I've never had a bad experience with them. I've used them a couple of times per year, usually to take me to the airport. The driver is always on time (early actually) and calls to let you know that he's outside. It's a completely no-stress experience. read more

Very pleasant experience booking a ride to EWR from Brooklyn. Booked for Friday, she actually arrived a day early. No attitude (from driver or dispatcher) when letting the driver know it was the next day. On the proper day, she was on time and cheerful, very helpful and smooth driving with motion sickness-prone kids. Will definitely use again! read more

Reasonable fares. On time. Courteous, caring drivers, clean cars. We have used this company for over twenty years, and we have never had a problem with them. read more

I've been back and forth between California and New York several times this past year. I rely on Arecibo for transportation from JFK to Brooklyn and back to JFK for my return flight. All the drivers have been courteous, professional, and reliable. The cost is very reasonable too! It's great to have one thing I don't have to worry about, thanks Arecibo! read more

This car service has always been really reliable for me. I used them a bunch of times a few years back when I needed early morning rides for work events. The past couple of years I've been using Lyft more often if I need a ride somewhere, but when I had to get from Brooklyn to JFK in the very early morning a few months ago, I thought that a local car service might be a safer bet, especially since I was able to reserve the car the night before I needed it. My driver arrived a few minutes early and gave me a call, letting me know he was parked outside and "Take your time, no rush." I went down soon after and he was very friendly and polite and did a great job getting me to the airport early, which was what I had wanted. I definitely will use Arecibo again for flights and other issues. read more

Horrible, Unprofessional, and unreliable ! My mother had a scheduled pickup for 12:45 PM. We were outside waiting. At 12:50 PM, I called and was told the driver picked up the wrong person. That is completely unacceptable--drivers should be verifying names and reservations, especially for medical transportation. No one ever showed up. At 1:00 PM, I called again and was told the driver was "on his way" and that another passenger would already be in the vehicle. I explained clearly that my mother uses a wheelchair and has an aide with her. The representative responded with a nasty, dismissive attitude, claiming it was a "voucher," which is false. This is insurance-paid medical transportation. Because of their incompetence, I had to ask a friend to take us so my mother wouldn't miss her 1:45 PM downtown appointment. Thank God we made that decision--because at 1:16 PM, they had the nerve to call and say "someone was there." At that point, it was already too late. This company shows zero regard for patients' time, safety, or medical needs. They are disorganized, unreliable, and completely unprofessional. I will be reporting this to MAS and making sure this company is not used again. I will continue posting reviews to warn others. Do not use this service--especially for elderly or disabled patients. read more

They are just really courteous and nice to deal with. It's very easy to call ahead and get car seats for the kids. Sometimes they're much cheaper than apps, other times not but I like to support this business because they are dependable and kind read more

Great service, flew in from LA and flight came in early and got picked up on time. Had an early morning flight and the driver showed up on time. Will recommend. read more

I hate to leave negative reviews, but twice now Arecibo has quoted one price on the phone and then something else once we are in the car . Very unprofessional and rude to lie on the phone just to get the job and then force us to have an awkward convo with driver. read more

Terrific experience. We put them through the paces with a flight change from JFK to LaGuardia. They rearranged everything for us with just a few hours notice. The car and car seat fully met our needs. We were very impressed! Prices were excellent. read more

This car service is amazing, especially if you need a car seat. They are reliable and friendly, and even returned my lost purse!

I am writing this as I am missing my daughters dance recital that I've been waiting to see for a year. I am beyond upset. I booked a car to ride with my newborn. First of all, they showed up 20 minutes late with no notice. Then they had no idea how to install the car seat. It seemed like it was the first time the driver was asked to install it and he was struggling. The way he positioned the seat was totally wrong and dangerous and he was unable to adjust the straps of the seat which were set for a toddler. This took another 15 minutes and not only was I not able to install my baby in the car seat, I had also missed the show at that point. I told this company ahead of time that I was travelling with a newborn and clearly they did not inform their driver. This is by far the worst experience I had with a car company. read more

Drove off with my bag. I called the driver and he said he would come back and he didn't. Dirtbags.

