[NJDriver]

I posted this in my thread of Newark Airport.

I received 4 tickets today in Newark. Ive also combed Newark Airport for the last few days looking to see how I can take advantage of the NY rates. I did make over $300 in the last few days and did little work. However, during certain times of day the police seem to lockdown the airport which seems more like the afternoon and the evening. During other times, it seems like you are safe.

It seems like its been safe in the morning to Uber, but I also saw for a time it was safe in the afternoon until a bunch of cops stormed me while I was standing and waiting. I didnt admit anything and received a no standing ticket. I went away for about an hour and came back to the California flights which seem to have lots of Uber people. I did two pickups from the upper levels or departure areas. I then did one pickup from the arrival area or bottom level. I got everyone into the car when the police stormed my operation.

The likely result of the tickets is reduced in court with the help of Ubers attorney. How it goes is you pay the court and submit receipts to Uber. Its not a big deal as they let the attorney represented cases go first in this court. Its just a huge pain in the ass and a disparaging experience appearing in court like a criminal.

At the same time 4 Black people were stopped behind me not for Ubering. From what I could see, the Port Authority was harassing them for being Black. I wonder to myself what about protecting the airport from the terrorists?

In any event be alert. I guess if you have the NYC TLC plates this doesnt apply to you except you might get a ticket for no Newark permit. Not sure how that works with them. My buddy told me that NYC TLC people have no issues at Newark and I read on here a Newark TLC police officer had given someone a ticket.

My advice is to be super alert. The moment you see police, if you dont have the proper plates, dont pickup. It seems relatively safe at certain times, but its not safe a good part of the time. Passengers seem willing to get picked up at the other levels of Terminal C. Thats a better bet than the departure level.

 

[NJDriver]

Im going to get TLC license and plates because I made 400 dollars last two days from the airport alone. One trip today was 135 dollars. I didnt even work that much. I sat around a lot. I didnt even work the entire time.

Ive worked Hoboken most of my Uber life and let me tell you thats great money. 400 dollars takes two entire Hoboken days to make and something like 30 trips. You have to bust your ass and Hoboken had to be on fire for 400 in such little time. I made 1300 in Hoboken last year in a week from surges and slipping and sliding in the snow. That was dangerous. Here we are talking about much less rides and safer conditions. Sober classy passengers back from the big trip.

Now am I going to use that TLC plates to pickup at LGA or JFK or Uber around in Manhattan? Nope! Just EWR and Im not going anywhere else. Sober passengers, business class and huge fares.

Now before I get likes let me tell you Ubers insurance is much better than any rinky dink NY commercial company. Try calling around for NY TLC insurance. The kind of brokers that answer "Halo?" and ask how much you looking to spend. Those guys cant handle claims. Ubers insurance department is first rate.

I had thoughts of getting a new car, but If I can come out with 200 per day out of EWR with the Camry thats golden. No need to spend 40-60k for a new SUV or Black Car.

Ill apply online tonight. If thats the only way, its the way we have to do it.

Keep in mind, anything can change with Uber from month to month. Certainly dont trust it. I like Ubse but dont trust it.

 

[NJDriver]

Nope its not silly when you have mouths to feed and a mortgage payment. Some posters believe we drivers are doing this as a luxury. No luxury for me, I need the cash to support my family. I dont have a choice. If it was a choice, Id be sipping margaritas on a nice island , but its not my choice. Hungry mouths to feed buddy!

Ubers lawyers and their checkbook will take care of the tickets.. I was just stupid today with how I operated. Ill be smarter in the future.

If I can milk 2-300 a day out of the airport each day the initial investment will be worth it. Im going to save money where I can by using the car that I have.

 

[NJDriver]

Email customer service and they will tell you it will get paid. They dont just pay it but send an experienced lawyer. Their lawyers must be very experienced by now with this. They know how to work it. Just sit back and watch.

BTW despite the cops locking it down at EWR. I looked on the passenger app and the uber cars are out there like mad tonight.

I feel sorry for that family with the foreign accent that got ejected from my car. Welcome to the land of the free. PA cops are such asses. A family with a baby. I dont know how they go back and live with themselves.

