How to Get a Cab in San Francisco with Your iPhone

By Erin Sherbert Wed., Apr. 13 2011 at 8:37 AM

Was it ever easy to hail a cab?

We just told you that in 30 years we could be living in a spooky world where we use our iPhones to do everything -- even robbers will you hold you up with iGuns. And here is evidence that we are well on our way to living in the iWorld.

The Examiner this morning kindly reports this great news: It could become so much easier to catch a cab in San Francisco, thanks to your iPhone. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is considering a plan to allocate $400,000 for a new high-tech cab-hailing program that uses smartphones.

This kinda seems long overdue. Why should we hail a cab when our phones could do it for us?
This is how it would work: Smartphone users will be able to view a map of all the available cabs in the city (this is assuming any are available). Then, with one tap, you hail the closest cab.

Let's just review what a complete pain in the ass it is to get a cab in San Francisco. A controller's report in 2006 validated everyone's frustrations, concluding that 33 percent of people who were trying to hail a taxi on a Saturday night waited longer than 30 minutes.

The San Francisco-based company Cabulous already offers the technology and contracts with 400 taxis in the city, according to the Ex. Cabulous is in talks with the MTA to extend the technology to all 1,500 cabs in San Francisco.

And while that won't solve all of your problems, it will at least give you more of a reason to hit the town on Saturday nights.

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Tags:

Cabulous, high-tech hailing, pain in the ass, saturday nights, taxis

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Ms_jennifer03

I use taxi magic. I get a cab 50% of the time. I just call veterans they always answer.

mattymatt

I have used Cabulous about a dozen times, and not one of those times has it actually gotten me a cab. Inevitably, there are either no cabs in the area, or a cab driver accepts and then immediately cancels.

wholesale cellular accessories

It would be easier to get a cab for transportation especially if you are in a rush hour going to your work. There's nothing impossible now on iPhone. Smartphone is indeed making a way for the convenience of their users by getting wider contacts with other fields.