Do not use this company! They steal jobs from other local companies by showing up where they aren't supposed to and taking jobs they know have been reserved elsewhere. Not only is it unethical it's essentially kidnapping and is very frightening. Plus they charge more than other local companies. read more

let's see... most consistently it's been drivers falling asleep at the wheel and just plain crappy driving and not safe cars (seats coming detached during the ride). One driver (yesterday) highlighted the facts that there were barf bags in the car because we had two young kids ( 6 yo and a 1.5 yo). There was also a sign indicating that if there was any vomiting, a $200 cleaning fee would be charged. Sure enough, the driver drove like a total maniac accelerating and braking abruptly and weaving in and out of traffic. Gee, I wonder why the occupants of his car get carsick? Our 6 yo daughter almost lost her lunch and we were thrilled to get home before she did. Plus the driver repeatedly called my wife to complain that we were late (by about 15 minutes bc we were hustling from the plane at JFK to meet him with two young kids). Completely unprofessional but at least our driver wasn't falling asleep which had happened about 5 times in the last 6 months. We have had good Arecibo drivers but they've been few and far between. read more

I heard about this company through local community. I booked online for me and my 2 kids. I got confirmation right way and I called to ask them to pay by credit card in advance. Though they said that they cannot do so over the phone but sent a driver with square. Driver came on time, clean and spacious car, arrived airport on time. I will definitely use them again. No problem. Cheaper than Uber, in my opinion. read more

Thanks to Yelp I knew to expect my total to be more than the noted "flat rate" I was given when I called to make the reservation. $38 is what was advertised when I called at 2pm to set a 3:30pm same-day pick-up from Brooklyn to JFK. When we got to the airport the driver said my total was $50 and got irked when I said I was quoted less. His response was, "Okay, how much do you want to pay?" Price aside, his trunk was occupied by a car seat so I had no choice but to cram my luggage in the backseat with me. And he didn't offer to help with my bags which is just weird for a car service that solely advertises rides to the airport. Overall, the driver was on-time (early, actually), nice, and the car was fairly clean but next time I'll definitely take a Lyft. read more

We used Arecibo to get our family of four, including a 2yo and 6mo old, from Manhattan to JFK - round trip. I was a bit skeptical / nervous given some of the negative reviews, but we were so pleasantly surprised! Our driver arrived 30 minutes early and had the appropriate car seats ready to go in his Toyota Sienna. The one piece of feedback that I'd love for them to improve on is ease of communication. They send automated texts that include ETA, car model, etc, but not the driver's number, which made it difficult for us to contact our driver once we landed at the airport. Given that Arecibo was half the price of kid car and Kidmoto, I'll definitely be using them again! read more

Awful service. Our trip out to the airport wasn't too bad, apart from the fact that there was a baby capsule in the front seat (not for us) that they wouldn't remove so we had to all squeeze in the back. Not exactly ideal, however gave them another chance for the return trip. Awful! Guy called when we were waiting for our bags. Not a problem - we told him we were still waiting for them (they came out in normal time and the plane was on time). He then had a go at us when we were in the car, as though we should have somehow magically got our bags quicker? He then took us from Newark to Brooklyn Via Manhattan!! Why?! Yes it's more expensive but we would pay the tolls and there was no discussion. I couldn't believe it. Google maps showed it taking 20 mins longer but it ended up being much longer than that. We then had to argue with him to go via Hugh Carey, and then had to direct him from the other side. Edited to add: very aggressive driver including getting into a game with another driver about who would "win" by getting in front of each other. With my kid in the car. Unbelievably bad service - avoid like the plague. read more

I'd had good experiences with Arecibo in the past, but after being left to wait for an hour at the airport this week and ending up having to find another way home as a person living with disability, I'm not planning to use them again. The driver called to confirm shortly after my pickup time, but still wasn't there half an hour later. When I called him back, he said he was nearby though stuck in traffic. I asked where he was/how close and he would not say; I asked for an ETA and he said he didn't have one. I notified Arecibo in writing of the problem that night and haven't heard back. read more

Arecibo will not show up if you need a pickup from the airport. They will also not reply to messages. Reservations were made in advance. Prices are higher than Uber/Lyft. Do not use this company! Their business model is antiquated. read more

I very much want to not support Uber, but the price gouging I keep encountering with Arecibo has made me vow to not use them anymore. Today I used Arecibo for a ride to LGA and when I got there the driver gave me a price that was $10.00 more than Uber. I'm guessing because he picked me up in a nice neighborhood of Brooklyn he thought he could get away with it. The drivers are generally rude too. If THEY aren't going to make an effort to offer something that at least makes an effort to compete with Uber / Lyft, why should I even bother? Being nice / courteous and clear about pricing is all it would take. Obviously they don't care about reviews or customers, I'm sure they don't know these reviews exist. It's a classic old nyc story that needs to go away. read more

