# New Jersey to NYC Airports are MONEY LOSING RUNS for UberX!! Net $10/hour!!



## DrewUberX (Mar 10, 2015)

So this morning I took a passenger from Fort Lee to JFK Airport at 5:30AM. I did not cross back into New Jersey on the GW Bridge until 7:00AM. Luckily I had no traffic going to JFK but the return trip I definitely did.

The ride total was $58.09 and my net total was $50.74 with tolls. I noticed that I was only compensated $25.33 for tolls. My understanding was that we get automatically $20 for crossing from New Jersey into New York. If you take a rider to either JFK or LGA from NJ you have to cross either the Whitestone, Triboro Bridges or Mid-Town tunnel. All of the crossings into queens are $7.50 and two-way tolls, so you're talking $14 (GW or Lincoln) + $15 (Queens Roundtrip) = $29 in tolls.

$50.74 - $29 tolls = $21.74 / 1.5 hours = $14.49/hr

This trip at any of time of day would easily be a total minimum of 2 hours which would work out to a little more than $10/hour.

I emailed Uber Support in regards to review the tolls and confirmed that yes we do in fact lose $4 of our own money just to take someone from New Jersey to a NYC Based Airport. I've copy and pasted the entire email thread below (removing names). I just can't believe that this hassle filled ride equals so little compensation!! How can we get the message to Uber that they need to take a hard a close look at these New Jersey to NYC Airport rides?!?!

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* at Uber* (Uber)

Mar 10, 11:10

Hi Andrew,

I can definitely understand where you're coming from.

I reviewed the fare for this trip and have confirmed that the fare was correct here. Trip fares are based on actual time and distance of the trip, using the rates for your city.

Best,

*Uber Support*

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Mar 10, 11:02

Wait this can't be right, the total actual toll charges a driver incurs taking a rider to LGA or JFK $14 + $7.50 + $7.50 ($29) no matter what route you take to get to and from each New York City based airport.

You mean to tell me that at the end of the day we only get compensated a total of $25 and have to pay $4 out of our own personal compensation just to take someone from New Jersey to either JFK or LGA?!? Add in the guarantee of traffic almost any time of the day to get back into New Jersey that is easily an hour for the return trip and we're talking about a net earning that equals out (in my case) to be $14/hour for a JFK or LGA run! Not to mention I had virtually no traffic going to JFK!

With two way traffic we're talking about a minimum 2 hour roundtrip! So you take my net income for this ride of $50.74 - $29 tolls = $21.74 / 2 hours = $10.87/hour

How is that even remotely fair??

Sent from my iPhone

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*at Uber* (Uber)

Mar 10, 08:19

Hi Andrew,

The $20 surcharge is part of the compensation for the empty return trip to NJ; this would include any applicable tolls charged.

Best,

*Uber Support*

---

Mar 10, 07:39

I see I was only compensated $25.33 for the tolls but it should be $35?

Sent from my iPhone


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## lu181 (Nov 3, 2014)

We all learn this the hard way you lucked out with moderate traffic this can easily be a 3 + hour trip. They compensate at $20 for going into Manhattan 11.75 ez pass rate , so 8.25 is compensation for coming back empty but gets wiped out if you have to go to queens. The queens tolls get charged 5.33 ezpass rate and they only charge when customer is in the car you eat the 5.33 toll coming back. Technically you didn't loose money out of pocket for tolls unless you paid cash but that still does not change the fact that you are loosing lots of empty time coming back. The tolls into queens are going up in a few weeks also yay! They definitely need to add an additional surcharge you are traveling to another state and through two boroughs to keep ten bucks. And if you didn't have e-z pass be ready for a bad rating as well.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

In the Uber contract, the fares are only recommended. You're not going to get anywhere arguing with a company who is only making a recommendation for the fare.

And oh, by the way, if you exercise your contractual right to negotiate a different fare, you WILL be deactivated. Uber on.


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## jaymaxx44 (Sep 19, 2014)

You have to take the other bridges back w no tolls. It sucks but that is the only way to do it.
none of us NJ drivers like those runs ever since the rate cuts.


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## victor34 (Feb 26, 2015)

DrewUberX said:


> So this morning I took a passenger from Fort Lee to JFK Airport at 5:30AM. I did not cross back into New Jersey on the GW Bridge until 7:00AM. Luckily I had no traffic going to JFK but the return trip I definitely did.
> 
> The ride total was $58.09 and my net total was $50.74 with tolls. I noticed that I was only compensated $25.33 for tolls. My understanding was that we get automatically $20 for crossing from New Jersey into New York. If you take a rider to either JFK or LGA from NJ you have to cross either the Whitestone, Triboro Bridges or Mid-Town tunnel. All of the crossings into queens are $7.50 and two-way tolls, so you're talking $14 (GW or Lincoln) + $15 (Queens Roundtrip) = $29 in tolls.
> 
> ...


