In NYC, cabbies are still looking for a hand

In New York, the hand is still mightier than the app. This is according to a report in the Times that says few riders have taken to taxi hailing apps, now available as part of a TLC pilot program. And when they try to use them, they rarely work.    

Here is the key finding as reported in the paper of record:

According to data from the city’s pilot program for taxi-hailing smartphone apps, the revolution has yet to arrive.

Over four weeks in June, the first month of the program, trips arranged by smartphones accounted for less than one-quarter of 1 percent of all yellow taxi rides. Of the roughly 117,000 requests made using the apps, only 17 percent were “successful,” the city said — meaning a driver and rider eventually found each other using the program.

Of course, apps may be more useful in cities where there are fewer cabs and fewer passengers.

Despite the TLC's vaunted efforts to get cabs to the outer boroughs, 85% of the app attempts came from Manhattan, where the most of the passengers are and, therefore, most of the cabs are.