 

[NJDriver]

I do know other NYC TLC drivers who work EWR and they dont get tickets. Yes they can and do ticket drivers for No Standing. You can only stop for loading and unloading. The only way to get pings is to hang in the terminal or park on the 2nd level of short term parking at considerable cost 8 bucks per half hour. My TLC buddy has not received tickets. I have read on here two times about the Newark TLC doing it who is rarely at the airport. I did see an NY TLC car getting a no standing ticket. However the PA police seems to respect the plates. If you are TLC plated just ask the cop if in doubt. You can park your car in short term parking, approach the cop and ask. No ticket for asking.

As for them using the app, they cant really do it without a warrant so they get you to admit it, but they do it and try to get you to admit it. So if you dont have passengers just make sure you know a flight thats coming in. I didnt know and guessed they pressured me to admit it, i held firm and got the no standing ticket after their buddies sweating me out surrounding the car.

Ill ask my TLC buddy how it goes with him and reporr back here.

As for using the mock locations app it doesnt work. You cant activate Uber app with mock locations on.

 

[NJDriver]

I did apply online for TLC and now I have to wait to set a date to come in. This is a multipart process and Ive heard it takes several weeks to months. So I can get this by the new year.

Yeah its 3 to 4k investment but its either not Uber at the money whale airport or Uber at the more frugal Hoboken.

I guess I will have to go back to the old Hoboken routine for a while until I get TLC. My observation is less cops in the morning and at night its impossible. Sometimes things seem quiet and the cops pop out of nowhere. The blue&white suv follows you around the airport. Some Black guys got caught up in the dragnet last night.

So airport not for the nervous or those scared of police. I didnt enjoy any of this last night.

Anything can change in the Uber world so get whatever money you can out of this now while you can.

 

[NJDriver]

Something to note about TLC. The cost of the license comes out to about 500, cost of 2 year reg 500 and 6 months of insurance purchased up front from a rinky dink insurer...lets say 2500. On top of all this, Uber takes out 30%. 20% is their cut and 10% is the city's cut. NJ is only 20% cut. Lots of little things to note like inspection of the vehicle three times a year. Lots of hoops.

Also when in the city you become a target for NYC TLC police and NYPD as you have to work under a different set of rules.

Its tough but if I can pull out 200 from the EWR each day it will be worth it.

Manhattan is the only safe place to Uber. If you Uber out in Brooklyn...risky. LGA and JFK you have to wait in a very crowded lot and it might be an hour. People coming out of those airports may want to just go to Manhattan. So you wait an hour in the LGA lot for a 40 dollar fare???

Those yellow taxis at Newark airport I noticed are looking old. Crown Vics they stopped making in 2011, their Vics look like old police cars. So if you got into a yellow taxi at the airport its a broken down hack driven by a a guy from the islands who speaks a little English. The taxi line rarely moves when Im there. I see the yellow drivers standing outside their cars.

 

[NJDriver]

First your vehicle must be within 5 model years old and once it hits that 5 year mark its retired. There are exceptions for a select few clean air vehicles where they give you another year or so.

Second the charges are as follows:

TLC license: About 500 one time costs includes medical exam and other misc costs.

Veh reg: 500 dollars for two years

Insurance: About 5 grand a year. This is the largest cost and it depends on many factors like driving record, vehicle, etc. SUVs Ive heard are 10 grand a year.

Tires: Figure that tires last 30-50k so thats 600-800 per year.

Oil changes: Toyotas are 1 change every 10k. 65 dollars at dealer.

Other costs: Tlc violations. If someone, anyone, grabs your license plate and calls it in to TLC you are looking at min 150 dollar fine. Much greater for more serious violations. You are guilty until you can prove innocence at TLC. Parking violations like no standing such as Newark airport. Car wash. Get unlimited subscription at local wash. 35 per month or about 450 a year.

 

[NJDriver]

That happens when you work in the car biz. If you are feeling sleepy just take a nap in the car. Better than falling asleep at the wheel. We all have done it. This isnt a water cooler job.

I made over 400 in fares from two airport days. If I can pull out a grand a week it will be worth it.

