Lily's Limos....DON'T USE!!!!
I'm not positive it was the same company, but I think it was - she'll have to confirm.
They must have changed ownership/management over the last few years--that's not the only time I've heard stuff like this.
I'm sure your parents aren't the first one this has happened to and they won't be the last disgruntled customers. File a report and see what happens. And for what it's worth, glad they got where they needed to go. What a headache!
Posted By: doubleteeDude, Ess and I had the exact same thing happen when we caught a ride to Queens for a Dave Matthews concert. He got lost, in the city, again in Queens, got berated by the police officer at the tunnel and made us late for the concert. On top of that, Ess had to use her phone gps to try to figure out how to get us out of there AND he was texting on his phone!! Nightmare.
I'm not positive it was the same company, but I think it was - she'll have to confirm.
Yup, that was indeed Lily's. Cut-rate GPS, terrible driver. Doubletee and I wound up, at some point, in the emergency room driveway to the Hospital for Special Surgery......which is where the driver would have ended up had the sassy woman cop had her way.
Used them a couple times last year and they were terrific. This was a whole different story.
I don't travel much, but I had used Lily's a few times over the past 5-10 years and had good experiences. My husband travels more often and didn't want to use Lily's to get to the airport for our recent family vacation because he had read and heard some negative reviews. The company he uses, though, wouldn't let us reserve in advance, and since we needed a minivan and were leaving/returning at odd hours, I insisted that we use Lily's because we could have a confirmed reservation. For our outgoing trip, the car went to the wrong town, so we were waiting in the pre-dawn hours, wondering if the car was coming and if we'd make our flight. Then on our return trip, we got a text message while we were taxiing to the gate that they wouldn't be able to meet us because they had a flat tire. Even if that's true, I think you do better for your customers - you send another car, you call a competitor and arrange for another car - something. You don't leave a family of 5 stranded at 1:15 am. Luckily, Uber had a vehicle within striking distance, so we got home - for less than we would have paid Lily's. We know what service we'll be using in the future. I really wanted to support a local business, but it just doesn't make sense to pay more for less.
mod said:
I always use Maplewood Taxi. They are reliable and always have a driver that knows his way around. Their price seems to be the same as most.
I don't have their latest prices, but for many years these guys were the best rate anywhere, especially for pickups. I think it was like $35 and they were waiting for you on the curb outside baggage claim.
I'm generally not a fan of bashing businesses online, but have to say I've been burned badly by Lilly's twice and will never use them again. Both times I BARELY made my flight at Newark after sprinting though the airport OJ-style (the OJ from back when that's what he was known for).
Both times I had stupidly believed the woman at Lilly's who repeatedly kept telling me that the driver was 5 minutes away... for more than 45 minutes... before jumping in my own car and driving myself to the airport (and having to pay for long term parking).
It wasn't until the driver was a no show and more than 10 minutes late that I called (both times) to ask "where is my car", only to have them lie and say "5 minutes away" for the next 45 minutes.
I had used them a lot prior to that without incident, but after those 2 in a row-- never again. I still don't know if a driver ever showed up at my house.
kibbegirl said:
This is one of the many reasons I use Uber.
galileo said:
Have heard really good things about Uber
I use Uber locally and think it is very good, although in NYC, it seems quicker and easier to get a cab. However, going to the Newark Airport has been a Uber challenge for me, perhaps because I'm a newbie. I recently decided to use Uber for a trip to California and back:
1. On the morning of the flight, I tried to use my Uber app, but it wouldn't open, perhaps because of a new app upgrade, or perhaps a recent credit card change. After 10 minutes of increasing frustration, I called Union Taxi, which fortunately was available to rush over and get me to the airport on time. In retrospect, it would have been less stressful to have a cab lined up before the morning rush.
