As a Taxi-Hailing App Comes to New York, Its Legality Is Questioned--Therefore, to hell with its 'Legality'

New Yorkers have long adopted their own techniques in the fine art of hailing a taxicab, a theatrical, frustrating, competitive ritual of the city.

As a Taxi-Hailing App Comes to New York, Its Legality Is Questioned--Therefore, to hell with its 'Legality' Taxiarticleinline

There is the high-pitched whistle, the two-handed gesticulation, the rapid snapping of fingers. Many favor the classic wave — an open palm raised high, stretching into coming traffic.

And now, a start-up company says it has developed a more efficient option.

Uber, a company based in San Francisco, is introducing a smartphone app to New York that allows available taxi drivers and cab-seeking riders to find one another. The company said the service would begin operating on Wednesday in 105 cabs — a bit less than 1 percent of the city’s more than 13,000 yellow cabs. Uber added that it hoped to recruit 100 new drivers each week.

But the program may have a significant problem: Taxi officials say that Uber’s service may not be legal since city rules do not allow for prearranged rides in yellow taxis. They also forbid cabbies from using electronic devices while driving and prohibit any unjustified refusal of fares. (Under Uber’s policy, once a driver accepts a ride through the app, no other passenger can be picked up.)

More: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/nyregion/as-ubers-taxi-hailing-app-comes-to-new-york-its-legality-is-questioned.html?_r=1

As a Taxi-Hailing App Comes to New York, Its Legality Is Questioned--Therefore, to hell with its 'Legality'

As a Taxi-Hailing App Comes to New York, Its Legality Is Questioned--Therefore, to hell with its 'Legality'

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