Taxi applications on the App Store are a dime a dozen, but for the most part they’re just glorified phone directories that don’t really make it any easier to call a cab. Taxi Magic, a new app that recently went live on the App Store, is doing what the others can’t: on-demand cab service from your iPhone at the push of a button. The application connects directly into Taxi routing systems, allowing users to book cabs without ever needing to speak to an operator.
The service is available in over 25 cities across the US, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington DC (oddly enough New York seems to be excluded for now). Ordering a cab is fairly simple: after launching Taxi Magic, your iPhone will use GPS or triangulation to determine your general location, and will present a list of nearby cab services (some listings are only phone numbers, while others fully support Taxi Magic’s ordering system).
Update: Apparently NYC is excluded because no booking systems for the cabs are available.
After choosing a supported cab company, the application will ask for your exact street address and will then take you to a status screen that will alert you once your ride is dispatched (wait times can vary depending on the time of day and location). The status screen also allows you to view how far away the cab is and the driver’s name.
I’m looking forward to using Taxi Magic next time I need to hail a cab, but I still have a few gripes with the program. For one, the interface could use a facelift – the funky blue background makes it look like an amateurish effort. It would also be nice if the application could send SMS alerts to inform me when my cab was on its way, and some kind of wait time indicator would also be handy. Finally, the app should integrate some of the features found in other Taxi apps on the App Store, like toll estimates based on the distance you’re traveling.
Taxi Magic was made by RideCharge, a startup geared towards frequent cab users who can book their taxis on the web and pay for them using their mobile phone. The site also makes it easy for businesses travelers to produce expense reports for their cab rides.
Pretty cool. Might speak with the cab companies around here and develop it for them too.
We have aggressive plans for more cities and more cab companies, as well as many more features—if you have a favorite, let me know. As for NYC, we have something special planned, but it won’t be for “booking” a cab, as that isn’t allowed in the Big Apple.
How about voice recognition? Just shout ‘TAXI!!!’ in the phone and one will be ordered for you. Maybe have it customizable so I could shout “GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!”
I for information. very good http://www.jugargame.com/
jason – nyc (manhattan) is excluded because there’s no call system here
the outer boroughs could work under the car service agencies.
I just booked a ride using TaxiMagic. This thing is sweet. The only thing that would make it better is paying for the taxi on my iPhone!
Thanks for the suggestion! It will definitely be in the next version of TaxiMagic that we are testing now. If you want a preview of how it will work, see how we do it with the blackberry at http://www.ride...harge.com/video
Cabs?? I live in Dayton, Ohio where you have to call a cab company a day or so in advance to get one. Can I just use the phone button on my iPhone instead?
I do not use an iPhone, but I have the RideCharge Blackberry app – in that, you can pay for your cab and can book a service in New York City, including in Manhattan. Its pretty sweet. I am sure that they will be adding these services to the iPhone app also, along with many of the update features Jason mentions cause they too are available for premium service…
life your arm. no iphone needed.
*Lift* your arm, smart ass.
This is a cool application. I have seen similar application on Android platform called Gcab where the author has similar idea in mind. http://www.albe.../04/gcab-entry/
Along with that, we have created similar application on Android platform but with some variation as after hailing taxi, what will be the next step if that fellow wants to share that ride. We used android platform for the same. You can find more information here:
http://mauliksh...gps-on-android/
Any suggestions?
Exactly the type of innovations that mobile software developers should be thinking about. Well done!
I have the patent of this application in every city, every country, dont even try it mister, or I will…
I have the patent of this application in every city, every country, dont even try it mister, or I will…
Hey Jarod … I have the patent of posting the same comment twice on a message board. Don’t do that again or I will…
Ah, another neat application that doesn’t have applicability in the UK. Sigh.
Then move you dope. Stop complaining..
Another difference between American and European star-ups!…
But, Paulina, you do not need to move, as suggested: this is a business opportunity. Start your own company, partner with and existing one in the UK, or the US: contact Taxi Magic for a possible franchise, partnership, etc. –which could also benefit other EU countries…
Paulina,
We will be bringing CabDaddy to Europe and it will not cost you 2 pounds to use it either like that other atrocity you guys have there. We are working out our kinks and will see you guys sometime next year. A little late to the game, but a whole lot better. Oh and we really do have patents on our system and one of our founders is an IP Litigation attorney…So no fast ones please. Have a great day everyone!
Paulina,
We will be bringing CabDaddy to Europe and it will not cost you 2 pounds to use it either like that other atrocity you guys have there. We are working out our kinks and will see you guys sometime next year. A little late to the game, but a whole lot better. Oh and we really do have patents on our system and one of our founders is an IP Litigation attorney…So no fast ones please. Have a great day everyone!
Whoops looks like I infringed…guess I’ll have to post a third time…hehe
Here in London there’s an official service called Cabwise http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cabwise
“Text HOME to 60835 to get the numbers of one taxi and two licensed minicab firms, in the area you are texting from”
(Cost is 35p/70 cents)
In London Addison Lee is pretty good and maybe better than a cab service, certainly cheaper -plus you get a text when your car is waiting for you outside including the registration number.
http://www.addi...vices/minicabs/
Cool, kind of reminds me of http://www.taxime.ca
Absolutely love this idea. How about canceling a cab through your iPhone. Will this work as well?
Taxi Magic allows you tap a button to cancel your order (electronically) up until the time a cabbie has accepted the dispatch from the fleet. At that time the app tells you the drivers name, car number and distance from you when the call was accepted. At the current time, you would have to tap to call the fleet’s dispatcher to cancel the order after the cab is sent. Hopefully thats a rarity, but a feature we will investigate.
When it’s raining, when you leave MSG after a concert, when you’re standing on the street desperately in need of a cab, what I would do to have this APP! It’s a done deal…I’m downloading it
How about for us T-Mobile G1 users? Will it be on G1’s “Market?
I’ve been using taxi magic now for a few weeks. Seriously a big help in Chicago. I live the life of a weekly traveler and this app makes life easy.
It is pretty cool, until you discover it has no integration with GPS & Maps. You have to manually type in your address and hope it recognizes it.
All it uses GPS for is to locate a local cab company. Not direct them to your exact location.
Just a clarification, if the iPhone can get a decently accurate GPS fix on your location, the app does, in fact, do a reverse geolocation and suggest to you the closest address to your long/lat coordinate. Cab companies requires us to give them a street address because they can’t dispatch a cab to a GPS coordinate.
You may be happy to know that the latest version does also give you a map of where the cab when it was dispatched to you and if the cab company allows it, we move the cab on the map as he progresses to pick you up! Check it out, its pretty cool.