Ride with a local company
El Amigo is the software behind local taxi and car companies. You book with the company directly: by text message, on its web page, or in the El Amigo app.
Book by text
Text the company's number with your pickup and destination, for example "From 123 Main St to Penn Station now" or "mañana a las 7am de mi casa al aeropuerto". The assistant asks only for what is missing, then sends a price. Nothing is booked until you reply YES.
What you receive
- A booking code and a private link to manage the ride.
- When a driver accepts: first name, car color, make and model, plate, and an approximate arrival time.
- A text when the driver is at the pickup, and a receipt link when the ride ends.
The tracking page shows when the driver's location was last updated. If the phone loses signal, the page says so instead of showing an old position as live.
Paying
Most companies take cash. Some also take Zelle; the company's Zelle name and email or phone appear in your receipt, and the payment is confirmed once the company sees it in its bank account. Card payment is available only where a company has turned it on.
Accessibility and preferences
Say "wheelchair" or "service animal" in your request. Only a suitable vehicle is sent, and if none is available you are told before anything is booked. Companies may also offer driver language or favorite-driver preferences.
Companies using El Amigo
- El Amigo — +12409150755
Safety
Check the plate before you get in. You can share a view-only tracking link with family and report a concern from your ride link. Reports go to the company's staff; they do not contact emergency services. In an emergency, call 911.