The customer service at this place is horrendous!! I can't emphasize this enough. Every time you call them there's always an issue. If it's not the cars not showing up it's the dispatchers speaking rudely. No one ever apologizes for any inconvenience caused instead you (the customer) are at fault. I'm baffled as to HOW this place is still in business or has clientele. If you're a MAS customer stay far AWAY from Arecibo for your transportation needs. Not worth the headache. read more

Like most car services, Arecibo tends to be really reliable...except when they're not. I'd estimate that 74% of the time, it's a quick and efficient experience. That other 26%... What I'm trying to say is that I'm glad that Uber has arrived to change my life, otherwise I'd always be reliant on the utterly unreliable crapshoot that is Arecibo's answering service. They do have more cars in their fleet that many of their competitors, but that's no guarantee that their five minute estimate is accurate. However, if arriving anywhere with any sort of punctuality is not that important to you: 1. You're probably one of my friends. 2. Give Arecibo a call. read more

Standing outside of Red Hook Bait & Tackle, Amy calls us a car to transport us back to our West Village office. "Five minutes" she says. I am skeptical. When, in your life, has a cab arrived in "five minutes"? Five minutes later I realized why Amy (and her fellow Brooklynites) loves Arecibo: because they rock! Arecibo's a class act and cheaper than a cab. I'm puttin' them on speed dial. read more

I turned to Arecibo after one too many bad experiences with Eastern Car Service. At first I was impressed because the base seemed a lot friendlier and rates were cheaper. But last time I called in for a car they left me waiting for over an hour, I called every 15 minutes (because they'd give me a 15 minutes wait time) and they would say "5" or "10" minutes. After an hour I called upset and told them that I had been waiting for an hour already and the guy actually told me that he was sorry but that he didn't have any cars. I asked him why he would tell me over and over again that a car was coming if it wasn't and he said it wasn't him and that he didn't have anyone to come get me. I asked him if he was seriously telling me that his base had lied to me for the last hour about a car being on the way and he said "I guess so" and hung up. I don't think I will call them. I rather take five trains in winter then deal with businesses that can treat people that way. It isn't right. read more

I use car service a lot, and have tried lots of them. But until I began using Arecibo I never experienced a truly top-notch, fast, professional car service with clean cars, drivers who arrive precisely when I'm told to expect them, and know where they're going. And they answer the phone promptly, too; it's rare to get stuck on the recorded message for more than a few seconds! I can't recommend them highly enough! And several of the good and friendly drivers that I know from other car services are now working for Arecibo. That tells me that I made the right choice! read more

I was charged double the price of a ride to the airport when I booked them on May 22, 2023. I was quoted double the price they had charged me a few months ago. They quoted me $85, up from the $45 I had previously paid. I paid it because my flight was coming up. However, I will not use them again. I have a flight coming up out of JF K in two days, and this time I used their competitor Eastern car service. Eastern was much more reasonable and will have my future business. read more

I called Arecibo to get a ride from the airport after a friend recommended them. They said they have someone near the airport already who would arrive in 7 minutes. It took over an hour for him to even get to the pick-up area. Yes, there was traffic, but had I known the driver was nowhere near the airport I would've taken a cab and been at my destination within a half hour instead of waiting an hour for him to even get there. To make matters worse, they charged over $70; I've taken Lyft and Uber (and shuttles) numerous times and it's never cost that much, even when there's traffic. So many added fees. Ridiculous. read more

today, may 21st 2024, at 3:30pm they were supposed to pick up my disabled mother who was taken by them to manhattan. they call them for pick up and nothing, 1 hour later they didn't showed up, owner was in a bad mood and mistreated a disabled woman, i called later and same thing, owner mistreated me, cursing at me and then stated i don't have cars and i will not send one of my drivers to pick up someone from a medical screw her and you and like a coward hang up on me. i feel bad for the drivers, my father back in the 90s and 2000s used to work for this company and at that time the dispatcher and the owner were much better, but now i am not sure if it is the same owner but it is a miserable human being that abandoned a disabled woman who already had a pre-scheduled trip with them knowing that my disabled mother can not take the train. it is a shame that this person who is latino same as me give all latino's a poor reputation, know i understand due to his poor and disgraceful attitude why latinos like me are hated and discriminated is due to ignorant persons like him. read more