Problem is not getting great ratings at the airport. May have to mix in Hoboken with the airport. Morning airport runs, Hoboken by day and airport by night.

 

[NJDriver]

I made 400 without TLC plates, but if I have TLC plates and can roam the entire airport without fear or maybe just fear of the 54 dollar no standing ticket which is a parking ticket...I can make much more...

 

[NJDriver]

One thing I learned the last year is its hard to make good money on the NJ rates. Its easy to make pocket change, but its hard work to pull 300+ a day. Just working the suburbs going from call to call is really difficult. Lots of windshield time. This airport idea will be much easier.

If they change things up like they have been doing it might be another problem.

 

[NJDriver]

Exactly!!!! The better question is what if I invested more money like for a Suburban? Its a gamble but its not an Atlantic City gamble. If you just picked up TLC plates work your ass off right now before things change.

 

[NJDriver]

Let me tell you my background. Im not in my 20s or 30s. Ive been around the block and have had multiple tickets in the past. Ive been to traffic court quite a few times. Ive been stopped maybe 20 times in my lifetime and dealt with police in different scenarios. Im comfortable around cops. I was even at that Newark Municipal court twice before. Once when I made a left turn where there was a sign and another time for some odd small claims court case where I was a witness. I won in that left turn case proving that the sign was not there legally and I had a letter from the engineers office stating such.

I had been orbiting the airport all day long and dipping into different places to wait. No cops, but at some point in the afternoon the cops came out in force. I was standing in Terminal B when these cops came out of nowhere. I wasnt paying attention and got jumped by 3 cops. Got the no standing ticket. The cops at Terminal C were all very young and looked like they got out of the academy. Fresh faces in their 20s. So I thought I could sneak in this one fare in Terminal C and I tried. I got out of the car smiling shaking the guys hand if I knew him. We get all loaded up when the cops pounce. They dont ask any questions which is a bit disturbing. What if this was my friend? If I ever pick up a buddy at the airport Im going to park in short term from now on BTW. They just started writing me tickets without any hesitation or question asking. These guys were very sharp, but at the same time, irresponsible in their thinking. They should have questioned everyone first before jumping to a conclusion. I felt really sorry for that young family I had to evict out of the car. It was depressing and disappointing. I also felt sorry for the 4 Black guys getting pulled over in the car behind me for something different. They werent getting pulled over for Uber, but being Black and Ubers lawyers wont represent them.

I got 3 tickets because I do carry a fire extinguisher and first aid kit. I knew about these tickets and thought that if I carried those items with me it would be easier for Uber in court defending 3 vs 4. The three tickets I got were For hire w/o proper reg, For hire no liability insurance and For hire without municipal permit. If I had no extinguisher or first aid kit would have gotten one for that too. The for hire without liability insurance will be dropped as Uber does have insurance. The other two tickets will be negotiated and reduced. Uber will probably end up paying 1000 dollars. However, I have also heard these tickets are sometimes dropped because the cop filled them out wrong. In fact, I think the no standing ticket is filled out wrong, but its best just to go ahead and pay that one. Put it in the past and let Ubers lawyers argue the big tickets.

All of the court stuff is now up to Ubers lawyers. Its not for me to worry or think about anymore. Ubers lawyers probably see that Newark Municipal court on a daily or weekly basis in front of the same judge. They are the authority on this issue. As for my "abstract" there are plenty of things on that abstract from years ago and Im not worried about one more thing on there. At this point, Im not young anymore where I worry about abstracts, but I do worry about cash and being able to make it.

 

[NJDriver]

Here are a few other things I have to get before going to the NYC TLC office.

First, the defensive driving course. Let me tell you. Do not take the online driving course because it actually takes LONGER than actually going to the classroom course. Just go to the classroom course. Ive taken the defensive driving course a while back because I got a 8 point ticket in Suffolk County. I know about this.

Second, the social security card. Have no idea where mine is. That will be another visit to an office in Hackensack.

Third, copy of drivers abstract. That will be another office visit

So, in total, 4 office visits, a visit to a doctor, a visit to the drug testing place. Lots of hoops need to cover.