For 2013, the city announces NYC taxi app will be approved for use.  That means no more waiving and hailing out in the cold; order your taxi using your smartphone!  You can even pay using your mobile device!

There’s an app for that. Let’s face it, there’s an app for everything. Well, almost everything. Until lately, New Yorkers have had to put aside their app-dependency when engaging in the tradition of taxi-hailing. In a world where a click solves it all, those wanting a cab had no other options than the tried and true “arm-out” to get where they needed to go.

However, the city that never sleeps has recently approved a smartphone trial for a nyc taxi app that will allow riders to hail taxicabs and pay fares directly from their mobile device. SKIFT, a travel website, reports that one-year trials are about to commence and will offer the following;

• Passengers using an app below 59th will only be able to hail taxis within a half-mile radius of their location.
• Taxis will pick up passengers within a mile and half radius everywhere else in Manhattan.
• Drivers must be able to accept trips.
• All payments will be processed through an authorized payment processor, called a T-PEP Provider. The TLC is now accepting proposals for new payment solutions.
• Each app will have to report to the TLC quarterly.

Many technically inclined travel enthusiasts might compare this to UBER, which uses an app to provide black car service throughout Manhattan. The upcoming taxi-app rollout will see it return; this time with cabs. An interesting development, considering that the company and city regulators only recently met with differences.

Also on the scene is FLYWHEEL, an app from the Cabulous company that proclaims “You’re ride is here!” A free nyc taxi app, FLYWHEEL will also let users hail a cab from their phone and even track their cab as it arrives. Payments will be processed with the touch of a button: no need to hunt for cash or a credit card.

HAILO, a soon-to-debut app, says it has already registered 2,500 drivers that will be hailing taxis via their digital offerings. Similar companies, like TAXI MAGIC and GETTAXI, have also announced that they will be connecting drivers and passengers more efficiently.

What is sure to be revolutionary among commuters has only been approved for a one-year pilot program (for now), so be sure to download your app and make full use of taxi-hailing services in 2013.  As these apps come on the market, we will let you know which nyc taxi app is best!

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