2. On the trip back, we arrived at EWR around midnight. I called Uber, and a guy was available, but because of police surveillance issues, he wanted us to move to another gate on another floor. My wife wasn't very happy about this experiment, but we gave it a try. After arriving at our new destination, the Uber driver was nowhere to be seen, and there were police around as well. The guy didn't respond to my texts until 10 minutes after we arrived at the new location, when he apologized but said he couldn't make it.
3. After going back downstairs to curbside again and getting in the taxi stand line, we got the usual cab service after 5 minutes and were taken care of. Meanwhile, I got an emailed bill from Uber for $5 for not connecting with the Uber that was ordered. I then emailed a complaint, received a credit for $5 instead of a bill, and resumed unpacking at 1Am.
I have to vent about Lily's as well. Called for a return ride from EWR to SO with my wife and two children from vacation. The older child used a car-seat while we were away, so I requested a car-seat be provided for him. Was told no problem. We're waiting on the sidewalk and a minivan pulls up from Lily's with NO CAR SEAT despite repeated confirmations. Lily herself offered a weak excuse, she didn't have a car-seat, and promised us one thinking she would send her driver to the store before picking us up, but the driver forgot to go. NEVER USE THEM!!!!
Jasmo said:
kibbegirl said:
This is one of the many reasons I use Uber.galileo said:I use Uber locally and think it is very good, although in NYC, it seems quicker and easier to get a cab. However, going to the Newark Airport has been a Uber challenge for me, perhaps because I'm a newbie. I recently decided to use Uber for a trip to California and back:
Have heard really good things about Uber
1. On the morning of the flight, I tried to use my Uber app, but it wouldn't open, perhaps because of a new app upgrade, or perhaps a recent credit card change. After 10 minutes of increasing frustration, I called Union Taxi, which fortunately was available to rush over and get me to the airport on time. In retrospect, it would have been less stressful to have a cab lined up before the morning rush.
2. On the trip back, we arrived at EWR around midnight. I called Uber, and a guy was available, but because of police surveillance issues, he wanted us to move to another gate on another floor. My wife wasn't very happy about this experiment, but we gave it a try. After arriving at our new destination, the Uber driver was nowhere to be seen, and there were police around as well. The guy didn't respond to my texts until 10 minutes after we arrived at the new location, when he apologized but said he couldn't make it.
3. After going back downstairs to curbside again and getting in the taxi stand line, we got the usual cab service after 5 minutes and were taken care of. Meanwhile, I got an emailed bill from Uber for $5 for not connecting with the Uber that was ordered. I then emailed a complaint, received a credit for $5 instead of a bill, and resumed unpacking at 1Am.
I love Uber for going to and from NYC. But not the airport. You can't schedule a car, so you have to use the app and hope someone is available. I did that recently and the only car available was a $100 UberBlack car. If I'd hired a local taxi I'd have paid much less, but I was already cutting it close.
I'm done with Lily's too -- one time the driver was like 15-20 mins early, I wasn't ready so he split, and the next driver didn't show up until like 20-25 mins late for a double-confirmed early-morning pickup time.
Then to compound their screwup, they didn't respond to my angry texts and e-mails, rather they just charged the full rate + mandatory gratuity and that was that.
Never have taken an Uber to the airport. We usually park in long term parking and the hell with it. We like coming home, getting into our own car and not having to wait for anyone.
I had a weird experience with Uber at EWR a few months ago. I specified my NJ destination when I summoned the car. An Uber driver in the airport vicinity claimed my request and then called and asked where I was going. When I said NJ, he said he wouldn't be able to take me and told me to cancel my request and submit a new one. This happened three or four more times with different drivers. Finally one told me that they were NY-based drivers who couldn't go to NJ for some regulatory reason. (Although I think they just didn't want an empty trip back.) Eventually I did get one, but it was a stressful half hour with an almost-dead cell phone. (And EWR has NO phone charging areas outside the security gates!)
