Small town living seldom requires the services of Uber or Lyft. But I was in New York City last week and had the opportunity to be a newly savvy traveler. I became an Uber user. I am a verified rider. I am so cool.

It was fun, it was safe, and I enjoyed my drivers. And yes, it is fairly expensive. But, in New York, with all the traffic, toll bridges, tunnels, and parking there is no wallet-friendly way to get in and out of Manhattan.

I stayed with my BFF, Ginger, who has lived in leafy Forest Hills, N.Y. for decades. Forest Hills is in Queens, the other side of the East River from Manhattan. If one wants to go into “the city,” there are many options. Sadly, Ginger and I have outgrown some of those options.

Since it is 11 miles, I confess we never walked. Ginger mostly takes the subway, which is conveniently near her apartment. She ruled that out for me because I now carry oxygen, and the subways involve lottsa walking and stairs, stairs, stairs.

Driving is an option, but with the new congestion surcharge of $9 per car added to any other toll, the personal car isn’t a solution. And park those wheels? Fuggedaboudit. Parking garages are a budget-breaking nightmare – $37 for the first hour, $56 for two.

Taxicabs? Well, NYC cabs have also become hideously expensive. One evening, it was raining and I had to quickly navigate three blocks. I don’t do quickly anymore. I grabbed a cab – 10 bucks. Yikes! But I was dry.

With Ginger supervising, I downloaded the Uber app onto my phone. When I was ready to head into Manhattan for dinner with my granddaughter, I requested my first Uber driver. The app told me he would be there in 4 minutes. All his info was there – Nodar was the driver’s name, he would be driving a navy blue Camry, the ride into the city would take 36 minutes, and the price was set. The app also listed his cellphone number, license plate, and his customer rating on a 5-star scale. It was 4.98.

We went downstairs to Ginger’s lobby, as smiling Nodar pulled up outside. I loved the whole idea. I knew everything I needed to know before I got in the car.

Nodar was from the country of Georgia, has been driving in New York for 4 years, and is trying to bring his wife and boys here. He was well mannered and very considerate. At the end of the drive, you rate the driver then select one of the optional tip amounts. Ginger told me that the drivers also rate the passengers, so she always tips 20%. Naturally, the big computer in the sky holds all this information. I wouldn’t want to try to book an Uber in Amarillo and get turned down because I’m a 2.2 rated customer. That basically means you’re cheap. Or a pain. Or both.

When we arrived at my destination restaurant, I thanked him profusely. No money changed hands. The charge was already on my Mastercard. I didn’t enter Nodar’s tip along with his 5-star rating until after dinner. They sent me thanks and a receipt which also went to my email. Slick!

My return trip after midnight was with Rafeek, an Iraqi, driving for 3 years. He lives in New Jersey, the opposite direction from my long ride to Queens. He began driving that morning at 10 a.m. and laughed, saying “Don’t worry, I chose to answer this call. I’ll have a nice quiet drive home.” Rafeek loves being here and can’t wait to apply for citizenship.

The next day, Ginger and I rode with Ram, from Nepal. Again, easy, courteous, kind. During stopped traffic in Manhattan, a bearded man walked between the cars with a sign declaring himself a U.S. Navy veteran, homeless, and cold. Ram rolled down his window, handed him $5 and thanked him for his service. We both thanked Ram for that, and Ginger tipped him extra.

Our last ride was with Mohammed, originally from Turkey. His large, white SUV was so immaculate, I thought it was brand new. It even smelled new. Mohammed takes great pride in keeping it that way himself since he bought it in 2017. It had almost 400,000 miles on the odometer!

My takeaway from my new Uber app is admiration. The system works, all the bases are covered, and the drivers serve their passengers well because they are rated. They meet a broad cross-section of Americans daily. Rafeek said to me, “I learn English in my car. Is better every day.”

I love my rare trips to the big city that are now more easily available, safe and sane. But my little Honda awaited me at the Buffalo airport, ready to head back to my small town.

There’s no place like home.

Marcy O’Brien can be reached at Moby.32@hotmail.com.