My dear Uber driving friends...no matter where you drive you are not making too much money with Uber's current rates....DO NOT FULL YOURSELF!! 
Yes maybe $8-10/hr...if that satisfies you then keep driving if not stop driving for Uber....is that money worth your time/your car ? I will not go into the details of costs, you can find many different calculations here in this forum....
First of all, picking up or dropping off a customer to/from the airport is a service business, it is not like driving ppl around couple blocks in the city...Airport pick-ups/drop-offs must be rated differently than regular rides....Uber is a very greedy company, check out their CEO and you will understand how greedy they are. They just want market share and kill all other competitors....guess how they will achieve this? using desperate drivers and their cars....be smart you can make the same or most of the time more money anywhere else without depreciating your car....


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## DrewUberX (Mar 10, 2015)

lu181 said:


> We all learn this the hard way you lucked out with moderate traffic this can easily be a 3 + hour trip. They compensate at $20 for going into Manhattan 11.75 ez pass rate , so 8.25 is compensation for coming back empty but gets wiped out if you have to go to queens. The queens tolls get charged 5.33 ezpass rate and they only charge when customer is in the car you eat the 5.33 toll coming back. Technically you didn't loose money out of pocket for tolls unless you paid cash but that still does not change the fact that you are loosing lots of empty time coming back. The tolls into queens are going up in a few weeks also yay! They definitely need to add an additional surcharge you are traveling to another state and through two boroughs to keep ten bucks. And if you didn't have e-z pass be ready for a bad rating as well.


I just checked my EZPass Statement and saw I got charged the full 7.50 both ways on the queens tolls. How do I get that EZPass discount rate of 5.33?


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## DrewUberX (Mar 10, 2015)

jaymaxx44 said:


> You have to take the other bridges back w no tolls. It sucks but that is the only way to do it.
> none of us NJ drivers like those runs ever since the rate cuts.


What other bridges are you talking about? Queensboro?


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## lu181 (Nov 3, 2014)

DrewUberX said:


> I just checked my EZPass Statement and saw I got charged the full 7.50 both ways on the queens tolls. How do I get that EZPass discount rate of 5.33?


Might have to get NY issued Ezpass


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## jaymaxx44 (Sep 19, 2014)

It is $5.33 and take the downtown bridges like manhattan, Williamsburg or Brooklyn. All free.


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## DrewUberX (Mar 10, 2015)

Thanks for the responses everyone. So I did discover I have to indeed apply for a NY issued EZPass for the NYC discount rates on all queens crossings which I've already done. My question is if I use this NY EZPass only, will I lose my Hudson River crossing (NJ into NY) EZPass discounts? I believe it's 11.75 peak and 9.75 off peak. Will I have to keep the NJ EZPass for these discounts?


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## GiteGuy (Mar 18, 2015)

if you have an iPhone/iPad download the Tolls Calculator USA & Canada app and it will help you figure it all out. Just input the E-ZPass account(s) and it will apply the appropriate discounts.


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## ExpAwesome (Mar 15, 2015)

victor34 said:


> My dear Uber driving friends...no matter where you drive you are not making too much money with Uber's current rates....DO NOT FULL YOURSELF!!
> Yes maybe $8-10/hr...if that satisfies you then keep driving if not stop driving for Uber....is that money worth your time/your car ? I will not go into the details of costs, you can find many different calculations here in this forum....
> First of all, picking up or dropping off a customer to/from the airport is a service business, it is not like driving ppl around couple blocks in the city...Airport pick-ups/drop-offs must be rated differently than regular rides....Uber is a very greedy company, check out their CEO and you will understand how greedy they are. They just want market share and kill all other competitors....guess how they will achieve this? using desperate drivers and their cars....be smart you can make the same or most of the time more money anywhere else without depreciating your car....


Speak for yourself. It depends the area. For example I make 18-22 an hour here in Boston


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## Usman Faiz (Mar 3, 2015)

DrewUberX said:


> I just checked my EZPass Statement and saw I got charged the full 7.50 both ways on the queens tolls. How do I get that EZPass discount rate of 5.33?


You have to use NY issued EZ pass for discounted toll at all MTA tunnels and bridges. MTA charges full rate if you use NJ issued EZ pass at their crossings. This is not the case with Port Authority bridges and tunnels.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

What makes you think Uber or pax care if drivers make any money?