When I flew into EWR more recently, I took a cab and had to use their wacky prepay system ($5.50) where you enter your destination into a pay station and it calculates the amount and gives you a voucher that you give the cab driver. I changed my destination midway and paid the cab driver cash, which he was happy to take, but the prepay system put a $150 hold on my credit card for ten days.
UberX to and from EWR this past weekend: $14 each way, got Uber Black cars instead, no waiting at either end.
(BTW I learned too late that you don't HAVE to use the prepaid system from the taxi line, you can simply pay cash to the driver and save the fee. But there are no signs to this effect and the clear implication is that you SHOULD prepay.)
kibbegirl said:
Never have taken an Uber to the airport. We usually park in long term parking and the hell with it. We like coming home, getting into our own car and not having to wait for anyone.
How much does that cost? I'm not usually for spending money unnecessarily, but between needing two car seats, one booster, and having two adults in the car it might be worth the money to just take our own car and park there.
kthnry said:
I had a weird experience with Uber at EWR a few months ago. I specified my NJ destination when I summoned the car. An Uber driver in the airport vicinity claimed my request and then called and asked where I was going. When I said NJ, he said he wouldn't be able to take me and told me to cancel my request and submit a new one. This happened three or four more times with different drivers.
Totally against Uber rules. They are not allowed to ask where you are going/turn you down. When you put your destination in they don't see it until they start the ride. If you complained to Uber (too late now) they probably would have given you a healthy credit.
eliz said:kthnry said:Totally against Uber rules. They are not allowed to ask where you are going/turn you down. When you put your destination in they don't see it until they start the ride. If you complained to Uber (too late now) they probably would have given you a healthy credit.
I had a weird experience with Uber at EWR a few months ago. I specified my NJ destination when I summoned the car. An Uber driver in the airport vicinity claimed my request and then called and asked where I was going. When I said NJ, he said he wouldn't be able to take me and told me to cancel my request and submit a new one. This happened three or four more times with different drivers.
Bummer. I wish I'd known. I couldn't understand why they kept asking me where I was going.
Part of the problem is with the Uber promotions, the drivers can end up making very little on these trips. I tend not to report the refusals unless it makes me run the risk of being late. If the formal uber rate is too low, I usually offer to up it a little in cash. It still ends up being a good deal and is often a nicer ride than a random cab.
kthnry said:
eliz said:Bummer. I wish I'd known. I couldn't understand why they kept asking me where I was going.kthnry said:Totally against Uber rules. They are not allowed to ask where you are going/turn you down. When you put your destination in they don't see it until they start the ride. If you complained to Uber (too late now) they probably would have given you a healthy credit.
I had a weird experience with Uber at EWR a few months ago. I specified my NJ destination when I summoned the car. An Uber driver in the airport vicinity claimed my request and then called and asked where I was going. When I said NJ, he said he wouldn't be able to take me and told me to cancel my request and submit a new one. This happened three or four more times with different drivers.
I took uber home from Newark penn recently and I chatted with the driver a bit. He said he had just turned down a passenger because they had a dog, and he said overall they are allowed to decline passengers sometimes.
eliz said:
kthnry said:Totally against Uber rules. They are not allowed to ask where you are going/turn you down. When you put your destination in they don't see it until they start the ride. If you complained to Uber (too late now) they probably would have given you a healthy credit.
I had a weird experience with Uber at EWR a few months ago. I specified my NJ destination when I summoned the car. An Uber driver in the airport vicinity claimed my request and then called and asked where I was going. When I said NJ, he said he wouldn't be able to take me and told me to cancel my request and submit a new one. This happened three or four more times with different drivers.
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I then call Lily's and as calmly as I can ask her if she can please do anything for us and she says "NO. I already charge a fair rate." Then berates me in the process for even asking. Geesh, even 10% off would have made me feel better and want to utilize them again.
Per my mother "He was 20 minutes late, drove like a bat out of hell and asked us where the airport was!". Some customer service!!! Anyone know of any other reasonably priced cab companies who actually KNOW how to get to the airport for future reference???