How to Catch a Chicago Cab

Chicago is a large city and cabs are easy to find in the downtown area. Most of the time, all you have to do is step to the curb, hail a cab and you'll be on your way to your destination. It can be a little trickier to get a cab in the outlying areas, where cabs must be scheduled ahead of time to ensure service.

Instructions

Obtain a Cab

1. Determine if you are in a cab populated section of Chicago. The downtown area has a large number of cabs and you can see them moving up and down the streets. As you move away from the downtown area, cabs are harder to find.

2. Stand on the curb in a cab populated area, hold your hand up in the air and flag down a cab by facing the direction of traffic.

3. Call the local cab company to request a cab if you are in a non-cab populated area.

4. Give the cab company your pick up location.

When the Cab Arrives

1. Give the driver the address of your destination.

2. Pay the driver the full amount of your fare upon arriving at your destination. Fares in Chicago start at $2.25 and increase $0.20 for each 1/9th of a mile. For every passenger over the age of 12 and under the age of 65, there is an additional $1.00 charge. For each passenger after that, there is a $0.50 charge.

3. Tip the driver 15 percent of the cab fare. If you have luggage, tip an extra $1 to $2 per bag.

4. Request a receipt for your cab ride.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are in an unfamiliar area, ask a local person about the frequency of cab service in that area.

• If you are in an area that is not serviced by cabs on the road, use yellowpages.com to locate a cab company online.

• Cab drivers cannot refuse to give you a ride unless they display a sign stating "Not for hire."