If you have been out partying and need a ride home, a taxi is a lot closer than you think. Just call #TAXI to book the next available cab.
You might not be aware of #TAXI, a service that is available on virtually every mobile phone in the US and Canada. All of the major mobile networks offer it.
Unlike rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, #TAXI uses existing local taxi companies, so it’s available not just in major cities but in any town, city or suburb with dispatched cabs. The service was started more than 10 years ago by CellWand of Toronto, Canada.
The cost of a #TAXI call is comparable with directory assistance – about $1.50 to $2.50 – though right now the service is free on Verizon and AT&T in the States.
Reliable Ratings
There is a big advantage to having the customer pay for the call. CellWand, which offers #TAXI, takes no money or incentives from taxi companies. Instead, they research the fleets’ quality of service and response time, and offer customers the best option in each area. “We always recommend the best,” says Nick Quain, President of CellWand. “There’s no way to buy your way to the front of the line. It’s a meritocracy.”
Low profile
With immediate access everywhere on every phone, reliable recommendations, and no membership signup or fees, why isn’t #TAXI better known? Unlike rideshare companies, #TAXI hasn’t been involved in viral controversies. And telephone technology isn’t inherently sexy, just dependable.
But in fact, #TAXI has been used by hundreds of thousands of people in the US, and millions in Canada. It was started with two audiences in mind:
- Those who were out drinking and who could not legally drive home, and
- Those, particularly women, who were in unfamiliar territory and did not know local cab companies
#TAXI has an app available on its website, and has offered apps in partnership with Guinness, Captain Morgan, and Bud Light, among other companies, as a part of their efforts to promote responsible drinking. CellWand is also coming out with an app that will enable you to track your cab en route to you, in the manner of the rideshare companies.
But in the meantime, all you need is your keypad. Five digits, and you’re home.
Today’s post was brought to us courtesy of fellow ignition interlock provide, LifeSafer.
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