On June 6 (the same day a the big decision on the outer borough taxi plan) a state appeals court cleared the way for a pilot program that would allow taxi passengers to use smartphone apps to hail cabs.
An earlier decision had blocked the plan, which will benefit venture capital rich companies like Hailo and Uber, both of which have systems that link taxi with waiting passengers. The lawsuit had was filed by the Livery Roundtable, Black Car Assistance Corp. and several car-service firms sued the TLC in February, claiming the program violates city codes and may let drivers discriminate against racial minorities based on their names or locations, as well as the elderly, who are less likely to own smartphones.
But as usual, the real issue is taxi turf. By tradition, and arguably by law, the right to accept a fare "by prearrangement" was the exclusive preserve of livery cabs. Yellow cabs could accept street hails, but were not allowed to accept radio calls or fares by phone. In their view, an app was just another way to call a cab and yellow taxis should not be allowed in that business.
The measure adopted by the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission in December would run for 12 months and exempt areas such as airports that have provisions for taxi lines. While all licensed city cab drivers would be eligible, participation would be optional.
It will be interesting to see what happens on the street. Will taxis pass by potential passengers with their hands in the on their way to pick up a guy with a smartphone three blocks away? If he does, can he be cited for refusing service to the customer he passes by? Will a cabbie who had accepted the hail by app blow it off if he sees a traditional hail closer at hand.
Gothamist coverage
The Wall Street Journal coverage
The TLC facilitates the refusal by mandating the driver on ehail call to press a button that shuts off the roof liht, in order not to inflame anyone who is passed by. If you an old timer you remember when some taxis did have radios (like on the TV show Taxi) and the driver would activate a sign reading "on radio call." I'd guess that this is why drivers don't have an off duty light any longerand so csnnot turn it on whie hunting a parking spot near a lavatory. Just more racial/class arrogance dumped on the hard working driver who, after all has kidneys and a bladder, just like a regular person.
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