Splitting a taxi with several stops

Three friends share a cab home after a night out. The first gets out ten minutes in, the last rides the whole way and pays the driver. Dividing the total by three makes the first friend pay for road she never traveled. In most cases the fairest method is to cut the ride into segments and split each segment among the people still in the car.

Three ways to split the same ride

• Equally. The total divided by the number of riders. Simple, and fine when the stops are close together or the group would rather not count.
• By segment. The cost of each stretch between two stops is shared by whoever is on board. Everyone pays for the road they covered, and the savings of riding together go to everyone.
• By distance. Each person pays in proportion to the distance from the pickup to their stop. Useful when you only know the total fare and each person’s mileage, for example from an app receipt.

A worked example, segment by segment

This example is fictional. Chloe, Jordan and Maya take a cab from the same bar. Chloe gets out first, when the meter reads $12. Jordan gets out next, at $20. Maya rides the last stretch alone: the meter ends at $30, and she pays the driver $30 plus a $6 tip, 20% of the fare.

• First segment, $0 to $12: three riders, $4 each.
• Second segment, $12 to $20: Jordan and Maya, $4 each.
• Last segment, $20 to $30: Maya alone, $10.

Before the tip, Chloe owes $4, Jordan $4 + $4 = $8 and Maya $4 + $4 + $10 = $18, which adds up to $30. If the group splits the tip in the same proportions, each person adds 20% of their share: $0.80 for Chloe, $1.60 for Jordan and $3.60 for Maya. The totals become $4.80, $9.60 and $21.60, or $36 together. Chloe sends Maya $4.80 and Jordan sends her $9.60.

The easiest habit is to note the meter at each stop. A photo or a message in the group chat is enough. The initial charge and any surcharges at pickup fall naturally into the first segment, shared by everyone.

What the other methods change

Split equally, the $30 fare would cost $10 each. Chloe would pay $6 more than her segment share, Jordan $2 more and Maya $8 less. The gap falls on whoever gets out early.

By distance, assume Chloe lives 2.5 miles from the bar, Jordan 5 miles and Maya 7.5 miles, 15 miles in all. Chloe pays $30 × 2.5/15 = $5, Jordan $30 × 5/15 = $10 and Maya $30 × 7.5/15 = $15. The fare still totals $30.

The two methods answer different questions. Splitting by segment says every mile traveled together costs each rider less. Splitting by distance says each person pays for the length of their own trip. Chloe pays $4 with the first and $5 with the second. Neither is wrong, but the group should pick one before doing the math.

Tips, surcharges and detours

In New York City, the Taxi & Limousine Commission lists the metered fare plus fixed surcharges, such as a $1.00 overnight surcharge from 8pm to 6am, plus tips and tolls. It also states there is no charge for extra passengers. Surcharges that apply to the whole ride belong in the first segment. A toll belongs to the segment where it was paid.

A detour to drop someone off is part of the segment where it happens. If Jordan asks for a route that only matters to him, the group can agree that he covers the extra cost alone. Settle it during the ride, not a week later.

When the ride is booked in an app

With a ride-hail app there is often no visible meter, only a price quoted for the whole route, stops included. The NYC commission notes that an accepted upfront quote is what you pay, but that the fare may change if you change your destination: add every stop when you book. You also will not see the amount at each stop. In that case, splitting by distance is easier: take each stop’s mileage from the map or the receipt. If the app offers to split the payment across several accounts, check how it divides the amount. An equal split ignores the stops.

Whoever books pays the driver or the app, and the others pay them back. That is often the last person out, like Maya, but not always. For a ride in someone’s own car, the math is different: see the fuel cost calculator. To settle several costs from the same night, see who owes what among friends.

In Spliz, a group can add the ride as an expense, enter each person’s share and check balances for free. Friends install the app to join a group as guests, without creating an account. Spliz does not move money: Chloe and Jordan pay Maya back by bank transfer, in cash or with another app, and the repayment is then recorded in the group.

Sources

• NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission, Taxi Fare, metered fare, surcharges, extra passengers and app quotes.
• Spliz, available features, what the app does today.