A plan allowing taxi riders to hail yellow cabs with their smartphones got a green light yesterday.
A Manhattan judge knocked down a lawsuit against the “e-hail” program, lifting a temporary hold placed on the plan last month.
Now the Taxi & Limousine Commission can review several apps that would flag down cabs with just the push of a button. Those that are approved could be used across the city.
Passengers were pleased, explaining that sometimes, they’re just too tired — or too drunk — to hold up their arm to hail a cab.
“If I was drunk in Brooklyn, I’d want to be able to hit ‘hail cab’ [on my phone] and have them come to me without any confusion,” said Tom Clary, 28.
And TLC boss David Yassky said the ruling will move taxis into the 21st century.
“This decision is a victory for all the riders who want to decide for themselves what technologies and services they want to use,” he said in a statement.
The “e-hail” program, approved by the TLC in December, asks developers to submit proposals for apps that let users hit a single button that lets nearby cabbies know a potential fare is looking for a ride.
The driver accepts the fare by hitting a button in the cab, which turns off the roof light.
“We had four applications in the process in various stages. And the way is now open for more to follow,” said TLC spokesman Allan Fromberg.
The lawsuit against the plan was filed by livery companies that said it would blur the line between black cars and taxis, make drivers more distracted, and discriminate against the elderly, who aren’t as technologically savvy.
“While we are continuing to review it, this decision is so fundamentally wrong in so many respects that we are contemplating an appeal,” said lawyer Randy Mastro.
But state Supreme Court Justice Carol Huff dismissed livery companies’ claims, and wrote that they “complain that taxi drivers’ use of the ‘one-touch’ e-hail system will distract them and cause accidents, but neglect to point out that their own drivers are permitted to use such devices already,” she wrote.
She also said that the program would make it harder for drivers to turn down a fare based on appearance.
“At least on its face, the program appears better aimed at avoiding discriminatory passenger selection,” she wrote.
“The driver must accept an e-hail without knowing the passenger’s identity or destination.”