The only one who should care is the driver. If you don't like the setup, then don't do it.


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## victor34 (Feb 26, 2015)

ExpAwesome said:


> Speak for yourself. It depends the area. For example I make 18-22 an hour here in Boston


Really?? Good! keep driving my friend


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## Kia21 (Apr 14, 2015)

lu181 said:


> We all learn this the hard way you lucked out with moderate traffic this can easily be a 3 + hour trip. They compensate at $20 for going into Manhattan 11.75 ez pass rate , so 8.25 is compensation for coming back empty but gets wiped out if you have to go to queens. The queens tolls get charged 5.33 ezpass rate and they only charge when customer is in the car you eat the 5.33 toll coming back. Technically you didn't loose money out of pocket for tolls unless you paid cash but that still does not change the fact that you are loosing lots of empty time coming back. The tolls into queens are going up in a few weeks also yay! They definitely need to add an additional surcharge you are traveling to another state and through two boroughs to keep ten bucks. And if you didn't have e-z pass be ready for a bad rating as well.


This so true that's why I don't even bother n just tell the customer why won't be able to take them u cheating urself doing these trips


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## Kia21 (Apr 14, 2015)

ExpAwesome said:


> Speak for yourself. It depends the area. For example I make 18-22 an hour here in Boston


I'm moving to Boston to follow my uber career


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## Kia21 (Apr 14, 2015)

DrewUberX said:


> So this morning I took a passenger from Fort Lee to JFK Airport at 5:30AM. I did not cross back into New Jersey on the GW Bridge until 7:00AM. Luckily I had no traffic going to JFK but the return trip I definitely did.
> 
> The ride total was $58.09 and my net total was $50.74 with tolls. I noticed that I was only compensated $25.33 for tolls. My understanding was that we get automatically $20 for crossing from New Jersey into New York. If you take a rider to either JFK or LGA from NJ you have to cross either the Whitestone, Triboro Bridges or Mid-Town tunnel. All of the crossings into queens are $7.50 and two-way tolls, so you're talking $14 (GW or Lincoln) + $15 (Queens Roundtrip) = $29 in tolls.
> 
> ...


This was me 1 night emailing gets u nowhere took run from Hoboken to 14th st n city fare was only 32.31 but once uber cut 23.21 couldn't understand where my $20 surcharge was at n also how much was the fare how do they take the % from 32.31 when the toll was 11.75


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## Taxi Driver in Arizona (Mar 18, 2015)

And don't forget, that $10/ hour is before gas, maintenance and depreciation


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## XUBERX (May 26, 2015)

When coming back from the airport set your GPS to "no tolls".
after learning that I only make $5 p/h on JFK runs I have refuse to take pax and cancel on the spot, last week I did one but I did it because the surge was 2X otherwise I would've left him with his baggage.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

This is truly amazing. It seems that if you go to Idlewild ( or anywhere in Queens, for that matter), you must use two different E-Z Passes. I had thought that the idea of E-Z Pass was that you can drive on any toll road between Maine and Virginia and pay the same thing. Will New York issue an E-Z Pass to an out-of-state driver? I had thought that unless you live in the District of Columbia, you had to apply to your home state. I live in the District of Columbia, which has no toll roads (Y-E-T). We apply to Maryland for our E-Z Passes.

I go to and through New York all the time. Maybe I should apply to New York for an E-Z Pass.


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## Lone wolf hunting (Aug 19, 2020)

DrewUberX said:


> So this morning I took a passenger from Fort Lee to JFK Airport at 5:30AM. I did not cross back into New Jersey on the GW Bridge until 7:00AM. Luckily I had no traffic going to JFK but the return trip I definitely did.
> 
> The ride total was $58.09 and my net total was $50.74 with tolls. I noticed that I was only compensated $25.33 for tolls. My understanding was that we get automatically $20 for crossing from New Jersey into New York. If you take a rider to either JFK or LGA from NJ you have to cross either the Whitestone, Triboro Bridges or Mid-Town tunnel. All of the crossings into queens are $7.50 and two-way tolls, so you're talking $14 (GW or Lincoln) + $15 (Queens Roundtrip) = $29 in tolls.
> 
> ...


Don’t do trips to NYC. It’s not worth it.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

A route with No tolls from NY to NJ?

Is that even possible?

No seriously.. Is that possible?


And if they are a NJ driver they can't get rides on the way back from NY, so they are looking at an empty return trip regardless.


So the solution seems to be to just deny service to anyone going to the airport. For that shit pay on the time (and guaranteed empty return) it can't possibly be worth it.


This is how it works guys... one situation at a time it becomes not worth it until your as cranky as I am.


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