How much for a Newark? Sounds like a line from the Julie Roberts movie, "Pretty Woman", but that's not slang for some type of bizarre prostitute offering, it's a question about how much it costs to go to Newark Airport (whatever you do, don't ask for an East Orange...my eyes burned for a week). Anyway, I don't know if $72 -tolls included-is a good price from Park Slope to Newark, but they got me there fast so I felt it was good. I know their price to LGA is good so I'm feeling pretty good about this fare. The drivers I've had have always been pretty nice and safe, only one was kind of speedy and talked on his cell the entire time. Very reliable and affordable, I give a thumbs up to Arecibo. read more

My dad just told me a very disturbing story. Two days ago, on his 96th Birthday, he called Arecibo car service to take him and my mom to a birthday dinner in the neighborhood. The driver was not wearing a mask. when he asked him to put one on, the driver claimed that he did not have one and that there was no virus! The windows in the car were locked, as the A/C was on.... Unfortunately, my parents chose to take this cab, rather than be late. He regrets that he got into this car and has been worried ever since. My dad later called the car service back to complain about the driver. He was told by the company that he should have requested the driver have a mask, when he called for the car! Arecibo is putting New Yorkers at risk and is breaking the law. Please stop using Arecibo car service on 5th Avenue. They are being incredibly irresponsible. I have personally used Arecibo numerous times and was never impressed. Cars have smelled, they have shown up late, etc. I would give them -5 stars if it was possible read more

I've always had a great experience with this service. They pick me up on time, drivers are always friendly, cars are clean. Very reliable. This time I was quote $55 for a trip from park slope to Brooklyn. When we arrived, the driver charged me $85. This is $30 over what the dispatcher discussed with me over the phone. Uber would have been $70. If I knew the actual price, I would have just used them. Next time, I will. read more

3:30 pm, Friday February 28, 2020 I called, I'm here with an injured dog. I waited. Five. It's cold out. Ten minutes. Now with wind it's really cold. Fifteen, okay I'll give them a couple more minutes. Time's up. I call, the dispatcher says,"no, there is no car and I only have two cars working and they didn't want to go that far (base of the Manhattan Bridge Brooklyn.) Okay. I ask, "why didn't you call me?" He says, "I was busy." I guess I'll call Arecibo with a few phony calls this week. read more

On time. Nice driver. Knew where he was going. Nice car. Got me to my destination on time.

Scheduled a pickup for the airport- driver showed up 45 minutes early and pressured me to get in the car when i wasn't ready m. he wouldn't acknowledge that he was early and wanted to charge the wait fee. I refused. read more

TOTAL NO SHOW !!! previously had a good experience booking arecibo for our airport transport but will NEVER use them again. booked a van with a car seat to go to the airport at 5:30 in the morning and had to scramble to get our family (including a toddler and a baby) to the airport at the last minute and nearly missed our flight. called and emailed all day with NO RESPONSE and NO APOLOGY. pathetic lousy service. stay away !!!!! read more

I booked them to provide medical transportation, which they are contracted to do. Transportation for a scheduled medical procedure, booked 10 days in advance. They are contractually obligated to call the medical transport office to arrange for an alternative if they cannot provide a car at the time. Needless to say, they had no car available and did not call the office so they could send me a car from another company, as they are contractually obligated to do. And as a result I was forced to cancel my procedure. I am looking to see if I can sue. I did file a complaint against them and hope they lose their contract. They have no business being in the medical transport biz. Completely irresponsible. And fyi this is NY, not Cal, despite what Yelp says read more

I've used Arecibo numerous times before and never had a problem until experiencing 2 this week. The more egregious one occurred just now. My mom made a reservation for 1:30pm pickup from Park Slope to Penn station where she was catching an Amtrak. She called and confirmed around noon. The driver did not show up. Nobody called. At 1:45pm she called to see what's happening and was told that they can't track the driver because "the system is down." They will send another car. The driver picked up my mom at 1:56pm. She will likely miss her 2:30pm train. This is extremely unprofessional, and I will not be using Arecibo or recommending it again. *Update: after picking up my mom, the driver went out of the way to stop for gas! They are now at a gas station. Definitely missing the train. read more

If no stars were an option, I would have chosen that. Service was EXTREMELY bad. In fact it was so bad, there was no service. They never arrived and they did not text. Granted it was raining, but they accepted our order. Our grandson was waiting for us at school. Finally my husband set out on foot and arrived at the school only a few minutes late. If they had told us when we called to ask where the car was that there was none available, we would not have waited in vain and we would have made it to school, soaking wet, but on time. Never use their so called "service" in inclement weather! We will never use it again. read more