephone number, website, or smartphone app), the quality of customer service while doing so (including rates and billing), and the number of transportation providers affiliated with the car service (which may affect the responsiveness of transportation providers to a request for service).

 

Hopefully this explanation provides information and insight useful in deciding the car company to be used in connecting with a transportation provider. It would be further insightful if transportation providers—drivers affiliated with one or more bases—would add to this discussion with their own perceptions of the industry.

 

[Jems797]

Thanks for this reminder/information.   So...if you wanted to get from Williamsburg, Brooklyn area on a Saturday about 1-1:30pm to Cape Liberty cruise port by 3pm, which car company would you recommend?  We would want to reserve ahead of time for a confirmed pick up time.  Thank you for your attention.

[njhorseman]

4 hours ago, Jems797 said:

Thanks for this reminder/information.   So...if you wanted to get from Williamsburg, Brooklyn area on a Saturday about 1-1:30pm to Cape Liberty cruise port by 3pm, which car company would you recommend?  We would want to reserve ahead of time for a confirmed pick up time.  Thank you for your attention.

I gave you some names on the other thread you posted on.