We learned on Thursday that New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) voted to remove the existing TV screens that are located on the backseat of taxicabs and replace them with new technology that would allow customers to make credit card payments easier.
As part of the pilot program, NYC's taxis may soon start using global position technology to calculate fares.
Using GPS to determine how much consumers owe when riding the yellow cabs is part of the agency's initiative to remove doubts surrounding whether or not the current dashboard meter used is guilty of overcharging.
Customers will be able to see how much they are being charged on a tablet, the same ones that will replace the Taxi TV.
During the year-long trial, the TLC will test out various systems to ensure accuracy of the new GPS meters, as well is if they will be able to operate in dead zones.
The pilot program will roll out in a few taxicabs, and the Wall Street Journal reports that up to four systems could be approved to be installed in 1,000 of New York City's approximate 13,600 cabs.
The move to the GPS-enabled tablets would remove the need for multiple pieces of equipment, which currently consist of the Taxi TV, a monitor for the drive, a credit card reader, the dashboard-mounted meter and a location system.
Integrating this technology could be a way for yellow cabs to further compete against app cab services like Uber.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Photo: Alexander Russy | Flickr
