The good, old yellow cabs of New York City finally seem to have found their savior in Verifone’s ride-hailing app, Curb, which is promising to provide New Yorkers an Uber-like experience.
The app is promising to offer even better services than Uber with its surge pricing-free model, which would even allow users to book cabs in advance for anytime on the same or next day or even beyond, according to a press release.
“The yellow cab, an iconic symbol of New York, is leading the way,” said Amos Tamam, senior vice president of global taxi systems for Verifone. “Advance booking is the first of many new functions and technologies we’re launching with the Curb app, improving service to the public and attracting passengers to the benefits of traditional, licensed taxis.”
While Curb’s service might be new to New York, its model, the company says, has been tried and tested all across the U.S. in over 60 cities. The service, which is being launched as a test pilot in NY, will hit the streets of the city in all five boroughs as a full-fledged service in April this year.
And, unlike most markets, where ride-hailing apps like Lyft and Uber have run into problems raised by the taxi medallion industry, Curb’s launch seems to be getting a warm embrace from the yellow cabs.
“Verifone’s rollout of Curb in New York City is a major step forward in leveling the playing field between taxis and Uber by expanding yellow and green service for all New Yorkers in all boroughs and ensuring consumers never get ‘surge priced.’ This is a win-win for passengers and the taxicab industry,” said Matthew W. Daus, Esq., former NYC Taxi & Limousine commissioner and chairman.
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